Specialist in Climate Finance for Argentina’s Transparency Framework on GHG Inventories and Mitigation Project

Result of Service 2. Objective.

CBIT’s most important contribution will occur by strengthening Argentina’s reporting capacities so as to adequately comply with the requirements of the Enhance Transparency Framework through the new reporting format under the Paris Agreement: the Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR). In order to carry out the activities of Argentina’s CBIT project it requires the hiring of a Specialist in Climate Finance.

Ultimate Result of the Service: - A national definition on Climate Finance is developed, proposed and evaluated by the National Climate Change Cabinet; - Technical assistance and guidance are provided to the relevant stakeholders who are in charge of the generation of on climate finance, support received and provided related data; - Information on climate finance, support received and provided is organized and systematized. - A methodology to tracking support received and provided is developed for Argentina; - A periodical follow-up of international negotiations related to climate financing is conducted. The consultant will carry out the following activities: 1. Organize periodic meetings with relevant stakeholders (bilaterally or with more than one actor as required) and with data providers in order to improve and classify data exchange; 2. Keep updated mapping of Government sectors and stakeholders relevant for monitoring climate international financing (tracking support received and provided) and identify reporting agents 3. Develop a database according to the initial proposal of institutional arrangements for climate finance reporting. 4. Develop and propose standardized reporting templates and guidelines aimed at collecting relevant data to continuously track the support received and provided; 5. Continue to work with the Secretariat for Strategic Affairs, improving the climate finance database taking into account UNFCCC report requirements. 6. Prepare, organize and conduct one (1) initial online workshop gathering main country stakeholders to agree on common definitions for Argentina about climate-related finance; 7. Maintain dialogue with relevant stakeholders within the NCCC to discuss and agree on a national definition of climate finance to be used in Argentina’s CC related reporting and for tagging of incoming climate finance. Include consultations on different typologies and classifications; 8. Periodically exchange with the implementing partner working in preparing a report on methodologies used in Latin America and by international agencies to track support received and provided; 9. Provide technical advice and review the intermediate and final results of the implementing partner study; 10. Assess the methodologies identified by the implementing partner to monetize the country's needs related to mitigation and adaptation. 11. Participate along with the implementing partner experts’ team in the preparation and organization of one (1) online workshop to present results of the exercise of mapping experiences in Latin America with regards to the use of methodologies to define and track financial support received and provided; 12. Participate in international dialogues regarding BTRs provisions related to climate finance reporting, provide recommendations to improve Argentina’s tracking system and keep track of international negotiation regarding financial transparency. 13. Prepare a document including UNFCCC´s finance decisions relevant to the NCCD and the country's position in each track of negotiation relevant to the country's priorities. 14. Organize and handle a training plan for public institutions on reporting climate finance and tracking, including training on reporting climate finance at subnational level. 15. Assess Chapter 4 of BUR4´s and identify ways to improve support in critical sectors or areas. 16. Assess the reports of the Standing Committee on Finance. It is expected that following documents are delivered as a result of the consultancy: 1. An initial proposal of institutional arrangements for continuous reporting on climate finance and to track support received and provided; 2. One (1) online workshop gathering main local stakeholders in order to agree definitions on climate-related finance; 3. A training plan for public institutions on reporting climate finance and tracking; 4. Two (2) workshops/training on Argentina's tracking system for climate-related finance, including the development of materials and a result report for each workshop/training. 5. A report that contains prioritization criteria for projects that require international support taking into account national climate targets. 6. A report including Argentina’s position on international negotiations regarding financial reporting and transparency and updates developed in the Standing Committee on Finance and Climate Dialogues. 7. Document including UNFCCC´s finance decisions relevant to the NCCD.

Work Location BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

Expected duration 6 MONTHS

Duties and Responsibilities 1. Purpose The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (ROLAC), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The Argentine Republic ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994 (Law No. 24,295), the Kyoto Protocol in September 2001 (Law No. 25,438) and the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol in May 2015 (Law No. 27,137). As a signatory of the UNFCCC, the country undertook obligations including the report of the national greenhouse gases inventories, national programs with mitigation and adaptation actions against climate change and any other relevant information regarding the fulfilment of the objective of the UNFCCC. As part of the country’s undertaken obligations, Argentina submitted its First National Communication in July 1997, and a revised communication in October 1999. The Second National Communication was submitted in December 2007 and the Third National Communication and the First Biennial Updated Report (BUR) were both submitted in December 2015. The Second BUR was submitted in August of 2017, and the Third BUR was presented to the UNFCCC in November 2019. The Fourth BUR was presented in December 2021 and its National Inventory Report was submitted in March 2022.

