Technical advisor – Transparency and NDCs

Contract

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Result of Service

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical expertise to the Climate Change Unit to implement NDC Partnership, GCF, GEF, NDC Action and transparency projects in the LAC region. The consultant will develop the following activities independently and in accordance with the guidelines and work guidance provided by the UNEP Regional Support Consultant. Specific tasks and responsibilities The consultant will be responsible for: • Conduct, and/or coordinate, as required, the technical coordination of the activities, deliverables and consultants as part of the transparency project’s implementation. • Advising of products assigned to local and international experts when required. • To facilitateand carry out, when necessary, the interviews or generation of information necessary for the development of the mentioned activities and deliverables. • Ensure coordination with relevant national institutions and government agencies to guarantee that project activities are distinct and fully complementary to other national initiatives. • Handle and catalyze regional projects outcomes and leverage regional vision regarding climate action transparency before the regional Platform of climate change of the Forum of Ministers. • Analyze and document the advances of MRV and M&E arrangements of selected LAC countries facing ETF requirements. • Coordinate and participate in the organization of regional workshops and/or webinars to discuss best practices related to transparency and NDC implementation in the LAC region. • Analyze and document the advances of LAC countries in NDC implementation plans according with the updated processes. • Transparency (MRV and M&E) strategic execution support including the conceptualization and design of transparency programmes. • Coordinate and attend meetings, calls, and guidelines provided by the UNEP Project Manager. • Periodic reporting to UN Environment according to the quarterly and annual work plans and budgets in coordination with UN Environment. • Provide accurate and up-to-date technical advice, inputs and guidance on issues related to transparency issues for transparency projects. • Provide climate transparency strategic guidance to enhance the MRV/M&E climate transparency systems of countries. • Elaborate TORs for MRV/M&E or transparency consultants and participate in the process of interviewing the candidates in the implementation of transparency projects. • Collaborate with the preparation of project progress reports and, all annual/year-end project revisions when required. • Not divulging information derived from or linked to this consultancy, unless expressly authorized by UNEP. • Contribute with the planning and execution of south-south exchanges for Latin American and the Caribbean countries in the frame of Internal Cooperation Agreement (ICA) with Climate Change Mitigation Unit of Industry and Economy Division to the Global Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) Platform Phase IIA: Unified Support Platform and Program for Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. • Contribute with the identification and development of documents, concept notes to continue the work related with the mainstreaming climate change information in public investment and territorial planning frameworks; long-term strategies and synergies of mid-term and long-term climate change planning. • Facilitate the development of the Transparency Pathways Report (TPR) version 2.0, with additional countries analyzed in the LAC region. • Overview and coordinate the technical and administrative tasks assigned to UNEP LAC Office in terms of the execution of CBIT projects for Honduras and Argentina according to the budget and working plan defined for the projects. • Overview and coordinate the activities related with the closure of CBIT Projects for Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Peru in close coordination with the Project Managers and the GEF’s Climate Change Mitigation Team at the Industry and Economy Division of UNEP. • Collaborate with the development of the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) Simplified Approval Process (SAP) concept note and project proposal for the Republic of Panama on climate adaptation and finance. • Provision of support and technical expertise in the development of activities of Euroclima’s 2023-2025 sub-allotment for the activities related to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTS). Collaborate with the development of policy briefs, technical notes and documents to provide recommendations and best practices to support countries in preparing emissions for Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR) and other climate change communications to comply with the requirements set out in the Paris Agreement (PA), in particular those of the Enhanced Transparency Framework.

Work Location

UNEP LACO Office, Panama City, Panama

Expected duration

2 MONTHS

Duties and Responsibilities

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. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LACO), located in Panama City, Panama 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). One of the most relevant challenges the implementation of the Paris Agreement poses to countries is to count with strong Transparency Frameworks. Article 13 of the Paris Agreement establishes the need of Parties to implement national robust and transparent monitoring, reporting, verification 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 United Nation Frame Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will progressively implement better tools and institutional arrangements, many of them not sufficiently developed in the countries. This is especially true for developing countries. The UNFCCC enhanced transparency framework demands substantial and immediate progress in the countries´ domestic Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems and strategic de-carbonization and adaptation 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 mutual trust and confidence amongst Parties. The Global Environment Facility (GEF), through its Capacity building initiative for Transparency (CBIT) will reinforce inter-ministerial structures across all sectors that will ensure high quality in its transparency instruments; and create the capacities to respond to UNFCCC’s reporting requirements. In this regard, CBIT, administered by the GEF, supports the Latin America and The Caribbean-LAC governments mainly in strengthening its Enhance Transparency Frameworks by means of improving the accuracy, completeness and consistency of its Green House Gases (GHG) inventories and institutional arrangements and, increasing its capacities to domestically track and evaluate mitigation and adaptation measures and related finance support received, as well as generating the technical inputs needed for a medium and long-term planning contributing to improve climate related decision-making in the country. As part of Euroclima+ programme, national governments have prioritized required actions for updating their NDCS and Long-term Strategies LTS and advance at technical level in the analysis of information for guiding the implementation, or in the definition of climate action agendas in their countries. Latin-American countries need to enhance capacities in modelling projections and GHG mitigation scenarios, adaptation and financial data, development of carbon budgets, to ensure the implementation of the Enhanced Transparency Framework. Finally, the coordination of Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) and Measurement and Evaluation-(M&E) developments, input generation and support country across different projects and programs requires to contract a transparency and NDC technical consultant, that will support the project implementation, the elaboration of technical inputs and LAC process across NDC updating and implementation. In this sense, UNEP`s LACO Climate Change Unit is recruiting a technical consultant to support the development of projects on transparency with technical expertise on MRV and M&E issues, giving guidance to the different teams and inputs for the elaboration of products, as well as supporting regional team to elaborate knowledge analysis at regional level, as well as in the management of relationships with national governments involved in the different project portfolio. The consultant will be supervised by UNEP’s Energy Efficiency Program Management Officer of the Climate Change Unit for the Latin American and Caribbean Office and will work at the UNEP LACO Office, Panama City, Panama, from Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week (Full time).

Qualifications/special skills

ACADEMIC: - Bachelor´s degree in engineering, science, economics or related studies is required. - Master’s degree in engineering, environment, science, economics, development or related areas is required. PROFESSIONAL: - At least seven (7) years of professional experience working on environmental management, environmental or sustainable policy, or planning are required. - At least three (3) years of specific work experience in climate change management, planning, NDC implementation, climate change policies or projects implementation is desirable. - Leading or coordinating groups is desirable. - Experience in climate change negotiations is desirable. - Experience with multilateral climate funds is desirable. - Experience in climate transparency is desirable. - Experience as public officer is desirable. LANGUAGE: - Fluent in Spanish (required) - Fluent in English (required) SKILLS: PROFESSIONALISM - Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability. - Excellent understanding of global and national climate change commitments. - Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts, and approaches relevant to climate change mitigation and adaptation planning. - Ability to identify, analyse and participate in resolving issues/problems. - Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work, and manage conflicting priorities. - 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 complex problems or challenges. - Remains calm in stressful situations. TEAMWORK - 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 a 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. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING - Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies. - Identifies priority activities and assignments. - Adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate time and resources for completing work. - Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning. - Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary.

Languages

Not available.

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.