UNDP Jobs - 48921- Consultant – Linking Poverty Reduction to Green Ec

Consultant – Linking Poverty Reduction to Green Economy: Elaborating on the Contexts for Transitioning to More Inclusive, Greener Economies

Location :

Home-based

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

20-Aug-2014

Application Deadline :

25-Aug-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

25 Days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

25 Days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

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. Risks such as climatic changes and ecological scarcities are undoubtedly one of the more complex and profound challenges partner countries are facing to progress and sustain national development and poverty reduction. While partner countries have made significant progress on a number of dimensions of poverty over the last two decades, yet despite the significant gains, poverty remains a key challenge across the developing world, affecting more than a billion people. Apart from income poverty, other indicators of well-being such as nutrition, maternal and child health, women’s empowerment and inequality are also matters of concern. The task of improving and sustaining well-being along these multiple dimensions now is only expected to become harder as the impacts of climate change and ecosystems decline become more acute, with largely negative consequences predicted for millions of poor and vulnerable people in developing countries.

It is in this context that the transition to greener economies can be viewed as an opportunity to address the challenges of natural resource limits and climate change, resulting in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.

As recognized by the Rio+20 Conference Outcome Document, inclusive green economy approaches can serve as a means to reducing multi-dimensional poverty and achieving sustainable and more equitable development. The role of public policies during transition periods is key if these objectives are to be met. Efforts are needed to ensure that policies do not exacerbate levels of poverty and inequality. e.g. through the loss of jobs and livelihoods, or increased utility costs, and that they help to empower people and communities so that all can contribute to and benefit from greener models of growth and social development. Hence, one of the key challenges in the transition to and adoption of inclusive green economy approaches, particularly for developing countries, is meeting the joint pursuit of growth, poverty reduction, resilience and sustainability. A number of countries are already themselves elaborating on green economy policies and attempting to integrate them into national development strategies. However there is an expressed country-driven demand and post-Rio mandate for the UN system to help share experiences and develop policy guidance to address the complex of achieving growth, poverty reduction and sustainability jointly.

Thus in the context of Rio+20 Conference follow-up and as part of the UNDP-DESA-UNEP project entitled Supporting a Green Economy Transition in Developing Countries and LDCs: Building Towards Rio+20 and Beyond, a study is currently underway that focuses on the social and environmental opportunities for investing in (green/greening) sectors, understanding the direct impacts and linkages to poverty reduction, and knowing what to do about it. The study is in support of national green economy initiatives by ministries of finance and planning, and sectoral ministries to understanding and assessing the links and impacts between Green Economy Approaches and Poverty Reduction, and identifying policy options to achieve these wins. The study will pay particular attention to the recognition that impacts can fall differentially on women and men, and therefore will explicitly include the gender dimension wherever applicable.

As the study so far shows, there is now increasing understanding that inclusive green economy approaches that work for the poor have the following common characteristics:

Maintains growth and reduces emissions for the economy as a whole, while promoting the creation of jobs and other economic opportunities in sectors that predominantly employ the poor;
Generates adequate amounts of public revenues to allow investment in quality services with equitable access by the poor;
Retains biodiversity and ecosystem services, while seeking to maintain in sustainable ways the livelihoods of the poor who are dependent on them;
Enhances energy and resource efficiency in the economy, including through the equitable access to energy by the poor and the promotion of its efficient use;
Ensures resilience to environmental (and other) risks through developing adaptive capacities.

Building on these characteristics is necessary to help generate knowledge on how green economy investments can be viewed in various contexts to help ensure the poor are not disadvantaged, and instead benefit from the transition to greener economic investments. Structural changes to economic patterns are required to promote greener economies, and these structural changes will come with distributional and equity impacts which must be better understood if multi-dimensional poverty is to be addressed.

