Consultancy for Climate Change and sustainability Expert in UAE, 9 months (167.5 days)

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Education

How can you make a difference?

To provide technical support to UNICEF Gulf Area Office in managing its’s climate change and sustainability portfolio with a focus on UAE and the preparations for COP28.

The climate crisis is a child rights crisis. It is one of the greatest threats facing children globally. Approximately, 1 billion children (nearly half of the world’s children) are at ‘extremely high risk’. It poses a major threat to children and young people’s health, nutrition, development, and future. UNICEF is calling for bold and urgent action to address climate change so that every child now and, in the future, has an equal opportunity to thrive. Strong climate action commitments are needed to create a sustainable future for children and young people, especially now as countries plan their recovery from the current pandemic.

In 2021, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) announced that the UAE will host the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in 2023. UAE has demonstrated its climate ambition during recent years by announcing a national drive to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The country has also been responsible for developing innovative green projects which aim to reduce fossil fuel consumption and promote climate resilient development. COP 28 provides a major opportunity for the country to provide a child-focused perspective on the ongoing climate change crisis, both domestically and globally.

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the UNICEF Gulf Area Office in managing its’ climate change and sustainability portfolio with a focus on UAE and the advocacy and programmatic plans leading to COP28. The consultant will be working closely with the Deputy Representative and the UNICEF Programme Lead based in UAE.

Key tasks will include the following:

1. 1. 1. prepare a plan for UNICEF GAO’s climate change and sustainability programmatic interventions in UAE with various national partners including youth climate networks;
2. Provide technical support, advance, monitor and report on the implementation of the climate change and sustainability programme plan prepared in task 1;

3. Support UNICEF GAO policy and advocacy work pre and at COP28 by providing technical advice, preparing needed documentation and facilitating:

   1. Advocacy with UAE ministries and the COP28 team – brokering and convening in run-up to COP 28.
   2. Coordinate COP28 Presidency interactions with UNICEF GAO and HQ.

   4- Identify and support domestic opportunities to advance the children’s rights agenda in climate change activities and events taking place in UAE in the lead up and at COP28.

5- Prepare UNICEF GAO’s youth engagement plan in the lead up to COP28, including engagement in the Local Conference of Youth and COP 28 Conference of Youth as well as other relevant children and young people’s capacity building opportunities;

6- Provide technical support, advance, monitor and report on the implementation of the youth engagement plan mentioned in task 5;

7- Participate in and represent UNICEF GAO in internal UNICEF COP28 workstreams formed to support UNICEF’s engagement in the lead up and at COP28;

8- Prepare a plan, concept notes and briefing notes for UNICEF GAO’s engagement in events at MENA Climate Week in KSA and at the COP28 including planning and supporting the delivery of the sessions;

9- Work with the communication team of UNICEF GAO, MENARO and Global Division of Communications and Advocacy to prepare content needed to amplify UNICEF GAO engagement in GOP28.

Deliverables:

- A plan for UNICEF GAO’s climate change and sustainability programmatic interventions in UAE with various national partners by April 30,2023

- A plan for UNICEF’s support and engagement in the Local Conference of Youth and COP 28 Conference of Youth children and young people’s capacity building interventions by May30,2023.

- A plan, concept notes and briefing notes for UNICEF GAO’s engagement in events at MENA Climate Week in KSA and at the COP28 by August 2023.

- Monthly progress reports.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

-Bachelor’s degree in climate change/environment/ sustainability or other relevant field

- A minimum of 8 years of experience in climate change and sustainability

- Knowledge of formal UNFCCC processes

- Experience at COP or other global climate conferences.

- Event Management / Project Management experience.

- Demonstrated policy & advocacy experience

- Experience in partnership building, preferably at national / regional levels.

- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.