Research and technical facilitation for implementation of EDD Project.
Responsibilities :
The Environment and Development Division (EDD) of United Nations ESCAP is leading implementation of a project titled ‘Enhancing investments for equitable and accelerated climate action in the post-COVID-19 recovery’ (“ESCAP Project”) which focuses on nature-based solutions (NBS) and their potential to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems to help mitigate and better adapt to climate change.
It aims to enhance the role of ecosystems - especially coastal ecosystems - to act as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, while at the same time reducing vulnerability to climate change impacts for indigenous peoples and local communities and supporting their sustainable livelihoods.
The ESCAP Project particularly targets Bangladesh, Indonesia, Maldives and where feasible, Samoa. Among the key components of the project are:
Regional and national assessment and ocean carbon accounting .
Guidance on financing, including for blue carbon .
Governance and capacity development A technical paper titled ‘Regional Assessment of the Status of Ecosystems as Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Action: Underscoring the role of blue carbon ecosystems’ has been developed which assesses the coverage of key coastal ecosystems (mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass) in the region, and their conservation and restoration potential.
In follow up, national assessments of the capacity needs, policy and institutional arrangements along the carbon value chain will be carried out in two countries, providing input to national policy documents and other follow-up activities including (a) assessing needs for empowering governments (national and local) and communities as partners in blue carbon investments (b) developing capacity building material (c) hosting a study tour to promote regional exchanges and capacity building on blue carbon investment and (d) strengthening regional networking on investment. Broader collaboration and consistent communication including regional advocacy on empowering local communities and governments for investments in blue carbonas are an important aspect of the project’s objectives. .
A consultant on Nature-based Solutions and strengthening the carbon value chain, blue carbon and community empowerment is required to contribute to the research, technical facilitation and information compilation work of the ESCAP Project.
Objective. Under the general supervision of Ms. Hiromi Rankine, Chief, Environment and Development Policy Section, and the direct supervision of Mr. Anshuman Varma, Economic Affairs Officer, of ESCAP’s Environment and Development Division, the consultant will play a critical role in strengthening the knowledge base, outreach and networking for the project, formulating coherent strategies for each country in the project based on project activities, undertaking key research and information collection, preparing concept notes and briefs in implementing the EDD Project, and initiating networking to mobilize stakeholders and experts on community empowerment in blue carbon investment.
Requirements :
Masters’ degree in natural resources management, environmental sciences or related fields.
Minimum five years programme and/or knowledge management experience on environmental issues in the Asia-Pacific region in fields such as ecosystems restoration, biodiversity, blue carbon, environmental governance, climate action and/or sustainability.
