Foreword
Climate change is among the most difficult challenges facing the world. Its global
nature, intergenerational impact, and the massive risks and uncertainty associated
with it combine to create an unparalleled need for global collective action. It is also
significant in that addressing it will go a very long way toward addressing other
environmental problems – air pollution, water risks, soil degradation, and the loss
of forests, natural habitats, and biodiversity. At the same time, the world continues
to grapple with eradicating poverty and inequalities and spurring economic growth.
Going full circle, it is primarily the poor who suffer from climate change and
environmental degradation.
Monitoring and evaluating the efforts to address these concerns are particularly
important. The stakes are high, and we have an incredibly short window to do things
right. And in a time when public financing is decreasing and investment decisions
are made without considering overall global environmental and development costs,
evaluation is essential for us to understand how we can best make use of these
limited resources. Evaluators are in a position to present evidence about how we can
make a difference in promoting development that is both environmentally sound
and equitable.
Using relatively small resources, what can be done to help decision-makers
achieve the revolution needed to address our challenges? Those who have the
privilege to manage precious resources have an obligation to help decision-makers
get to the right place. Using evidence, evaluators can speak truth to power. It is not
only about how money is being used and whether it has a decent return. It is about
measuring the results of our action, knowing why and how things are working, or
not working. It is about learning.
The book Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable Development is a
collaborative venture. The chapters provide an interdisciplinary perspective and
document emerging and innovative evaluation knowledge and practice of climate
change and its links to sustainable development. Such knowledge based on solid
ix
Climate change is among the most difficult challenges facing the world. Its global
nature, intergenerational impact, and the massive risks and uncertainty associated
with it combine to create an unparalleled need for global collective action. It is also
significant in that addressing it will go a very long way toward addressing other
environmental problems – air pollution, water risks, soil degradation, and the loss
of forests, natural habitats, and biodiversity. At the same time, the world continues
to grapple with eradicating poverty and inequalities and spurring economic growth.
Going full circle, it is primarily the poor who suffer from climate change and
environmental degradation.
Monitoring and evaluating the efforts to address these concerns are particularly
important. The stakes are high, and we have an incredibly short window to do things
right. And in a time when public financing is decreasing and investment decisions
are made without considering overall global environmental and development costs,
evaluation is essential for us to understand how we can best make use of these
limited resources. Evaluators are in a position to present evidence about how we can
make a difference in promoting development that is both environmentally sound
and equitable.
Using relatively small resources, what can be done to help decision-makers
achieve the revolution needed to address our challenges? Those who have the
privilege to manage precious resources have an obligation to help decision-makers
get to the right place. Using evidence, evaluators can speak truth to power. It is not
only about how money is being used and whether it has a decent return. It is about
measuring the results of our action, knowing why and how things are working, or
not working. It is about learning.
The book Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable Development is a
collaborative venture. The chapters provide an interdisciplinary perspective and
document emerging and innovative evaluation knowledge and practice of climate
change and its links to sustainable development. Such knowledge based on solid
ix