In December 2015 during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21), the Paris Agreement (PA) was adopted; its article No. 2 established the objective of “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels”. In September 2016, Argentina ratified the Paris Agreement (Law No. 27,270), then in December 2019, the National Congress approved the National Law No. 27,520 on Global Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. Finally, in December 2020, the country submitted its 2nd Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) which reflects its enhanced commitment to combat climate change and its effects. Argentina´s 2nd NDC outlines an absolute economy-wide reduction target of limiting its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions to 359 MtCO2e (Megatons of Carbon Dioxide – equivalent) by 2030.

One of the most relevant challenges the implementation of the Paris Agreement poses to countries is to count with strong Transparency Frameworks. Article No.13 of the PA establishes the need for Parties to implement national robust and transparent reporting and accounting systems to give clarity on action and support while providing clear information to stakeholders. As part of building and enhancing their Transparency Frameworks, Parties of the UNFCCC Convention will progressively implement better tools and institutional practices, many of them not sufficiently developed in the countries. This is especially true for developing countries.

The UNFCCC Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) demands substantial and immediate progress in the countries’ domestic Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems and strategic de-carbonization planning. This entails moving from often disintegrated and often different-methodological approaches in data management to an integrated and robust system. The success of the Paris Agreement hinges on enhanced transparency of action and support, as a critical foundation to making its bottom-up, country-led approach work, as well as building mutual trust and confidence amongst Parties.

The Global Environment Facility - Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (GEF-CBIT) will support the Argentinian government for four years, mainly in strengthening its ETF. This will happen by improving the accuracy, completeness and consistency of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventories and increasing its capacities to domestically track and evaluate mitigation measures and related finance support received and provided, as well as generating the technical inputs needed for medium and long-term planning contributing to the improvement of climate-related decision-making in the country. In order to achieve this objective,

Argentina’s GEF-CBIT project, which was approved in July of 2019, is organized into three components: - National and subnational GHG inventory System - Domestic tracking of mitigation actions and support received - Medium and long-term projections

In this sense, the Climate Change Unit of UNEP is recruiting a Specialist in Climate Finance to strengthen Argentina’s reporting capacities so as to adequately comply with the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework-ETF through the new reporting format under the Paris Agreement: the Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR). The incumbent will work from Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week, full time at the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in Buenos Aires, Argentina and he/she will be supervised by the Coordinator of the Climate Ambition and Transparency Team of the Climate Change Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNEP. He/she will work in close collaboration with the National Climate Change Directorate (NCCD) within the Secretariat of Environment, Sustainable Development and Innovation of Argentina’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MAyDS).

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: ¿ Bachelor´s degree in Economics, Law, Political Science, Business or relevant to climate change, environment and/or sustainable development (required); ¿ Post-graduate degree in areas relevant in areas related to with public policies, accounting or environment (desirable).

Experience: ¿ A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in budget planning specifically in public budget formulation analysis and monitoring (required); ¿ Verifiable professional experience budget execution monitoring and implementation follow-up within the 3 years of professional experience in budget planning specifically in public budget formulation analysis and monitoring (desirable); ¿ Demonstrates excellent understanding of public finance such as budget office institution, national budget structure, expenditures, among others (desirable); ¿ Demonstrates very good understanding of Argentina’s national policy related to climate change and of national and international climate financed projects (desirable); ¿ Experience working with, and building partnerships with public sector, both national and subnational (desirable); ¿ Experience working with Open data reporting frameworks (desirable); ¿ Verifiable professional experience developing green budgets and gender responsive budgets (desirable); ¿ Experience working with and building partnerships with international agencies (desirable).

Language: ¿ The candidate must be native in Spanish and have confident writing, reading and editing skills in English.

Competency: PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: ¿ Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Skills: ¿ Very good knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches on climate change, sustainable development and 2030 agenda (required); ¿ Very good understanding of international and national issues relevant to Argentina’s climate change policies (desirable); ¿ Verifiable experience using of IT tools such as Microsoft Office; SAP, Access (required); ¿ Knowledge of modeling and projection tools (desirable); ¿ Relationship skills with public and private sector officials; ¿ Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems; ¿ Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; ¿ Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; ¿ Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations; Shows leadership capacities; ¿ Experience in teamwork, with recognition in the field of their specialty to cooperate with consultants of other specialties; ¿ Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

OTHERS: ¿ Consultant must have availability to travel within Argentina and abroad as needed.

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.