UNDP Jobs

As the global development network of the United Nations, UNDP, operating in 166 countries, works with partner countries on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. Climate change is undoubtedly one of the more complex and profound challenges to the prospects of pro-poor growth and human development now and well into the future. Climate change, at the same time, presents an opportunity for partner countries to put in place the policies, management structures, human and institutional capacities and mobilize financial resources to pursue development that a) minimizes the impact of climate risks and vulnerabilities on its people b) enables the pursuit of inclusive growth and human development that is resilient to climate risk and vulnerabilities and c) is beneficial to the climate system and ecosystems. 

 

To support countries to set up foundations for transitioning towards more resilient development, the Africa Adaptation Programme (AAP), funded by the Government of Japan, is partnering with the governments of 20 African countries to achieve transformational change -- designed to shift climate change adaptation planning and interventions from siloed, single-sector project approaches to a comprehensive, strategic approach characterized by multiple-sector integrated planning. This approach is expected to promote the acceleration of national development goals while meeting the objectives of resilience, sustainability, equity, and above all, multi-dimensional poverty reduction. The programme explicitly utilizes a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral approach to support nationally owned action, which is part of UNDP’s added value given its broad scope of expertise. Key to achieving these goals is capacity development, UNDP’s overarching contribution to its partner countries. UNDP will support the strengthening of national capacities to operate in a risk management and climate resilient context and achieve the transformational change that AAP and others are seeking.

 

In line with the AAP, the Inter-regional Technical Support Component (IRTSC) of AAP is implementing a Cross-Practice Strategy involving several of the UNDP’s thematic and cross-cutting practice teams from the Bureau for Development Policy: Energy and Environment Group (EEG), Poverty Group (PG), Capacity Development Group (CDG) and Gender Group. The specific aim of this particular multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral assignment is threefold: a) review and apply the UNDP methodology developed to assess climate change impacts on key MDG sectors b) identify adaptation interventions, their costs and financing options for climate proofing MDGs gains, and c) develop and refine guidance tools and advocacy materials to disseminate findings based on the application of the methodology.

 

This consultancy is intended to result in practical guidance for sectoral and finance ministries in AAP countries to integrate and act on climate change risks through their development planning frameworks. There are three key outputs envisaged, namely:

 

1.    Reviewing the UNDP methodological approach that assesses climate change impacts, identifies adaptation interventions, their costs and financing options and applies it to select MDG target(s):

• This output essentially entails reviewing and applying the UNDP methodology developed to systematically, credibly and quantifiably assess and measure the impacts of climate change on select MDG target(s).  The review will include the development of two case analyses for two countries, which start by identifying the transmission channels, the magnitude of impacts through each channel, the adaptation interventions required, the costs of these interventions, and the financing requirements and options to climate proof or sustain and achieve selected MDG target(s). Feedback from the exercise will be used to fine-tune the methodology.

2.    Application to other climate impacted MDG targets

• This output extends the application of the UNDP methodology to more relevant, climate impacted MDG targets to determine its broader applicability. It is expected that about 2 or 3 more relevant MDGs targets case analyses are undertaken in the identified countries.  

3.    Technical report is developed and disseminated:

• This output aims to compile all the case analyses on select MDG targets into a comprehensive technical report that elaborates on the methodological approach, presents the case studies and assesses the data and capacity needs for it to work. Overall this output will provide the reader with a systematic way to assess and measure impacts, identify adaptive interventions, their costs as well as the types and quantum of financing required to sustain and achieve key MDGs targets.

 

4.    Strategic guidance note and advocacy material developed and disseminated:

• In order to be practical and policy-relevant, the findings in the technical report will be converted into easy to use guidance to assist finance and sectoral ministries to integrate climate change risk into their planning frameworks. Advocacy material will also be developed for broader awareness.
  

The outputs will be developed in parallel with additional workstreams under the AAP. In particular, this will be complementary to work on-going under the Climate Action Intelligence, which aims to illustrate the complex relationships between actors, activities and policies related to climate change, and how these link to the MDGs and human development. In addition, a series of capacity assessment consultations will also be undertaken, aiming to engage national counterparts on prospective climate vulnerabilities and risks on the prospects for growth and the MDGs. In addition, information on climate risks and vulnerabilities are being gathered and shared with national stakeholders to inform national decision making including on their respective National Development Plans or Poverty Reduction Strategies.

Under the guidance and supervision of the MDG Support Cluster, Poverty Group, and in collaboration with other BDP practice areas participating in the Cross-practice Strategy, and the IRTSC, the consultant will: