Local Consultant, Bangkok, Thailand

Consultant Environment

Overview

Support climate finance training & EFC assessments for urban climate action.

You have:

• Masters or a Post Graduate degree/diploma in sustainable development, social science, urban planning, economics or related discipline.
• At least 10 years’ experience in sustainable development related research and technical assistance.
• Experience and demonstrated publication history in working with governments in the region on sustainability, infrastructure and Urban Planning studies.
• Knowledge of Thailand’s climate plans and policies, experience in analysis related to local action plans would be a distinct advantage.
• Experience working in Thailand, especially in the southern region on sustainable development and urban planning & design is an added advantage.
• Fluent in English and Thai in both writing and speaking.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

Outputs: a. Inception phase: (by 15 February 2026) This phase will establish the fundamentals of the project, elaborate the project activities, and identify key stakeholders for the subsequent implementation phases, including identification of key stakeholders and partners. An indicator framework and a skeletal EFC report outline is delivered at the end of this phase. During this phase : a. Co-deliver the climate finance training with Chulalongkorn University and GIZ, for the city officials using the learning material prepared by ESCAP. b. Support the piloting of the Financing tool with the Cities for identifying recommendations for bankable projects. c. Draft outline of EFC implementation project d. Organize and lead the first/inception multistakeholder workshop with Coimbatore City government Deliverables: • Summary of the Finance training workshop • Review of Project Preparation tool and recommendations for regional context • Outline of the National and Subnational EFC report. • Summary report of the inception workshop with key outcomes achieved and a list of participants etc. b. Implementation Phase: (by 30 April 2026) This phase will involve: a) Secondary and desk research for EFC report a) Data collection through interviews of govt officials and experts for the EFC report. c) Identifying capacity building gaps The result is the first draft of the report including all references, data and figures: - Develop first draft of the EFC report - Organize and lead the second multistakeholder workshop Deliverables: • First draft of the EFC reports (National and Sub-national) to be presented at the multistakeholder workshop (TBC) for review • Summary report for the Second Multi-stakeholder workshop C. Finalization phase (by 29 June 2026) In this phase, the EFC draft is revised and fact-checked by experts, peer reviewers and relevant entities, ensuring adequate quality, data accuracy and key messages. Also, during this phase the reports would be translated in Thai and fact-checked by the experts. It also includes dissemination and advocacy activities linked to the report’s publication. - Integration of comments from UA project, steering committee members and knowledge partners. - Both the reports will be translated to Thai - Develop a roadmap ahead as per the requirement of the city and/or National Government - Final launch workshop held (June 2026 – TBC) Deliverables: • Final EFC reports (National and Sub-National in English) ready for copy editing, design and layout following incorporation of final comments. • Copyedited EFC reports (National and Sub-National in Thai) ready for design and layout following incorporation of final comments. • Roadmap for Implementation Amendment 1: additional Outputs: (by 31 July 2026) - Revised report based on the feedback from National Partners - The consultant will undertake meetings with different stakeholders and present the final report. - Based on the feedback received, the report will be revised and finalized. Deliverables: • Revised EFC reports (National and Subnational in English) ready for copy editing, design and layout following. • Copyedited version of revised EFC reports (National and Sub-National in Thai) ready for design and layout following incorporation of final comments. • Roadmap for Implementation after discussion with stakeholders How are the outputs to be delivered? • All outputs are to be delivered to the project manager by email in MS word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint to produce technical documents. • Consultations with stakeholders and workshops would be delivered in a form appropriate under the local circumstances taking into consideration any pandemic protocols. • Possible modalities include in-person interviews and focused group discussions, in-person or virtual workshops, virtual consultation with a selected multi-stakeholder group, or phone interviews, one-on-one interviews and discussions with representatives of various departments, etc.

