International Consultant - IC - INT/2020/009 - Feasibility study for a south-south cooperation mechanism and knowledge exchange platform in central Asia on pastureland carbon sequestration a

Contract

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Background

Mongolia has been one of the first countries to update its greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation ambitions within the framework of the Paris Agreement. In November 2019, the Government of Mongolia formally adopted its commitments to increase the target to reduce its GHG emissions from initial 14% to 22.7% by 2030. Although the key emitting sectors remain the same for the country, the scenario includes those where forest and pastureland carbon sequestration estimations are accounted for, as well. Priority adaptation measures for pastureland, forest and water management, as well as livestock, crop farming, disaster management and healthcare sectors are prominently reflected in the updated NDC document, widening the sectoral coverages. As such, Mongolia is well positioned to share its lessons and knowledge generated through the NDC development process with other counties.

For countries like Mongolia with a huge steppe ecosystem, a majority of which is utilized as a grazing land, improved management of those lands can provide both adaptation and mitigation benefits. The climatic conditions and associated impacts of climate change, nomadic pastoral culture, as well as the post transition economies are common in most of the central Asian countries and there is a great potential for south-south cooperation to reduce regional vulnerabilities and generate mitigation co-benefits. According to the FAO statistics, the total annual pastureland carbon sequestration potential in PRC, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan can be conservatively estimated at 64 million tCO2e. Through adaptation and resilience building programmes on improved grassland management targeting traditionally nomadic husbandry, enormous emission reduction can be claimed by these countries. Streamlined procedures and methodologies applied across the subregion will help significantly reduce the overhead costs for MRV and certification as well.

Under the UNDP’s Climate Promise and NDC support initiatives, a south-south cooperation and knowledge exchange initiative in central Asia, is being explored to help augment multiple benefits at the regional level, i.e. enhanced community resilience, poverty reduction, environmental sustainability and GHG emission reduction.

In the subregion, a number of programmes by UNDP and other development partners are already being implemented, addressing immediate mitigation needs through GEF projects, as well as NDC support initiatives. On climate change adaptation, the past and ongoing programmes focus particularly on building capacities to manage steppe and forest ecosystems. Central and Eastern steppes of the Eurasian steppe are potential countries for establishing a south-south cooperation mechanism/platform with the UNDP’s Climate Promise initiative, including Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, in addition to Mongolia. The countries are subject to change, depending on their interest to take part in the initiative.

Duties and Responsibilities

Overall objective of the assignment is to study the feasibility of establishing a south-south cooperation mechanism within Central Asia on NDC and/or pastureland (and forest) carbon sequestration and other potential areas or sectors. To meet the objective, the consultancy will provide expertise and necessary resources to deliver the following tasks:

1. Context and needs analysis, including potential tensions.
2. Map existing initiatives and mechanisms/platforms in targeted countries and in the region
3. Identify the challenges and opportunities

• Transboundary/common biomes/habitats (forest, swamps, etc) where management actions by one country may positively or negatively impact resilience or adaptive capacity in other participating countries
• Economies of scale that could be exploited in terms of modelling/downscaling or other data/information aspects?
• Approximate quantifiable benefits, emission saving, opportunities for swap, funds raising etc),
• Obstacles (cultural, political or economic) to partnering and setting up such platform and how those obstacles can be mitigated.
• Whether the processes to update NDCs and implementation plan could reveal potential synergies with respect to investment planning and investment opportunities;

1. Identify key interested countries, parties and areas for a cooperation mechanism/platform, by answering the following questions

• Examine the interest and priorities of potential participating countries and feasibility for establishing a cooperation mechanism in pastureland carbon sequestration as well as in other areas, i.e. energy, construction, waste management etc.
• What would be the expected vision or mandate of such cooperation/platform?
• What can a cooperation mechanism /platform do? – core functions and types of services that would be valued by interested parties
• Why does it have to be established? – the rationale and a business case?
• Who would be involved and interested? –mapping interests in establishing such platform and its potential stakeholders. Engage with governments of targeted countries mentioned above to obtain initial interests and commitments, through UNDP Country Offices, for taking part in the initiative and setting-up a regional partnership platform
• What can be achieved with such mechanism/platform?
  1. Implementation Plan/Strategy, including options for moving forward with the feasibility study to build a platform
• Practical steps to set up for each proposed options for collaboration mechanism
  1. Identify potential structure, governance, resources and commitments
• Draft governance and operational structure
• Determine the possible degree of commitment of potential members and examine options for the network’s governance structure and viable financing mechanisms and options, including a membership model which requires members to demonstrate long-term commitment through cash or in-kind contributions

