Background

The proposed project seeks to develop a methodology for mainstreaming biodiversity into national development and sectoral planning, and for addressing the biodiversity financing gap. There are two main challenges related to this. First, a comprehensive assessment of the funding baseline, and an evaluation of the true costs and cost effectiveness of biodiversity management have not been undertaken. Secondly, credible, hard data on the amount of funding needed to address biodiversity loss, taking cost-effectiveness into account, is not available. The lack of such information hinders countries from making a sound business case for expenditure on biodiversity management. In order to meet the new targets set by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for 2011-2020, efforts to address the underlying challenges will need to be drastically scaled up. This means, inter alia, that a significant increase in finance will be essential.

Current Official Development Assistance (ODA) from donor countries cannot alone bridge the financing gap, and further development and adoption of innovative financing mechanisms will be essential. Developing countries will need to be assisted to identify, access, combine and sequence multiple sources of environmental and development finance, as well as channelling their own resources, in order to meet their biodiversity management needs. Countries will need to adapt and strengthen their governance and policy frameworks in order to catalyse and adequately manage the expected increase of financial resources. The project will support work in pilot countries whose governments are supportive of this approach, laying the groundwork for a major focus of discussion on biodiversity finance at the CBD COP-11 in 2012 and beyond.

Critically, also, the project will build on the process currently being overseen by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) through which countries are revising their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) to tie in with the CBD’s Strategic Plan 2011-2020, providing policy-makers with a new vehicle and opportunity for promoting enhanced mainstreaming of biodiversity considerations in development planning, development finance and strategies aimed at managing climate risk. The project will be linked to the UNDP-supported GEF-financed project on supporting the “Fourth National Reports to the Convention on Biological Diversity” . All but one of the pilot countries are working through UNDP to revise their NBSAPs, and this process will be closely linked to the project (see Organisational Structures below).

On environment and energy-related matters, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have cooperated successfully in developing countries in the past – strengthening national capacities, helping manage the environment in a sustainable manner, providing the necessary tools and financing policy-changing programmes, and ensuring adequate protection for the poor, for example, through the EU-China Biodiversity Programme, and the UNDP-UNEP Poverty and Environment Initiative (PEI), which has received significant support from several EU member states and the European Commission.

The project will contribute to closing the global financing gap for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity by assisting developing countries in identifying, accessing, combining and sequencing sources of biodiversity funding to meet their specific needs. The specific objectives of the project are to develop, test (in pilot countries) and disseminate:

• A framework for mainstreaming biodiversity into national development and sectoral planning;
• A methodology for assessing a country’s biodiversity financing needs;
• A framework for national-level biodiversity financing.

The project uses the complementary approaches below to help developing countries increase the importance attributed to biodiversity and in consequence bridge the financing gap.

Component 1: Integrate biodiversity and ecosystem services in sectoral and development policy, planning and budgeting

Decades of development experience have taught us that it is important to mainstream biodiversity into national development plans, as well as into the policy, planning and financing frameworks of other key sectors (including National Adaptation Programmes of Action and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions), making best use of available mutual benefits. Even though many countries have mainstreamed wider environmental concerns into national development and poverty reduction strategies (National Development Plans / Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers), the linkages to biodiversity and ecosystem services often remain poorly articulated. To address this shortcoming, it is imperative that new analyses, tools and operational approaches are developed for determining and quantifying the benefit ecosystems provide to other sectors; the threats posed by sectors to biodiversity and policy measures to reduce these threats (which will have a bearing on the costs of addressing biodiversity loss). UNDP co-finance of a set of projects on “National Biodiversity Planning to Support the implementation of the CBD 2011-2020 Strategic Plan will deliver a set of national biodiversity targets and mainstreaming strategies that will feed directly into the work of this component.

Component 2: Assess the financing and governance needs for the management and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services

Too often the debate on financing has focused on revenue generation only, without an assessment of the actual investment needs. Any strategy aimed at deepening environmental finance at the country level will need to start with an evaluation of the true costs of management and its cost-effectiveness, as well as of the barriers to successful implementation. Several fundamental questions need to be answered in this regard, including: (a) what are the cost coefficients for the delivery of basic biodiversity management functions against which cost-effectiveness can be assessed? What opportunities and barriers exist to improved cost-effectiveness? (b) How much would it cost to remove the above barriers? What other options are available? What are the costs of inaction? (c) What financing is hence required at a national level to meet national targets set in terms of the global biodiversity targets adopted under the new CBD Strategic Plan for the period 2011-2020?

