Validated Terminal Review of the UNEP-GEF Project “Accelerating the transition to electric public transport in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica” (GEF ID 10284) 2021 – 2025

This report is a Terminal Review of the UNEP project “Accelerating the transition to electric public transport in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica” implemented between 2021 and 2025. The project's overall goal was to “Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the large-scale deployment of electric public transport vehicles in Costa Rica’s Greater Metropolitan Area”. The review sought to assess project performance in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency, and determine the sustainability of its results. The review has two primary purposes: accountability and learning. Data collection methods included: field observations, in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussions and document reviews. Data analysis was based on applying triangulated data to assess performance against a reconstructed Theory of Change and its causal pathways. With an overall performance rating of Satisfactory, the 5th point on a six-point scale, the main findings include: (i) strong relevance and alignment with UNEP, GEF and national climate and transport priorities, complemented existing initiatives in a previously underdeveloped sector (taxis); (ii) effective management of activities and deliverables was achieved through the strategic involvement of UNEP and MINAE, and the technical goal-driven execution leadership of CRUSA, demonstrating strong adaptive capacity in response to changes in the implementation context; (iii) effective implementation of pilot and demonstration activities for electric taxis generated objective operational data and practical experience, helping build confidence in electric mobility technologies; (iv) underestimation of sector dynamics at the design stage that led toexclude explicit actions towards unregulated services, (v) limited regulatory leadership from MOPT-CTP to execute systemic redesign and regulation’s update, (vi) difficulties in establishing viable financial mechanisms constrained scalabilityand broader market transformation; (vii)gender perspective was integrated during design stage allowing a positive impact into project activities’ through a clear action plan. The main recommendations to UNEP and implementing partners are: (i) to prepare alternative business models and legal framework reforms for the development of the charging network in the Greater Metropolitan Area, (ii) to prepare a proposal to facilitate taxi concessionaires’ access to credit, and (iii) to Strengthen government linkages with academia to foster future collaboration.