Technical Assistance to the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

V. Ultimate result, deliverables and outputs of the consultancy (a) The ultimate result of the consultancy will be: (i) A robust African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan (ii) Effective funding mechanism for African island specificities, including circular and blue economy priorities drawn from the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and blue economy plans. (iii) Stakeholder/experts workshop for review and validation of the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and partnership on CE in African and Indian Ocean Islands; and financing mechanism (b) The consultant is required to deliver the following outputs: (i) Inception report for the assignment (ii) Synopsis report on the potential opportunities and constraints to adopting a circular economy approach for the African and Indian Ocean Islands (iii) Roadmap for the development of the African and Indian Ocean Islands CEAP. (iv) Workshop for review and validation of African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and partnership on CE in African and Indian Ocean Islands (v) Final African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan including implementation and resource mobilization strategy. (vi) Final funding mechanism for African island specificities, including circular and blue economy priorities drawn from the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and blue economy plans. All the written outputs shall be prepared in French. Except for the power point presentation, all outputs shall be prepared using single line spacing, times new roman 12 font size, contain page numbering, list of acronyms, a table of contents, foot notes, references, relevant annexes and appendices. All work submitted must be the original work of the consultant and contain proper citation and recognition of reference documents and data sources. VI. Terms of the Contract, remuneration and duration of the assignment IOC and ECA will retain exclusive ownership of the outputs of the assignment. The consultant shall not reproduce the report in any form, shape or manner without the express written permission of IOC and partners. Events and products shall be co-branded with the IOC and ECA whenever appropriate. Remuneration: The consultant shall be paid a total lump sum of US$ 45,000 (forty-five thousand United States Dollars), to cover the consultant’s fee and costs for the entire duration of the assignment in accordance with the following payment schedule: (i) Fifteen per cent upon signing of the contract and submission and acceptance of the inception report. (ii) Twenty-five per cent upon submission and acceptance by IOC and partners of the drafts including the report. (iii) Thirty-five per cent upon successful organization of the validation and partnership workshop, presentation for review and validation of the Draft African and Indian Ocean Islands CEAP and Funding Mechanism (iv) Twenty-five per cent upon submission and acceptance by IOC and partners of the Final African and Indian Ocean Islands CEAP and Funding Mechanism. Duration of the assignment and timelines: The assignment will require 5 work-months, commencing in July 2024 and will be executed in accordance with the following timelines: 1) 1 week after signature of the contract: The consultant submits to ECA an inception report detailing the conceptualization of the assignment, methods, data collection and analysis and work plan and other aspects as detailed in the task above. 2) 2 weeks after signature the contract: Consultant submits Roadmap for the development of the African and Indian Ocean Islands CEAP. 3) 6 weeks after signature of the contract: Consultant submits draft synopsis report on the potential opportunities and constraints to adopting a Circular Economy approach for the African and Indian Ocean Islands 4) 8 weeks after signature of the contract: Consultant submits final synopsis report on the potential opportunities and constraints to adopting a Circular Economy approach for the African and Indian Ocean Islands 5) 10 weeks after signature of contract: Consultant submits draft African and Indian Ocean Islands CEAP. 6) 12 weeks after signature of contract: Consultant submits draft funding mechanism. 7) 14 weeks after signature of contract: Consultant submits revised draft African and Indian Ocean Islands CEAP. 8) 15 weeks signature of contract: Consultant submits revised draft funding mechanism 9) September 2024: Consultant with support of IOC and ECA plans and organizes the stakeholder validation and partnership work on CE and funding mechanism for CE and Blue economy 10) Within four weeks after the validation workshop: Consultant finalizes the Action Plan and Funding Mechanism based on comments and recommendations of the validation workshop

