Consultant - Independent Evaluator

Contract

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Result of Service

The final report on the sixth quadrennial review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism, to be made available to the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

A summary/synthesis report on the evaluation results, and recommendations for action to improve the effectiveness of the mechanism, if necessary, to be made available to the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

Work Location

Remote - Home based

Expected duration

Eight months.

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational setting

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force on 29 December 1993 and has 196 contracting Parties. The Convention has three main objectives: the conservation of biological diversity; the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity; the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. Two Protocols have been established under the Convention: the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (173 Parties) and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing (140 Parties). In December 2022, the Conference of the Parties adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (decision 15/4), which will guide the implementation of the Convention and the Protocols towards 2030 and beyond. The Secretariat of the CBD is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme and is located in Montreal, Canada.

In decision 15/15 on the financial mechanism, paragraph 17, the Conference of the Parties (COP) adopted the terms of reference (TOR) for the sixth quadrennial review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism, contained in annex IV to that decision, and requested the Executive Secretary to ensure that the report on the review is made available three months prior to the sixteenth meeting of the COP. In accordance with paragraph 5 of annex IV, the Executive Secretary will, subject to the availability of resources, contract an experienced independent evaluator to undertake the review, in accordance with the adopted objectives, methodology and criteria.

Under the overall guidance of the Acting Executive Secretary, and the Director of Implementation Support Division, the independent evaluator will work directly with the Programme Management Officer, for the programme on the financial mechanism and resources.

Duties and Responsibilities

The independent evaluator will undertake the review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism, in accordance with the objectives, methodology and criteria set out in annex IV to decision 15/15, in particular for the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2022, including: (a) The conformity of the activities of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), as the institutional structure operating the financial mechanism, with the guidance of the Conference of the Parties; (b) The effectiveness of the financial mechanism in providing and mobilizing financial resources to enable all recipient country Parties to meet the agreed full incremental costs to them of implementing measures which fulfil the obligations of the Convention and its Protocols and to benefit from its provisions, taking into account the need for predictability, adequacy and timely flow of funds; (c) The effectiveness of mobilizing financial resources from all sources to support national implementation, including national biodiversity strategies and action plans and national biodiversity finance plans, of the Convention and its Protocols. The efficiency of the financial mechanism in providing and mobilizing financial resources, as well as, in accordance with the guidance of the Conference of the Parties, overseeing, monitoring and evaluating the activities financed by its resources, as appropriate; (d) The effectiveness of catalyzing and enhancing national implementation measures for achieving global biodiversity goals and targets, including those that relate to the Protocols; (e) The efficiency and effectiveness of the activities funded by the Global Environment Facility on the implementation of the Convention and the achievement of its three objectives, as well as, as applicable, of its Protocols, taking into account the guidance provided by the Conference of the Parties; (f) The efficiency and effectiveness of supporting implementation of Sustainable Development Goals that contribute to achieving the objectives of the Convention and its Protocols; (g) The efficiency and effectiveness of processes and procedures for the deployment of resources for programmes; (h) The effectiveness and efficiency in supporting the objectives of the Convention and its Protocols in synergy with implementation of other pertinent multilateral environmental agreements, in a manner that is consistent with the mandates of respective multilateral environmental agreements.

In reviewing the effectiveness and efficiency of the financial mechanism, the experienced independent evaluator will take into account, inter alia: (a) The actions taken by GEF in response to the guidance of the Conference of the Parties; (b) The extent to which eligible countries receive timely, adequate and predictable funds to enable countries to meet the agreed full incremental cost to them of implementing measures that fulfil the obligations under the Convention and its Protocols, that generate global environmental benefits; (c) Information provided by Parties related to performance in delivering GEF projects, including effectiveness and efficiency of access modalities and competence and capacity required to use these modalities; (d) Percentage of recipient countries that have received financial support from the financial mechanism to implement global biodiversity goals and targets, including those related to the Protocols; (e) Percentage of biodiversity funding through the financial mechanism to support the achievement of the global goals and targets; (f) Trend in co-financing and non-grant financing in the biodiversity area enabled by the financial mechanism; (g) Trend in financing global, regional and subregional biodiversity projects under the financial mechanism; (h) Trend in project and programme financing taking into consideration synergies among conventions that have designated GEF to operate their financial mechanism; (i) Trend in project financing targeted at biodiversity-related conventions and agreements taking into consideration synergies between them; (j) Trend in timeframes for project development and resource disbursement, including time between the approval of the concept notes (PIF) and the first disbursement; (k) Trend in project financing targeted at, and/or led by indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth; (l) Trend in the number of capacity-building activities that enable Parties and stakeholders to access to GEF financing, including information events on the financial mechanism organized for the Parties and stakeholders of the Convention and its Protocols; (m) Trend in project financing leading to high sustainability or durability ratings and results achieved from GEF-supported biodiversity programming in relation to expected results planned by GEF through this programming;

The independent evaluator will undertake such desk studies, questionnaire survey, interviews, and field visits, as may be required, and collaborate with GEF and its Independent Evaluation Office, if necessary, for the implementation of the review, and prepare a compilation and synthesis of the information received. The evaluator must draw upon, inter alia, the following sources of information: (a) Reports prepared by GEF, including its reports to the Conference of the Parties; (b) Reports of the GEF Independent Evaluation Office that relate to GEF biodiversity activities, including its seventh comprehensive study (OPS7), as well as relevant assessments by the GEF agencies and other partners, including the most recent audit reports and management responses related to GEF projects; (c) Information provided by Parties regarding the financial mechanism, through national reports and other submissions, responses to surveys and interviews; (d) Information provided by indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth and relevant stakeholders related to GEF-funded projects.

The draft synthesis report and recommendations will be made available to the Global Environment Facility for its review and comments, and such comments will be included in the documentation and identified by source.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic qualifications:

Advance degree (Master’s degree or equivalent), in social sciences, natural sciences or similar, is required.

Work experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of work experience in the field of environmental finance or related fields is required.

Detailed knowledge of the Global Environment Facility, and/or other global funding mechanisms, as well as an in-depth understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity, its mandate, strategic plans and programmes as well as governance structure is required.

Experience in working with UN organizations, multilateral development banks, financing institutions, funds or agencies, in different languages, cultures and contexts, is desirable.

Prior experience conducting evaluations of international funds and agencies, including subsequent reporting, is desirable.

Skills:

Proven ability to develop and implement a strategy to collect information from a large subject sample, analyze collected data and prepare evidence-based conclusions in a final report is required.

Proven ability to work with developing country stakeholders, including experience in working in developing countries and in sustainable development contexts is desirable.

Competencies:

Professionalism, Planning and Organizing, Communication.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations language is desirable.

NOTE: "Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

TRAVEL

Travel may be required.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.