The provision of independent evaluation services for the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition

The Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest finance (LEAF) Coalition is a voluntary global coalition bringing together the private sector and governments to provide carbon market finance for tropical and subtropical forest conservation. Reversing deforestation is essential to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework.

One way of reversing deforestation is by investing in high integrity carbon markets which can deliver finance at scale for forest protection and restoration. The LEAF Coalition is one route to raising global climate ambition for high-integrity carbon markets, by demonstrating that the demand and supply of Results-Based Finance (RBF) and forest carbon credits can follow a high integrity path, in-line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has commissioned an Independent Evaluation Partner to deliver a set of evaluation activities considering the UKs contribution to the LEAF Coalition and the related technical assistance provision. The overall aim of the independent evaluation activity is to understand the effectiveness of the UK’s contribution to the LEAF Coalition and its supporting Technical Assistance programme, on accelerating the development of a jurisdictional REDD+ carbon market and its potential impact on reversing deforestation and delivering improved social and sustainable development outcomes.

The Department for Energy Security and Net is commissioning an Independent Evaluation Partner to deliver a set of evaluation activities considering the UKs contribution to the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest finance (LEAF) Coalition and the related technical assistance (TA) provision. The LEAF Coalition is a voluntary global coalition bringing together the private sector and governments to provide carbon market finance for tropical and subtropical forest conservation.

The evaluation activities will be split into three parts: 1. Part 1 is the delivery of an approach paper following a scoping exercise to further refine the approach to parts 2 and 3 following contract award. 2.

Part 2 is the delivery of a process evaluation for the entire LEAF programme, alongside a Theory of Change review, and Value for Money analysis. 3. Part 3 is presenting a set of options for the design of an impact evaluation in the future, including a recommendation for the most effective option with supporting rationale. The overall aim of the independent evaluation activity is to understand the effectiveness of the UK’s contribution to the LEAF Coalition and its supporting TA programme, on accelerating the development of a jurisdictional REDD+ carbon market and its potential impact on reversing deforestation and delivering improved social and sustainable development outcomes.