International Consultant: Climate and Environment Strategy (CES) Senior Expert (Home-based), Beijing China

Consultant Programme & Policy

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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, Climate Change and Environmental Health.

How can you make a difference?

Background of Consultancy Request:

A. Risks and Impacts of Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

Climate change and environmental degradation has exacerbated environmental risks to human, land, freshwater and ocean ecosystems and increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events resulting in losses that affect health, life, and socio-economic wellbeing of people globally with children at particular risk.[1]

Every ton of CO2 adds to global warming and with every increment of warming, climate change impacts and risks will become increasingly complex and more difficult to manage, multiple climatic and non-climatic risks will interact, resulting in compounding and cascading risks across sectors and regions.[2]

B. Vulnerability

Per, most recent IPCC report, those who contribute the least to climate change, are more vulnerable to its negative impacts both across and within countries. This is especially manifested in low- and middle-income countries of the global south as populations who consume and/or produce less, tend to emit less GHG, but also do not possess sufficient means to cope with negative impacts of climate change.[3]

C. Risk in East Asia and Pacific

Countries in East Asia and Pacific are already experiencing negative impacts of degrading environment and warming climate with billions in annual losses due to destruction of infrastructure and property as well as increased mortality and morbidity. Such effects are projected to keep increasing within coming decades manifested in flooding, biodiversity loss and habitat shifts as well as associated damage and disruptions in infrastructure, dependent human systems across freshwater, land and ocean ecosystems. Risk to food and water security is also expected due to increase temperature extremes, rainfall variability and drought.[4]

D. China Climate Change Challenges and Opportunities

In China, negative impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are also being felt with severe extreme weather events and associated losses to health, life, property, and infrastructure.[5] Such losses are expected to worsen as floods are becoming more frequent and sea levels rise threatening the coastal cities. Decrease in crop yields, further loss of biodiversity and worsened water scarcity are also expected along with rising mortality and loss of disability adjusted life years.[6]

On the one hand, China contributes a third of global annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions[7] but on the other hand, the country has a lot to offer when it comes to climate mitigation and adaptation not only domestically but in potential support to countries in the Global South:

• China is a global leader in green technology and new energy production.[8]
• In 2015, China announced allocating RMB20 billion to launch the Fund supporting developing countries in combatting climate change and transitioning toward green and low-carbon development.
• In September 2020 during 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Xi Jinping has made a commitment for China to reach the carbon peak by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060 – ‘Dual Carbon Goals’ (DCG). One year later, China made further commitment to stop funding new overseas coal-fire projects.
• To promote policy dialogues, best practices exchanges, and capacity building for countries in the global south, China has established South-South environmental and water cooperation regional mechanisms with other developing countries e.g. ASEAN-China, China-Africa, and China-Lancang (Mekong) countries.

Per National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035, the government of China aims to further enhance partnerships with international organizations, countries, and multilateral development banks to promote international cooperation for strengthening climate change related capacities globally.

E. Risks to Children

While no one is immune from negative impacts of climate change and environmental degradation, children are particularly vulnerable. Even if all current Paris Agreement pledges are fulfilled, a child born in 2020 will experience on average twice as many wildfires, 2.8 times the exposure to crop failure, 2.6 times as many droughts, 2.8 times as many river floods, and 6.8 times more heatwaves across their lifetimes, compared to a person born in 1960.[9]

As their anatomy, cognitive and immune systems are not yet fully developed, water and vector-borne as well as diarrheal diseases, mold growth in homes and schools, undernutrition, water scarcity, pollution, flooding, and heatwaves – being exacerbate with climate change – pose serious threat to children’s life, health, welfare, education, and potential. Air pollution, that is often due to greenhouse emissions (GHG), increases their risks to asthma and chronic respiratory conditions, while lack of clean water and sanitation or vector and water borne diseases, likely to get exacerbated due to climate change, poses serious risks to their health and life.[10] Climate-related disasters can also interrupt their education by damaging schools and relevant infrastructures or affect their nutrition due to crop failures. These impacts are experienced at its worst for vulnerable children e.g. those disadvantaged by poverty with fewest resources for coping with climate change impacts.[11]

F. Climate Risks to Children in China

PER UNICEF’s CCRI report, while overall child vulnerability is very low in China, occurrence of climate and environment related shocks as well as associated risks to children is high.[12] More work is needed to protect children from such shocks and associated risks.

G. UNICEF’s Climate Change Response

UNICEF declared the climate crises as a child rights crisis while encouraging regional and country offices to prioritize and mainstream climate resilience in their work. As children in Asia pacific region are highly vulnerable to environmental and climate risks[13], all country offices including UNICEF China, were requested to come up with climate strategies by the end of 2023.

