International Consultant, Climate Services Market Assessment at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Job Description

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The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the world’s environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is tcoordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues tthe attention of governments and the international community for action. This consultancy is managed by UNEP’s Early Warning and Assessment Division. The Early Warning and Assessment Division is responsible for analyzing the state of the global environment, providing early warning information, and assessing global and regional environmental trends tcatalyse and promote international cooperation and action on the environment. In response trequests from the Member States, the Climate Services and Capacity Building Branch builds country capacities in the collection, management, and use of environmental and climate data, information, and knowledge for early warning, planning, policymaking, preparedness, and response actions. The consultant will serve timplement portions of the USD 49.9 million GCF programme, “Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for resilience in 5 island countries of the Pacific Ocean”. The programme is UNEP’s largest project, and the programme will contribute tensuring that accurate, timely and actionable climate information is used in policy, planning and response actions, and enable sectors and communities in the five Pacific Island countries (Cook Islands, Niue, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Palau, and Tuvalu) tadapt tincreasing climate variability and change. The consultant will contribute tactivities in the five Pacific Island countries programme under Sub-Activity 1.1.2, “Conduct Market Assessment texplore viable opportunities for climate information services in sectors and businesses,” that will lead tResult 1 “Strengthened delivery model for climate information services and MHEWS covering oceans and islands”. In addition, this component will alscontribute tSub Activity 1.1.4, “Develop national policies for financing climate services.” This will be conducted separately from the Market Assessment. The consultant is expected tdevelop detailed market assessments in each country tassess private/public sector engagement in climate services and identify opportunities for: i) development of value-added climate products and services; ii) public-private partnerships in the generation, translation, and transfer function. Based on the market assessments, the consultant will alsdevelop national financing policies focused on the sustainable financial management of climate services, that will enable the 5 NMHSs thave the means tsustain and ensure ongoing operation of their mandated services in order tmitigate weather-, climate-, and water-related risks. Private/public sector engagement will improve the cost-effectiveness of NMHSs and increase potential for catalysing innovation in climate information technologies.

Specific tasks and responsibilities

Under the Supervision of the Programme Coordinator of the Early Warning and Assessment Division, UNEP, based in Apia, Samoa, the International Consultant, Climate Services Market Assessment will perform the following assignment/s; Review documentation relevant tthe assignment Convene a virtual inception meeting with the 5 countries, UNEP, and other relevant stakeholders. The inception meeting will discuss the programme of work, confirm work schedules, and activity requirements, seek clarification on issues critical tthe assignment, and plan logistics Prepare an inception report of nmore than 20 pages tinclude detailed work plan for the execution of the assignment, methodology tbe followed, and timeline for the accomplishment of the tasks of the assignment, information required; summary of agreed issues tbe investigated; administration requirements and roles of PMU, NPIU and consultant; potential barriers/ challenges tthe conduct of the assignment and suggested approaches to mitigating the impacts..

The consultant tdevelop the roadmap in line with the World Bank Guidance tconsider the following:

Opportunities for greater cooperation between the public and private sectors and academia given that many economic sectors increasingly depend on meteorological information for safe and efficient operations. Opportunities for win-win situations that fulfil the public sector responsibility thelp the economically disadvantaged while meeting the needs of enterprises for climate services. Tthis end, the Programme will ensure partner governments are made aware of the economic value of climate information in, for instance, reducing the need for dangerous marine rescues, reducing the need for transport of drinking water touter islands in drought, and reducing the costs ofrecovery from cyclone damage. Opportunities tcoordinate and/or integrate financing for climate services and disaster risk management tstrengthen existing disaster relief funds and establish reliable funding for disaster preparedness activities, which are often limited tad-hoc donor funding. This would facilitate a more efficient and streamlined approach timplementing often overlapping actions for climate change adaptation and disaster risk management. Identification of the elements for a sustainable financial model for NMHSs based on the climate services value chain, which highlights the different roles of NMHSs in providing basic forecasts and warnings tprotect society from the adverse effects of severe weather (a public good typically supported by governments, for which predictable national budget allocations need tbe ensured) but alsin providing specialised value-added services tsectoral government agencies and individual businesses (which may offer opportunities for cost-recovery from governmental and non-governmental sources beyond the Programme’s lifespan). Potential testablish National Climate Funds (NCFs) as mechanisms that support countries to manage their engagement with climate finance by facilitating the collection, blending, coordination of, and accounting for climate finance directed towards climate services.1 According tUNDP guidance 2, these funds could have the following goals: i) collect sources of funds and direct them toward climate change activities that promote national priorities; ii) blend finance from public, private, multilateral and bilateral sources tmaximise a country’s ability to advance national climate priorities; iii) coordinate country-wide climate change activities to ensure that climate change priorities are effectively implemented; and iv) strengthen capacities for national ownership and management of climate finance, including for “direct access” tfunds. Functions of NCFs could include: i) support goal setting and the development of programmatic strategies for climate resilience; ii) fund capitalisation; iii) management of partnerships; iv) provide project approval and support implementation; v) supply policy assurance; vi) provide financial control; vii) manage performance measurement, including monitoring and reporting on activities and resource disbursement; and vii) provide and support knowledge and information management. Potential for continued support from the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) as part of the Alliance for Hydromet Development, which was launched in December by 12 international organizations including UNEP. The SOFF is envisaged tensure provision of basic systematic observations as a global public good by providing equitable, predictable, sustainable, and performance-based finance as well as technical assistance tdeveloping countries for the provision of foundational observational data as per the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) standard adopted by the WMCongress. GBON aims timprove the global availability of the most essential surface-based data by defining the obligation for countries timplement a minimal set of surface-based observations for which international exchange of observational data will be mandatory. Compile lessons learnt and prepare a comprehensive Final Report.

Requirements

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree (Master’s or Higher) in public policy, climate change or climate financing, economics or a similar related field is required. A minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience in climate financing, market assessments, donor assistance programmes for development/ climate change financing, public private partnerships is required. A minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience in conducting market assessments for climate financing opportunities, demonstrated experience in developing financing policies for climate related areas is desirable. Experience in working and collaborating with governments and Hydromet Services in the Pacific region is desirable. Previous work experience undertaking similar activities in the Pacific region is highly desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the consultancy, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN Language is desirable.