Work Location

ECA - Work from Home

Expected duration

5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

I. Background Transitioning to just and inclusive circular economies in Africa presents an opportunity for countries in the region to expand avenues to create jobs and advance inclusive and sustainable economic growth; reduce waste and pressure on natural resources; and to address the triple planetary challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Growing evidence shows that linear economy approaches which are characterized by “take, make, dispose” practices, are no longer sustainable. In many cases, such approaches are resource intensive and lead to rapid resources depletion and pollution and environmental degradation. Moreover, linear economy approaches undermine pursuit of economic efficiency and diversification as demonstrated below. Globally, earth resources are being overused. According to the Circularity Gap Report 2023 , globally, only 7.2% of used materials are cycled back into our economies after use. This leaves and enormous circularity gap which is not sustainable in the long run. In 2022, 7.8 kilograms of e-waste per capita was generated globally. Yet only small proportion of this is put under sound management. This undermining the health of millions of people in addition to other environmental damage. Additionally, about 67% of global greenhouse gas emissions are related to material management . Moreover, estimates are that globally, more than 90 per cent of biodiversity loss is related to land use and water stress come from resource extraction and processing. In Africa countries, economies are generally resource intensive, generate too much waste and have limited means to assimilate the waste back into production systems. This challenge is a result of the design of the production systems, available technologies as well as limited human capital to reduce wastage, among others. The result is the rising amount of waste in cities, contamination of ecosystems, degradation and natural resources and increasing greenhouse gas emissions resulting into among others, escalation of health problems and poor economic performance. This situation undermines efforts to address the continent’s fundamental development challenges to create employment for the booming youth population; to raise national and global ambitions under the framework of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (2015) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); promote inclusive growth; ensure smart or clean cities; and overall to meet the targets of Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals. It is for above reasons that there is now heightened attention to the importance of and the need to develop and implement interventions at global, regional, subregion and national levels to transition to just and inclusive circular economies. Circular Economy (CE) is an innovative way of boosting economic development while ensuring environmental sustainability through a life-cycle approach and closing the loop, ranging from production, consumption to end-of-life and waste management back to secondary raw materials. It aims to reduce (eliminate) waste and pollution, turning waste into secondary raw materials and useful resources, promoting a cleaner environment, high levels of resource efficiency across the entire value chain and closed material loops. CE also includes designing products by extending their lifetime, reusing, refurbishing or, remanufacturing products at the end of service life, and recovering/recycling a maximum of resources to avoid waste in production, supply, use and disposal. A growing body of knowledge and practice shows the potential benefits of transitioning to CE. For instance, the 2023 global circularity gap report asserts that “a global circular economy will allow fulfilment of people's needs with only 70% of the materials now being extracted and used. CE is very relevant to Africa where the population is forecast to double its 2017 levels by 2050. Such population growth is bound to increase pressure on the continent’s already stretched resources. The implication is that countries in the region need to ensure efficient and sustainable use of resources to grow their economies, to create jobs and lift around 460 million people out of poverty and still living below the extreme poverty line of $1.90 per day. Africa is also one of the regions most vulnerable and worst affected by climate change. According to analysis by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), African economies are losing on average 5% of GDP because of climate change. This loss increases up to 15% in some countries. CE has been demonstrated to be critical in addressing 45% of emissions associated with the current linear models of production and consumption. Moreover, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB), circular economy represents an annual market opportunity of about $8 billion in Africa . Also, circular economy approaches can address the root causes of plastic pollution. Estimates are that up to 15 million tons of plastic makes its way into the Indian Ocean each year, contaminating it with a trillion pieces of plastic and making it the world’s second most polluted ocean after the North Pacific. CE approach will therefore not only help African countries to address the growing challenge of waste and ecosystem management but will also foster economic diversification including through resilient and sustainable value addition, industrialization and sustainable tourism; accelerate economic growth; contribute to food security; and create employment especially for the youth and women. The transition to CE crucial for African and Indian Ocean Island and Coastal states. These states face numerous shared environmental and socioeconomic challenges which are peculiar to them. The challenges include insularity, remoteness, small markets and high level of external dependence. They are also among the countries most vulnerable and worst affected by climate change, biodiversity erosion, fluctuations in world commodity prices (particularly energy), economic slowdowns, natural disasters, health risks such as the recent case of the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, with their abundant coastline and marine resources, African and Indian Ocean Island and coastal countries are poised to harness the potential of the blue economy to drive economic growth, alleviate poverty, and preserve the environment for future generations. The concept of a regenerative blue economy represents a paradigm shift in Africa's coastal regions, emphasizing sustainable development, conservation, and responsible resource management. The adoption and implementation of strategies and actions to foster circularity will be key optimizing the benefits from the vast marine resources using blue economy approaches. Transitioning CE will be crucial to preventing pollutants, including marine plastic waste, from entering the oceans by tackling the problem at source. Better use of resources, a shift from a linear to a circular model, and a change in perception from waste to value will address the land-based and marine sources of pollution that end up in the ocean, and help create employment opportunities, reduce poverty, and