H. UNICEF China’s Climate Work and Development of Environment and Climate Strategy

Since 2021, UNICEF China (CCO) began mainstreaming climate and environment in its work with new rolling workplans of cooperation signed with different ministries including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. In response to global and regional call for action as well as considering challenges climate change poses to children in China and in the Global South, in mid-2023, the CCO declared climate as officewide priority during the Mid-Term Strategic Reflection. During the same period, the CCO started developing climate and environment strategy which is planned to be finalized by the end of first quarter of 2024 as per below timeline:

---

[1] Europa.eu https://knowledge4policy.ec.europa.eu/climate-change-environmental-degradation_en

[2] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability (IPCC)

[3] IPCC

[4] IPCC

[5] 2019-2021 Bulletin on the State of the Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, at https://english.mee.gov.cn/Resources/Reports/bomeaesoc/

[6] Ibid

[7] The World Bank: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/10/12/china-s-transition-to-a-low-carbon-economy-and-climate-resilience-needs-shifts-in-resources-and-technologies#:~:text=China%20emits%2027%20percent%20of,energy%20efficiency%20and%20resource%20productivity.

[8] International Energy Agency: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/a-new-era-of-shared-clean-energy-leadership-begins-in-china

[9] Born into the Climate Crisis: Why we must act now to secure children’s rights | Save the Children’s Resource Centre

[10] Healthy Environment for Healthy Children https://www.unicef.org/health/healthy-environments

[11] Over the tripping point (2023), https://www.unicef.org/eap/reports/over-tipping-point

[12] CCRI Report https://data.unicef.org/resources/childrens-climate-risk-index-report/

[13] UNICEF https://data.unicef.org/resources/childrens-climate-risk-index-report/; https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/heatwaves-report#:~:text=LONDON%2FNEW%20YORK%2C%2025%20October,severity%20or%20extreme%20high%20temperatures.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Supporting development of UNICEF China’s 2023-2030 Environment and Climate Strategy towards Ensure children, youth, women, families and communities including those vulnerable, are protected from threats of climate change & environmental degradation, are provided with services, technology, education, resources, mechanisms, other capacities & enabling environment to develop climate resilience and environmental sustainability, meaningfully contribute climate action and discussion.

To this end, the strategy will guide UNCIEF’s interventions during 2023-30 and help turn CCO’s existing capacities in programme and operations, partnership and resource mobilization, advocacy and behavior change, South-South cooperation, etc. into a capability to effectively:

• Support China in combating environmental degradation and achieving its “dual carbon goals” in child sensitive, socially conscious, gender and disability inclusive manner
• Work with governments and other stakeholders in China and beyond, to help countries in the Global South strengthen their capacities towards equitable child sensitive environmental/climate action.

The strategy will consist of different chapters such as:

• Programme and south-south cooperation;
• Operations including the introduction of environmental and social safeguards to further reduce UNICEF’s own environmental footprint;
• Principles and approaches related to various ways UNICEF can deliver results for children including:
  • evidence generation,
  • advocacy and behavior change,
  • youth engagement,
  • piloting potentially scalable mitigation and adaptation solutions, etc.

Once finalized, the strategy will guide UNICEF China’s work related to environment and climate throughout 2030. It will guide prioritization and formulation of workplans with different ministries while the implementation of relevant workplan activities will be monitored by the climate strategy task force. The strategy will also inform the development of UNICEF China’s next country programme (2026-2030).

Major Tasks, Deliverables & Timeframe:

The Consultant will report to Climate and Environmental Health Specialist and will be responsible to undertake the following tasks:

1. Draft a brief situation analysis (SitAn) based on desk review of:

• Impacts, threats and opportunities resulting from climate/environmental degradation for children, youth, families and communities in China
• Relevant government policies and regulations
• Mapping of key stakeholders
• Major government/private sector/NGO/INGO climate/environment related initiatives/projects relevant to all areas of UNICEF China’s work in child protection, social policy, health, education, etc.

2. Produce an advanced draft of the strategy based on the SitAn and the zero draft of the strategy elaborated earlier as well as in consultation with different sections of UNICEF China

3. Refine the existing ToC and draft results framework in cooperation with UNICEF China’s climate strategy task force

4. Seek and incorporate feedback from different stakeholders in coordination with UNICEF China

5. Polish and finalize the strategy, produce executive summary and power point presentation

6. Participate in relevant events and present the strategy or the SitAn based on UNICEF China’s request as needed

Methodology & Expected Output:

Methodology

• Desk research
• Online consultations with the staff of UNICEF and other stakeholders

Output

• Brief SitAn (Max. 5 pages)
• ToC and results framework
• Prefinal draft of the strategy
• Online consultations with relevant UNICEF Staff and stakeholders
• Incorporating stakeholder feedback in the draft
• Potential travel to China upon need (costs will be covered by UNICEF China)
• Final draft of the strategy, including the executive summary and presentation

Start Date****: October 2023

End Date****: March 2024

Total Working Days****: 35

Consultancy Requirements:

Minimum Academic Qualifications required and disciplines:

At least master’s degree or equivalent in environmental science or related disciplines, Ph.D is highly desirable

Knowledge/Experience/Expertise/Skills required:

• Minimum 10 years of experiencing in formulating climate and environment related strategies, policies, and programmes for governments and/or international organizations
• Experience of working with UN agencies is highly desirable
• China specific experience and understanding of the country context especially in terms of climate change is highly desirable
• Strong desk research, writing, communication, teamwork, time management and coordination skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English is a must
• Fluency in Mandarin will be 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.

Apply now

Added 9 months ago - Updated 8 months ago - Source: unicef.org