To address these questions in a comprehensive and rigorous manner, new methodologies and analytical tools will be required, including the development of costed action plans for addressing the gaps and barriers. The resulting analyses will also contribute valuable elements to the CBD’s Resource Mobilisation Strategy, and to the formulation of the next generation of NBSAPs which will require an assessment of financial needs.

Component 3: Identify, combine and sequence different sources of funds to meet biodiversity-financing needs

Once the costs of biodiversity management have been projected, the revenue side of the funding equation will need to be addressed. Countries will need to identify, combine and sequence different sources of funds, to meet their biodiversity financing needs. A large number of potential financing instruments exist, including innovative financing and market mechanisms, such as carbon markets, biodiversity offsets and payments for ecosystem services, including sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. However, there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for environmental finance. The strategies that need to be employed to tap into each of these funding sources will vary considerably. An assessment of the suitability of different funding options needs to be undertaken, with full consideration of country-specific circumstances, in order to determine how financing can be configured to meet the previously defined financial needs. Particular attention will be paid to the potential risks and barriers related to the implementation of innovative financing instruments, given country-specific circumstances, ways and means to overcome these barriers when possible, and the potential need for environmental and social safeguards. UNDP co-finance in the target countries of a set of financing frameworks for national Protected Areas and for ecosystem-based adaptation, and identification of financing options for Payments for Ecosystem Services, including relevant policy and institutional support, will feed directly into this component.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Financial Expert and the NBSAP Manager, the Technical Assistant will carry out the following tasks:

General Description of Responsibility:

Under the over-all guidance of the Financial Expert and the NBSAP Project Manager, the Technical Assistant is expected to assist the Project in ensuring smooth implementation of project activities towards the achievement of expected project outcomes. He/She is expected to prepare periodic work plans and budgets as well as ensure monitoring of project’s progress, and networking with various local and national stakeholders and coordinate with donors for updating and reporting purposes.

Specific Functions:

Project Implementation

• Assist in the development of annual work plans and budgets, and submit these to the Steering Committee and to the UNDP Country Office for approval;
• Provide appropriate support to the Implementing Agency in the implementation of the Project;
• Prepare and submit technical reports to UNDP thru PAWB;
• Ensure the preparation and conformity of the project’s annual work and financial plan with the project’s expected outcomes and outputs and with UNDP’s country programme;
• Assist in facilitating and documenting the conduct of nationwide consultation workshops, meetings, workshops, and other related events;
• Ensure coherence and complementation of activities and outputs of the identified project partners in the delivery the expected outcomes of the Project;
• Maintain effective relationship with partners such as NGOs, government institutions, donors, other project stakeholders and participate at events for project information dissemination purposes;
• Maintain records of Project Committee meetings, decisions, actions etc.;
• Perform other functions as may be assigned by the Financial Expert and Project Manager.

Competencies

• Possess competencies on programme/project management and implementation in the field of environmental management/protection and biodiversity conservation;
• Good communication and interpersonal skills required;
• Good knowledge on budget control and financial management;
• Strong personal management, communication and networking skills:

Specifically:

• Writes clearly and convincingly;
• Focuses on achieving results;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently;
• Shares knowledge and is willing to provide support to others who request advice or help;
• Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically;
• Demonstrates sufficient technical knowledge to perform effectively in own specialty;
• Maintains strong relationships with partners and clients;
• Facilitates meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise;
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in order to communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences;
• Skills in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others;
• Skills in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise;
• Ability to work under pressure.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Degree on finance, economics, business management, environmental management with a specialization profile in biodiversity conservation and protected area management

Experience:

• At least 4 years of professional experience;
• Strong skills in project monitoring and evaluation, and experience in implementing environmental projects;
• Experience with GEF-UNDP biodiversity projects is an added point;
• Ability to effectively coordinate a large, multidisciplinary team of experts, consultants and institutions;
• Computer-literate on basic programming/software.

Language:

• Excellent command in written and spoken English.
  

Application procedure:

The selected candidate will receive a salary that is commensurate with his/her background and work experience. Interested applicants are requested to complete the UN Personal History Form (P.11), available in our website http://www.ph.undp.org/jobs/ and send to: Humanresources.ph@undp.org; or
  Human Resources,
  United Nations Development Programme
  30th Floor, Yuchengco Tower I, RCBC Plaza
  Ayala Avenue, cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue
  Makati City,

Indicating the “Application to the Post Title and Vacancy No” on or before 31 December 2013. Kindly note that only completed P.11 forms will be reviewed. UNDP is an equal opportunity employer. Please note that we will contact only the short-listed candidates.