The study is based on existing literature and country experiences drawing on various initiatives and research related to the Green Economy, Poverty-Environment nexus, climate change relationship to poverty-environment nexus, and Human Development literature. An expanded policy paper targeting national policy-makers from ministries of finance, planning and sectoral ministries, as well as development practitioners, will be completed as a basis for assessing the links between green economy approaches and poverty reduction. Finally, a number of key case studies which reflect a range of country profiles and key sectors that can generate pro-poor opportunities, and also be supported by complementary advisory services of the Green Economy Joint Programme, Poverty-Environment Initiative, and related work supported through the Green Growth Knowledge Platform have been explored. This assignment therefore seeks a consultant that will complete the remainder of the study, which will form the expanded policy paper mentioned above. Thus far, sections 1-3 are complete, while revising and completing sections 4-6 and the full expanded policy paper will be the main responsibilities of the consultant.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and supervision of the MDG Support Cluster, Poverty Group (Cluster head) and in collaboration with Policy Specialist MDGs, Project Leader GEJP, the Environment and Energy Group the consultant will:

Review the original outline of the study to familiarize with the understanding of the assignment and the approach of the study to linking green economy and poverty reduction;
Review the developed sections 1 – 3 and suggest possible inputs and revision;
Review 6 case studies developed for this study, which reflect a range of key sectors and country profiles that can generate pro-poor opportunities;
Based on the review of case studies, develop a synthesis section 4 drawing out insights from the cases on initiatives’ design, implementation, results and policy implications, and submit it for feedback;
Based on the feedback on section 4, develop a final version;
Based on sections 1 – 4, develop section 5, which synthesises or summarises the policy opportunities in the transition to a green economy to achieve poverty reduction and/or protect the poor, and submit it for feedback;
Based on the feedback on section 5, develop a final version;
Based largely on section 4, develop section 6, which highlights the coordination and implementation challenges that a more integrated approach to green economy entail, and provide insight on how such successful integrated approaches have overcome them;
Based on the feedback on section 6, develop a final version;
Prepare the first draft of the Inclusive Green Economy and Poverty Reduction expanded policy paper with case studies for review by the task team and peer reviewers;
Incorporate comments on the first draft and prepare the second/final draft report;
Finalize the study for publication.

Deliverables

Finalized sections 4 - 6;
Final draft Inclusive Green Economy and Poverty Reduction expanded policy paper;
Final version for publication.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Functional competencies:

Excellent knowledge and understanding of human development and multi-dimensional poverty aspects;
Good knowledge of green economy, climate change, ecosystem services and the links to multidimensional poverty;
Strong analytical skills, and the ability to synthesize information and analysis from a number of sources;
Excellent written and oral communication skills and competency in editing and proofreading skills; must be detail oriented and organized;
Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and perform well under pressure.;
Excellent inter-personal skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

At least a Master’s degree in Development and/or Environmental Economics. A PhD is preferred.

Experience:

At least 10 years relevant experience, in an academic institution, research think tank or international agency;
Knowledge of UNDP corporate priorities, with a specific focus on Sustainable Human Development;
Proven experience in producing or facilitating development-related knowledge products;
Proficiency in the usage of computers and with standard software

Language:

Ability to speak and write clearly and compellingly in English.

Timeframe:

The consultant will have 2 months to complete all deliverables.

Payment:

The payment shall be made in the following manner:

First tranche of 30% on satisfactory submission of finalized sections 4 – 6;
Second tranche of 50% on satisfactory submission of final draft of Inclusive Green Economy and Poverty Reduction expanded policy paper;
Final tranche of 20% on satisfactory submission of the final report for publication.

Reporting:

The consultant shall report to MDG Cluster Team Leader and liaise with the Policy Specialist on MDGs for any queries and assistance on a day-to-day basis. The consultant is expected to incorporate comments and suggestions from the Poverty Group, Environment and Energy Group, select UNEP and UNDESA colleagues, and other reviewers on the documents to be submitted.

Evaluation Criteria:

The evaluation criteria used to select the candidate will be:

Best value for money approach - The financial proposal will account for a minimum of 30% and technical proposal will account for 70% of the total evaluation score.

The breakdown of 70% of the technical proposal will be as follows:

Highest qualification (minimum as per TOR) Master’s degree at least in Development and/or Environmental Economics. A PhD is preferred: 15;
At least 10 years relevant experience, in an academic institution, research think tank or international agency: 15;
Knowledge of UNDP corporate priorities, with a specific focus on Sustainable Human Development: 10;
Proven experience in producing or facilitating development-related knowledge products: 10;
Ability to speak and write clearly and compellingly in English: 10;
Proficiency in the usage of computers and with standard software: 10.