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

2 Jan - 31 July 2026

Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose: The purpose of the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities (Urban-Act) project is to strengthen multi-level climate governance (MLCG) across the countries of China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Fiji, and Thailand. The focus of the project is on enhancing the capacities of city governments to meaningfully engage in climate change dialogue and implementation. MLCG describes a 'whole of-government' approach for integrated climate action that is based on effective partnerships for aligning policies and practices between different levels of government and across sectors. Under the ambit of Indo-German Bilateral Cooperation, the Urban Act project is being implemented jointly by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH till December 2027. Additionally, a quadripartite MoU is signed in 2025 between, UDD, SMC, SSCL and GIZ for implementation of the project. The Project is financed by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) under the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection in Germany (BMUV). In Thailand, the project is focused on supporting low-carbon and resilient urban development in the Asia-Pacific and is being piloted in Chiang Mai, Khon Khaen and Phuket along with Hat Yai and Nakhon Si Thammarat through IMT-GT partnership. The project is supported by implementing partners UN-ESCAP, UCLGA-ASPAC and the University of Stuttgart and Technical University of Dortmund. The role of ESCAP is to support regional dialogue and the collaboration of national and subnational government agencies for integration of climate action in cities, climate-sensitive urban planning best practice, capacity building and technical support for a transboundary pilot, capacity building in climate finance, knowledge exchange and regional advocacy. At the national level, Thailand faces growing climate risks that require strong institutional, regulatory, and financial frameworks to guide investment in resilient urban development. The National EFC assessment will analyze existing national policies, financing mechanisms, governance structures, and cross-sector coordination to identify gaps and opportunities for mobilizing climate finance. The report will set strategic directions and provide recommendations to strengthen Thailand’s overall climate investment ecosystem. Hat Yai, identified as a priority for sub-national EFC assessment, faces recurrent flooding from heavy rainfall, tidal effects, and river overflow, along with seasonal water shortages due to rising temperatures and increasing urban and tourism demand. These climate impacts create financial needs for improved drainage, resilient water management, disaster preparedness, and risk mitigation, while offering opportunities for investment in renewable energy, nature-based solutions, and resilient infrastructure. The Subnational EFC assessment for Hat Yai will focus on city-level institutional readiness, governance capacities, climate planning processes, and the city’s ability to attract, access, and manage climate-related investments. Scope of Work for the Local Consultant ESCAP seeks a local consultant to support the development of these co-deliver a climate finance training with Chulalongkorn University and GIZ to cities of Thailand and to pilot the project preparation tool developed by ESCAP at the local level with Thailand. Further the consultant will conduct two EFC assessments, one at the national level and one for Hat Yai city. The consultant will work under ESCAP’s Project Coordinator in Bangkok and in close coordination with GIZ teams. Key tasks include: • Co-deliver a 2-day Climate Finance training with Chulalongkorn University and GIZ based on the modules developed under regional training by ESCAP with partners • Conducting desk research on national and local frameworks, policies, and climate initiatives • Identifying gaps, lessons learned, and best practices • Facilitating stakeholder consultations, meetings, and workshops at both national and subnational levels • Supporting primary data collection, validation, and analysis • Developing indicators and criteria for assessing enabling conditions • Contributing to knowledge-sharing, coordination, and documentation efforts The work will contribute to creating a stronger enabling environment for more coherent, inclusive, and investment-ready urban climate action across Thailand. Objective: • To Provide the technical support develop bankable projects and support the piloting of Project Preparation Tool developed by ESCAP with partners at local level in Thailand. • To evaluate the enabling framework conditions at the National and local level in context of 4 dimensions of the tool (i) Climate Policy and Planning, (ii) Budget and Finance, (iii) Climate Data and (iv)Vertical and Horizontal Coordination. • To identify the gaps and opportunities in EFCs at National and subnational level. • To provide recommendations for National and Sub-national Framework Conditions, for improvement of enabling framework conditions at sub-national level • To suggest a roadmap for implementation based on the gaps and recommendations for improving the EFCs. By achieving the above outcomes, Shimla would strengthen enabling conditions for financing of evidence-based and inclusive urban climate actions in line with sustainable development goals and India’s Nationally Determined Contributions. The local consultant based will be responsible for supporting the drafting of the Enabling Framework Conditions Report for Thailand (National Level) and Hat Yai (Sub-National Level). This will involve collecting data through primary and secondary research, liasioning with city officials, conducting interviews with government officials, key experts and stakeholders. The consultant will also be responsible for arranging bilateral meetings with key government officials and experts. S/He is also responsible for undertaking any supplementary work for organizing meetings related to the Urban Act project. He/She will also be responsible for regularly reporting on the project milestones. She/he will also be responsible for research on current trends in terms of state and city specific policies and guidelines of National and Sub-national Level on Climate Change respectively. Additionally, S/He oversees the systematization of data received from the city government and other entities.

Qualifications/special skills

Masters or a Post Graduate degree/diploma in sustainable development, social science, urban planning, economics or related discipline. At least 10 years’ experience in sustainable development related research and technical assistance. Experience and demonstrated publication history in working with governments in the region on sustainability, infrastructure and Urban Planning studies. Knowledge of Thailand’s climate plans and policies, experience in analysis related to local action plans would be a distinct advantage. Experience working in Thailand, especially in the southern region on sustainable development and urban planning & design is an added advantage.

Languages

Fluent in English and Thai in both writing and speaking.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.

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