improve equity. The transition to circular economy requires effective institutions and adoption and implementation of strong economy-wide and harmonized context specific regulatory and planning frameworks at regional, national, and local level. II. State of play on the transition to circular economy Against the above backdrop, there is strong justification and growing momentum to adopt and implement reforms at multiple levels to drive the transition to just and inclusive circular economies. At the global level, in 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a resolution encouraging Member States to integrate circularity into national, regional, and continental development plans, and create a conducive environment to increase access to affordable green financing and sustainable markets, particularly to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). In addition, at UNEA 5.2 member States adopted an historic resolution to end Plastic Pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024. African countries and their development partners have committed themselves and undertaken a number of actions at various levels to drive the transition to circular economy: (a) The Third session of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE) in 2019, adopted a Decision requesting the African Union Commission (AUC) to broaden the scope of its work on facilitating the ban of single use plastics to embrace Circular Economy due to its environmental and economic benefits. The AUC established the AU Expert Working Group on Circular Economy in 2020 to operationalize this Decision. (b) The African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) at its 17th Session held in November 2019 requested the African Union Commission, UNEP, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other partners to define and elaborate the circular economy concept in the context of Africa and put in place mechanisms for its adoption. (c) UNEP, African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa have developed regional Guidelines for Accelerating the Circular Economy Transition in Africa. These guidelines were launched in August 2023. (d) In 2023, and with technical assistance of EU, the AUC and partners developed the Continental Circular Economy Action Plan for Africa (2024-2034) which was adopted in November 2023 by the 5th session of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE). The action plan sets out the vision, mission, priority sectors, goals and actions to drive the transition to circular economy in the continent. It provides an implementation plan that among others calls for the development of CE road maps/action plans at regional, subregional, national and subnational levels. (e) Given the peculiar contexts of Africa and Indian Ocean Island States, it is important that frameworks and others measures to foster CE transition in these are aligned with their specific challenges, opportunities and needs. That is why the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and partners took initiative to foster CE transition in African and Indian Ocean Island including through development of CE action plan. Among other initiatives the IOC has carried out the following: (i) The IOC implemented a project on circular economy for Atlantic, Indian Ocean Developing Island (AIODIS) which ended September 2023.The project provided opportunities for South-South exchanges and better access to the expertise needed to formulate policies in this direction. (ii) In September 2023, the Ministerial Conference on the Blue and Circular Economy for Africa and the Indian Ocean Island States convened in Mauritius facilitated dialogue among the states resulting in agreement and adoption of commitments to drive the transition to circular economy. Among these commitments are: • To strengthen the inclusion of Africa’s Island states and coastal states in line with the Beau Vallon Roadmap, the Moroni Process, Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. • To promote the implementation of the Regional Action Plan for the Prevention, Reduction and Control of Marine and Plastic Pollution. • To promote and disseminate circular economy models through a Circular Economy Action Plan for African and Indian Ocean Island States. • To create the necessary frameworks for the establishment of regional circular value chains through the valorization of pneumatic, electrical, and electronic waste. • To promote education and awareness of the environment and the circular economy. • To use the circular economy as an opportunity to support the energy transition. • To establish an innovative funding mechanism for the blue and circular economy. • To mobilize financing and partnerships for enhanced cooperation in favour of climate action, energy transition, elimination of marine pollution and promotion of the circular economy. It is against the foregoing that IOC and partners are embarking on the development of: (i) The African and Indian Ocean Island CE Action Plan. The African and Indian Ocean Island action plan will seek to cascade and implement relevant priorities and actions set out in the African Union Continental circular economy action plan 2024- 2034 while building on initiatives underway and planned by member States. (ii) The funding mechanism for island specificities, including circular and blue economy priorities drawn the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and blue economy plans. This mechanism will serve as the tool to mobilise and deliver financing for implementation the CE action plan and blue economy priorities. III. Objective of the consultancy (a) Overall objective The overall objective of the contract is to support the Indian ocean Commission in developing a robust African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and funding mechanism for African island specificities, including circular and blue economy priorities drawn from the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and blue economy plans. (b) Specific objectives The specific objectives are: (i) To identify produce a report on the potential opportunities including good practices, and constraints to adopting a Circular Economy approach for the African and Indian Ocean Islands. (ii) To develop an African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan including an implementation and resource mobilisation strategy (iii) Develop and define the rationale, composition, terms of reference or function of - and expected results to achieved by the African and Indian Ocean Islands Expert Working Group on Circular Economy. (iv) To develop the funding mechanism for African island specificities, including circular and blue economy priorities drawn from the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and blue economy plans IV. Duties and responsibilities of the consultant With the above in mind and to accomplish the objectives of consultancy, the consultant will carry out the following tasks under the guidance, supervision and in consultation with the IOC Officer in charge of the Economy, maritime security, connectivity and island interests and designated staff of the Green and Blue Economy and Natural Resources management section in the Climate Change, Food Security, Natural Resources and Green and Blue