ACE D&H Consultants Ltd. Delivers Mid-Term Review for ClientEarth’s Forestry and Livelihood Project

In a recent comprehensive mid-term review, ACE D&H Consultants Ltd. has assessed the progress of the ongoing project “Building Legal Foundations for Sustainable Forests and Livelihoods,” managed by ClientEarth. This initiative, funded under the Norad NICFI project 2021-2025, focuses on improving forest management and governance, reducing deforestation, and promoting sustainable development across various regions.

The project aims to enhance community forestry as a tool to foster better forest management, conservation efforts, and sustainable development with a particular focus on regions like Liberia, Gabon, and parts of the European Union. With the support of Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), the project also aims to shape import commodity regulations in major markets such as the EU and China.

Conducted by ACE D&H Consultants Ltd., the mid-term review was intended to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies employed by ClientEarth over the first two years of the project. Utilizing a qualitative mixed methods approach, the review involved interviews, focus group discussions, and extensive field observations across the target geographies.

The review finds that ClientEarth has successfully engaged a range of governmental and civil society actors, with significant strides made in empowering communities and promoting legal frameworks that support sustainable forest management. Its contribution to the EUDR process in European was widely acclaimed by partners and stakeholders, acknowledging the strategic positioning and competitive advantage of the organisation in terms of legal expertise. The review suggests that the sustainability of the project’s impacts is promising, thanks to the solid legal frameworks established and the capacity built among local stakeholders. Continued support and adaptive strategies are recommended to overcome the socio-economic and institutional challenges identified in Liberia and Gabon.

ACE D&H Consultants have put forward several recommendations aimed at enhancing the project’s impact and sustainability. These include strengthening capacity-building efforts, improving stakeholder engagement strategies, and ensuring that gender and inclusion considerations are effectively integrated into all project activities. With this mid-term review, ClientEarth and its partners are provided with valuable insights to refine their approaches and enhance the effectiveness of their efforts to manage forests sustainably and promote legal and livelihood transformations in target regions.