Monitoring of Climate Financing

This report represents a pioneering effort in applying a gender lens to the analysis of European Investment Bank (EIB) investments in "green" projects across the Western Balkans and Moldova for the period 2016–2025. Its significance lies in the recognition that the green transition is not gender-neutral: women and men have different mobility patterns, energy and water consumption needs, and varying levels of access to the labor market in green sectors. The report fills a critical gap between the formal commitments of states to gender equality and the practical implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects.

This Gender Budget Watchdog report assesses whether and how GCF-funded and co-financed projects in the Western Balkans and Moldova reflect gender-responsive budgeting principles across the climate finance cycle. The analysis reviews gender assessments, the resourcing and implementation of Gender Action Plans, domestic co-financing practices, participation and governance arrangements, monitoring systems, and institutional coordination.

The purpose of the analysis is to assess the planning and execution of climate-related public funds in Western Balkans and Moldova through a gender-responsive budgeting lens and to analyze how gender considerations are integrated into the allocation and use of funds from European Bank for Reconstruction and Development green projects. EBRD has several streams of funding for ‘green projects’ (e.g. Green Cities, Just Transitions, Green Economy Financing Facilities, Corporate Climate Governance Facility, and others). 1 Imposed by constrains of limited time for research and human resources, and by mutual agreement, the framework of Green Cities and the analysis on Green City Action Plan were establish as the focus of the analysis.

The purpose of this Gender Budget Watchdog Report (hereinafter the Report) is to analyze how Global Environment Facility (GEF) projects have supported countries in the Western Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania) and Moldova in addressing environmental and climate-related challenges through a gender lens. The main focus shall be on specific examples of selected GEF projects in each country and their analysis through a gender lens using a GRES matrix (item #5). This shall provide detailed information on the financing of selected GEF projects, and their impact on women population shall be assessed in line with the GRES matrix.

This Gender Budget Watchdog Report that assesses the extent to which gender considerations are integrated into the planning, allocation, and implementation of climate-related public funds channeled through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) in the Western Balkans. The analysis examines how effectively the WBIF financing model embeds gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) principles across the full project cycle, including project identification and design, appraisal and approval, implementation, and monitoring and reporting. The study identifies gender gaps in funding priorities, access to resources, and results, and assesses the extent to which WBIF-financed climate actions contribute to gender equality and inclusive outcomes across relevant sectors.