Economy Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA): 1. Produce and submit and an inception report for the assignment. The inception note should among other details contain the following: (i) Conceptualization of the assignment that strongly demonstrates a clear understanding and interpretation of the tasks and as such provides a conceptual framework, the methodology to implement the requested services such as information collection and analysis, and a work plan. Nonetheless, the methodology should mostly be based on the present ToRs, which highlight how the Contracting Authority envisages, in detail, the tasks. (ii) Annotated outline for the synopsis report on the potential opportunities and constraints to adopting a Circular Economy approach for the African and Indian Ocean Islands (iii) Annotated outline for the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan including an implementation and resource mobilization strategy. (iv) Annotated outline for the funding mechanism for African island specificities, including circular and blue economy priorities drawn from the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and blue economy plans. 2. Identify and produce a synopsis report on the potential opportunities and constraints to adopting a Circular Economy approach for the African and Indian Ocean Islands (States). (a) Carry out desk research and identify potential opportunities and constraints to adopting a Circular Economy approach for the African and Indian Ocean Islands. (b) Carry out desk research and map past and ongoing continental, regional and national initiatives including road maps, policies, policies and other frameworks on circular economy by African Union/Commission, ECA, UNEP, AfDB and other actors. This desk research will build and draw from the already performed studies on CE in Africa and in African and Indian Ocean Islands, including by AUC, ECA, EU, AfDB, UNEP and other key actors. (c) Draft and submit for review by OIC and partners and finalize a synthesis report on the potential opportunities and constraints to and adopting a Circular Economy approach for the African and Indian Ocean Islands. The report will include where applicable, lessons learned. 3. Develop an African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan including an implementation and resource mobilization strategy: (a) Draft and finalize the roadmap for the development of the African and Indian Ocean Islands CEAP. The road map will prepare including through desk review, and consultation with experts and other stakeholders on circular economy at regional, subregional and national levels. (b) Draft and submit for review by IOC and partners, the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan. The action plan will among other include the following elements regarding circular economy in African and Indian Ocean Island: (i) Context for CE transition (ii) Opportunities, benefits, challenges, and lessons learned in CE transition. (iii) Priority sectors for CE transition in African Indian Ocean Island (iv) Vision, Goal, Overall Objectives and specific objectives (v) Strategic interventions and actions/investment areas in priority sectors (vi) Implementation strategy including key stakeholders, governance including coordination arrangements, stakeholder engagement, technical support and the role of (vii) Resource mobilization strategy (viii) Monitoring and Evaluation (c) In consultation with IOC and partners, organize a stakeholders’ workshop to review and validate draft circular economy action plan for African and Indian Ocean Islands and provide opportunity for dialogue and collaboration on advancing circular Economy in Africa and Indian Ocean Island. The workshop participants will include representatives of African and Indian Ocean Islands Member States, AUC, IOC partners, RECs, ACEA, ACEN and other selected stakeholders. (d) Prepare and submit to IOC the final version of the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan, taking in account the inputs received in the validation and dialogue workshop. The Final version of the action plan will include an implementation and resource mobilization strategy: 4. Develop and define the rationale, composition, terms of reference or functions of - and expected results to achieved by the African and Indian Ocean Islands Expert Working Group on Circular Economy. (a) To inform the implementation strategy: (i) In consultation with IOC and partners, define the rationale, composition, terms of reference or functions of the African and Indian Ocean Islands (State) Expert Working Group on Circular Economy (ii) Define the interaction/relationship between the expert working group and other institutional arrangements for the implementation of CE in African and Indian Ocean Islands and national, subregional and regional levels. (iii) Elaborate governance arrangements of the Experts working group. (iv) Elaborate the expected activities and results to achieved by experts working group on CE in African and Indian Ocean Islands 5. Develop the funding mechanism for African island specificities, including circular and blue economy priorities drawn from the African and Indian Ocean Islands Circular Economy Action Plan and blue economy plans. (i) In consultation with IOC and partners, identify financing opportunities and risks in African and Indian Ocean Islands states, considering their nature resource endowment and structural similarity of economy. (ii) Contextualize the CE and blue economy (BE) development in the states and understand on-going CE and BE activities and their financing needs and gaps, including the youth, women, and the vulnerable groups. (iii) Identify the key policies, regulations, frameworks, and institutional arrangements to unleash the potential of CE and BE funding. (iv) Map a resources mobilization plan from both domestic and international resources, taking in consideration of the characteristics of states to achieve sustainable development and climate resilience while promoting the development of CE and BE. IV. Location The consultant will work remotely (home based) except for travel to facilitate and present the draft report and financing mechanism at the validation and partnership workshop, The consultant shall be supported to perform his or her tasks by staff IOC and ECA.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental/sustainable natural resources management and/or Policy, sustainable development, Ecodesign/Life-cycle engineering, business/sustainable finance or related fields is required. A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience at the national and/or international level in planning or policy/strategy development-related work; design, coordination and implementation of multi-sector, multi-stakeholder programmes in Africa and/or the Indian ocean region. Experience in and knowledge on African Union and IOC institutional activities; sustainable finance; circular economy, Green/blue Economy; waste management, sustainable consumption and production; sustainability; and ecodesign.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this assignment, the consultant shall be fluent in either of the languages. Good working knowledge of the other language will be an added advantage.

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.