Background

Central Asia is highly vulnerable to climate change. In a region that is subject to multiple stressors, climate

change exacerbates existing vulnerabilities. Central Asia is warming faster than the global average.

Average annual temperatures have risen by 0.5 degrees Celsius over the last three decades and are

forecast to increase by 2.0 to 5.7 degrees Celsius by 2085. This is evidenced by substantial reductions in mountain snowpack and the depleted volume of the Tien Shan glaciers and permafrost, releasing carbon and methane stocks which contribute to further warming. The region is projected to experience increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, changing precipitation patterns and increased drought. These impacts add pressure to already stressed and overexploited natural resources, thereby increasing the vulnerability of rural communities and their livelihoods. Whilst climate change rarely results in direct security threats, climate change interacts with existing stressors, including socioeconomic, political, and natural hazards, to undermine resilience.

A particularly complex challenge is the water-food-energy nexus because electricity and food production rely on scarce water resources. Increasing frequency of climate-induced extreme weather events and disasters can put communities and their livelihoods at risk, which in turn can push people to migrate on a large scale or to turn to illegal sources of income. Climate-induced disruption of food production and increasing food prices can lead to social instability. Impacts on energy production caused by higher temperatures and lower precipitation, as well as threats to energy production and transmission infrastructure from extreme weather events put supply chains and energy supply at risk. Increasing demand for water and an unreliable supply increase pressure on existing water governance arrangements and can complicate political relations, particularly at transboundary basins already affected by tensions.

To address these challenges UNDP, with the financial support from EC, is implementing a regional project “Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia” with overall objective to support stability and climate resilient development in the Ferghana Valley, a trans-border area of the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The project will (i) improve knowledge of climate-fragility risks amongst stakeholders at local, national, and regional levels; (ii) facilitate risk-informed policymaking and transboundary resource management; and (iii) support practical risk reduction interventions. Early warning and prevention measures will be enhanced. Knowledge base will be increased through targeted public awareness campaigns to ensure growing consciousness on climate-induced vulnerability implications and spill-over effects and climate change resilience.

Duties and Responsibilities

To meet the objective, the consultancy will provide expertise and necessary resources to deliver the following tasks:

Task 1. Support national teams in selecting river basins at the national level in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (Outcome 2, activity 2.2)

• Desktop review of existing key water policies and river basin plans, particularly considering how they currently address climate change and resilience risks.
• Develop criteria for selecting river basins in the Ferghana Valley, a trans-border area of the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (one river basin will be selected in each programme country).
• With the support of UNDP COs in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan agree selection criteria and selected river basins with national counterparts.

Task 2. Mainstreaming climate resilience risk into water policies and river basin management plans (Outcome 2, activity 2.1)

• Review existing agreements between Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan on water allocation in Ferghana Valley (bilateral or regional).
• Assess climate sensitive water allocation systems and transboundary rivers in Andijan, Namangan and Fergana Provinces (level of climate risks and resilience).
• Conduct a training for national teams on introduction of climate resilience risks into national water policies
• Identify priority policy documents in water sector to be included in the strategic review and adaptation planning to mainstream climate-fragility risks. (Prioritisation will be carried out through a national consultative process).
• Support national consultants to conduct situation analysis of river basins in the Ferghana Valley. During the situation assessment civil protection and disaster risk reduction, water and agriculture, land management, energy, health, rural development, urban development sectors will be considered.

Task 3. Based on the results of the desk review and situation assessment to validate policy documents and water management plans (Outcome 2, activity 2.2)

• Provide technical advice and support to national consultants to integrate climate-fragility risks into river basin plans
• Conduct presentation and prepare a policy brief summarizing the finding of the climate mainstreaming into water policies
• With the support of UNDP COs in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan agree river basin plans and revised policy documents (water code, strategy, or concepts on water sector) that mainstream climate fragility risks with national counterparts.

Competencies

Functional competencies

• Excellent communication and management skills and demonstrable capacity to work with a multi-national team and to work with government institutions
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategies and communication plans
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities.

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in environmental management, water management, climate change, environmental policy, economy or related areas.

Work experience:

A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience related to scoping and facilitating research, policy development, evaluation and review in water management, climate change adaptation, climate change and security, natural resources and/or environmental management, transboundary collaboration/partnership.

Work experience, familiarity with multi-stakeholder dialogue and knowledge and experience exchange and understanding of sustainable partnerships and their ecosystems in Central Asia region.

Languages:

Fluency in written and spoken Russian and English is required and mandatory for this assignment.

Application Process:

Interested candidates need to apply online at www.jobs.undp.org and upload requested documents (Technical Proposal/Methodology/Cover Letter, CV/P11 form, Offeror’s Letter of confirmation) in Part 5 of Procurement Notice no later than end of February 18, 2022 (New York time). Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

Your on-line applications submission will be acknowledged to your email address provided in application. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary.

Link to application at the UNDP Job Site – https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=104557

(cut and paste into browser address bar if the link does not work).

You can review detailed Procurement Notice, Terms of Reference and download templates from the UNDP Procurement Notices Site following the link https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=87830  (cut and paste into browser address bar if the link does not work).

Application submitted via email, incomplete applications or received after the closing date (February 18, 2022) will not be given consideration.Technically compliant candidates will be contacted via email for Financial Offer submission. Failure to submit the Financial Proposal by the deadline or without reference to the subject above will result in disqualification. For more detailed information about UNDP Uzbekistan please visit our website at www.uz.undp.org.

UNDP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified female candidates, people with disabilities, and minorities are highly encouraged to apply. UNDP Balance in Manage Policy promotes achievement of gender balance among its staff at all levels.

Requests for clarification must be sent in writing to pu.uz@undp.org, ensuring that the reference number above is included in the subject line. UNDP shall endeavor to provide such responses to clarifications in an expeditious manner, but any delay in such response shall not cause an obligation on the part of UNDP to extend the submission date of the Proposals, unless UNDP deems that such an extension is justified and necessary.