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T1 Terminal Evaluation of the UNEP Project “631.1 Accelerating the shift to sustainable public procurement and monitoring progress” and “SMA ID 43577” (2020-2023)
A1 United Nations Environment Programme, 
K1 Resource efficiency
K1 Environment under review
K1 Climate Action
YR 2025
FD 2025-10
LK https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/49074
UL https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/49074
NO This report is a Terminal Evaluation of the UNEP project: “Accelerating the shift to sustainable public procurement and monitoring progress”, implemented between 2020 and 2023.The project's overall goal was to assist countries in implementing Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) policies, establish regional SPP networks and monitor the global progress of SPP, notably through the measurement of SDG 12.7.1. The evaluation sought to assess project performance (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency) and determine the sustainability of its results. The evaluation has two primary purposes: accountability and learning. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews 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 Unsatisfactory’, the fifth point on a six-point scale, the main findings include: (i) The project strengths lay in aligning with global frameworks, contributing technically to Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) methodologies, and revitalizing the Asia-Pacific Green Public Procurement Network (AP-GPPN) for peer learning during the project lifetime. However, weaknesses in monitoring and evaluation, limited national engagement, and insufficient documentation hindered a comprehensive assessment of its impact. (ii) Notable deliverables included the development of SPP action plans and legal frameworks in Caribbean countries and the creation of tools for SDG 12.7.1 reporting. These were driven by UNEP’s technical leadership and partnerships with PAGE and One Planet. Despite these successes, the dissemination of global SPP publications could not be verified and the national-level implementation remained partial and inconsistently anchored. (iii) While foundational resources and regional integration efforts were promising, their medium to long-term viability is threatened by weak follow-up, lack of national ownership, and poor institutional handover mechanisms. The exit strategy relied heavily on countries’ readiness, which was not adequately supported. Gender and equity considerations were partially addressed, but gender-responsive SPP tools were not developed or applied. The main recommendations to UNEP are: (i) Future projects should be guided by a clear theory of change aligned with UNEP’s SPP framework and include robust monitoring systems from the outset; (ii) Strong governance structures, such as steering committees and clear oversight roles, are essential; (iii) Regional networks should be institutionalized within UNEP or partner bodies with dedicated resources and member state commitment; and (iv) For policy-focused initiatives, sustained in-person engagement and technical support must be planned to ensure effective legal and institutional reforms.
NO https://www.unep.org/evaluation-office
DS UN Environment Document Repository
RD Sep 18, 2026