A.****Expected Deliverables and Outputs

No

Deliverables and outputs

Estimated duration to complete

Target due dates

% of payment

Review and approvals

Inception Report, including detailed work plan, methodology and timeframe to assess prospective partnership, and preliminary context and needs analysis on establishing a platform

Draft to be delivered two weeks after start of assignment

20

Programme analyst, UNDP Mongolia

Feasibility Study Report (as per the tasks mentioned in the section B of this TOR)

Draft to be delivered two months after acceptance of final inception report

Final version to be delivered two weeks after provision of feedback on draft report

30

Programme Analyst, UNDP Mongolia

Concerned UNDP Country and Regional Offices and governments interested in taking part in the initiative

Validation Workshop Information Note, Slide Decks, and Report

Final documents to be delivered 2 weeks after provision of feedback on the draft documents

Draft documents to be delivered 2 weeks after acceptance of final feasibility study (for workshop information note, slide decks) and 2 weeks after conducting the validation workshop (for workshop report)

30

Concerned UNDP Country and Regional Offices and governments interested in taking part in the initiative

Implementation Plan/Strategy, including options for moving forward with the feasibility study to build a platform

20

Concerned UNDP Country and Regional Offices and governments interested in taking part in the initiative

B.Institutional arrangement

• The international consultant will work closely with and under the overall guidance of Program Analyst, UNDP CO in Mongolia, and UNDP’s global and regional support team;
• Two regional offices and each of the COs will take part in peer reviewing the reports generated by the incumbent.
• The International Consultant will be supported by a National Consultant and the Project Management Unit.
• The International consultant will coordinate the work and provide technical guidance to the national consultant to deliver above described outputs.
• The International Consultant will provide conceptual leadership to guide the work of national expert to deliver expected results. The International consultant will lead and assume ultimate responsibility of the overall study.
• The National Consultant will lead the organisation and facilitation of workshops to be conducted and assume leadership for discussions with key stakeholders. The National Consultant will contribute to the final report and collate / analyse documents and policies of interested governments are of relevance.

C.****Duration of the work

Up to 50 working days over 3 months period

D.****Duty station: Home based

Detailed information can be found in the Terms of Reference (TOR), which is available in the following link:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=70323

If you meet the qualifications of the announced vacancy, please submit the following documents by the deadline 05 October 2020 11:00a.m. Ulaanbaatar time (GMT+8). Incomplete and late applications will be excluded from further consideration.

When submitting your application, it can be made in electronic submission to bids.mn@undp.org:

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
• Personal CV or P11 application form, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment.
• A methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
• A draft work plan and sample report(s) of similar assignments he/she produced;
• Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. Note: Proposal must be indicated in USD (United States Dollar).

Competencies

Technical Competencies

1. Strong analytical, assessment and mapping capabilities
2. Proven experience writing outcome documents, actions plans and road maps
3. Strong analytical ability, communication and presentation skills
4. Strong project management skills
5. Computer skills:
   • Full command of remote conferencing applications

Personal Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Positive, constructive attitude and approaches work with energy
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to receive / integrate feedback
• Good networking skills to engage with both internal and external partners
• Capacity to communicate fluently with government authorities

Language and Other Skills

• Excellent knowledge of English, including the ability to write reports clearly and concisely, and to set out a coherent argument in presentations and group interactions
• Working knowledge of other relevant languages, particularly Russian, desirable

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications

• At least Master’s Degree in international development, economics, environmental economics, business, finance and consulting related to partnership building or a related field

Experience:

1. A minimum of five years of progressive experience related to scoping and facilitating a Transboundary collaboration/partnership(s), and undertaking evaluation and review
2. Demonstrated experience in assessing the value, risks and implications of a partnership opportunity and informing a go/no-go decision
3. Track records in troubleshooting challenging collaborations, providing professional secretariat services and the guidance of partnerships (supported by the example cases)
4. Hands on work experience with feasibility studies for building and supporting partnerships in developing countries in general and Central Asia in particular.
5. Familiarity with multi-stakeholder dialogue and knowledge and experience exchange partnerships and understanding of sustainable partnerships and their ecosystems in Central Asia and beyond is an asset.