Module 7: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning For Increased Impact and Improvement of the IEA Process

Asia and the Pacific Version

Monitoring and evaluation of an IEA process and its impacts focuses on how the assessment process has been organized to have a desired impact on policy making. Monitoring is a planned, systematic process of observation that closely follows a course of activities, and compares what is happening with what is expected to happen. Monitoring the IEA process makes sure the environmental assessment meets its goals, while working within the scope of allocated resources (i.e., time, financial, human, informational and technical). Evaluation is a process that assesses an achievement against preset criteria. Evaluations can have a variety of purposes, and follow distinct methodologies (process, outcome, performance, etc). Evaluation of the IEA process determines the extent to which achievements (outputs, outcomes and impacts) are comparable with the originally intended purpose, and what lessons can be learned for the next environmental assessment and management cycle. The evaluation of the process is, first and foremost, a capacity-development opportunity.