Background

International:
The 2011 UNDP Human Development Report provides overwhelming evidence that we are reaching an upper limit to our capacity to emit greenhouse gases without dire consequences. It has been estimated that stabilizing the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that prevents catastrophic climate change will require a 50% reduction of the GHG emissions by 2050 from 1990 levels.

Addressing climate change requires two types of response. Firstly, and importantly, we must reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) (i.e. take mitigation action) and secondly we must take adaptation action to deal with the unavoidable impacts. The EU’s recently agreed climate change legislation puts in place the concrete measures to reach the EU's commitment to reduce emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 and is capable of being amended to deliver a 30% reduction if agreed as part of an international agreement in which other developed countries agree to comparable reductions and appropriate contributions by economically more advanced developing countries based on their responsibilities and capabilities. However, even if the world succeeds in limiting and then reducing GHG emissions, our planet will take time to recover from the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. Thus we will be faced with the impact of climate change for at least the next 50 years. We need therefore to take measures to adapt.
 
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol (KP) under the Conventions and their subsequent decisions, as well as the EU policy in the area , support developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their efforts to continue economic growth with the least competitive distortions, while in the same time decrease growth in emissions and adapt to the effects of the changing climate. In the Bali Action Plan (2007), the developing countries agreed for the first time to design and implement Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) in the context of sustainable development, supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity building. The 15th Conference of the Parties” (COP) held in Copenhagen in December 2009, have taken note of the Copenhagen Accord (CA) - a political declaration containing which agrees to limit climate change to not more than 2°C above preindustrial levels in the context of equity and sustainable development and reaffirms the developmental aspects of climate change, including low-emission development strategies . The Conferences in Cancun and Durban provided further details in this regard.
Many developing countries have submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat information on their NAMAs in relation to Appendix II of the Copenhagen Accord.

The transition to a low-emission world will necessitate the transformation of entire economic sectors of the countries in the region. A very high priority for UNDP as an implementing agency with a climate and development mandate is to develop capacities of the countries to formulate, access finance and implement low-emission development strategies. UNDP has a record of successful interventions in the climate change area in the region, covering 26 countries, including support to Kyoto Protocol implementation, promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency by individual UNDP/GEF-funded projects (USD 47 mill), and facilitating actual investments and marketing emission reductions from Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI) projects as part of UNDP MDG Carbon Facility.
In the beginning of 2010 UNDP BRC initiated a regional project “Supporting RBEC countries transition to low-emission development” with a primary objective to enhance the capacity of the governmental agencies in selected countries from the RBEC region to design, mobilize finance for the implementation, and implement low-emission development strategies.  Under the project guidelines how to develop a LEDS were prepared in 2010 (“How-to Guide: Development of Low-emission Development Concept, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions, Low-emission development Strategy in Eastern Europe and CIS”).
 
National:
As a result of issues related to its status, Kosovo is still not recognized by United Nation Institutions.  Consequently, it is not eligible to be party to international conventions and it can participate in negotiations only as an observer. However, compliance with international laws, including Multi-National Environment Agreements remains extremely important for the future of Kosovo in its domestic strategy as well as for its international relations.

The Kosovo Parliament has adopted a number of important laws to approximate with the acquis communautaire and so Kosovo’s legislation is to a large extent already EU-compatible.

Although Kosovo has not participated in or signed the Kyoto Protocol yet, it has the responsibility to respond to the requirements of the Protocol, as one of the signatories of the Energy Community Treaty. The Energy Community treaty puts clear reduction targets for the energy use while it demand increase the share of renewable energies.
As stated in Commission’s  Staff  Working Document “Commission Communication on a Feasibility Study for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and Kosovo”, Brussels, 23 October, 2012 {SWD(2012) 339 final/2 }: “Kosovo is not a party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. There is no climate change strategy, action plan, economy-wide mitigation targets or policies and measures on climate change.”   The statement in this document emphasizes on the need for Kosovo to make serious effort to ensure concrete actions in this direction.
The responsible authority for environment and climate policy is the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, while the Kosovo Environment Protection Agency monitors the state of the environment.

The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning has initiated consultations with the secretariats of different conventions and has started to prepare needed documentations for ratification of Conventions. In April 2009, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning organized an International Conference on Climate Change, where the experiences of different countries that are parties to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) were presented.

In 2012, with the support of UNDP, Kosovo prepared its first national inventory of GHGs for the period 2008 – 2009.
However, Kosovo still has no register of sources and emissions of GHGs and it also has not identified the base year from which GHG emissions will be measured.

The Greenhouse Gas Inventory is one of the first initiatives in Kosovo contributing to the global efforts to minimize the human impact on the climate change.  Kosovo has not yet started to submit National Communications to the Climate Change Secretariat in the UNFCCC.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work:
 
The International Consultant should work in consultation with and report directly to the Programme Analyst for Environment and Energy in UNDP Kosovo.
 
Specifically, his\her responsibilities are but not limited to the following:
  • Conduct desk review of all relevant documents for background information and initial situational analysis 
  • Review best international practices on development of climate resilient development /climate change adaptation strategies and outline possible options for Kosovo.
  • Identify additional national expertise needed and provide inputs for Terms of Reference.
  • Establish the inter-ministerial working group
  • Conduct up to four missions to Kosovo.  The missions will include: 
Consultations with key partners in:
  • National Government, responsible for climate change as well as relevant sectoral ministries, including those involved in planning and finance;
  • Relevant National institutions, including research and academia. 
Facilitate and guide the work of the inter-ministerial working group

Preparation and conduction of roundtable discussions:

  • Draft a concept paper outlining the country’s strategic shift to a low-emission development, which reflects the international requirements and national commitments under the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, any new global agreements as well as the national circumstances, including communication strategy.
  • Upon endorsement of the concept by the relevant UNDP and Government officials, develop a proposal on Low Emission Development Strategy, which will include a list of possible NAMAs. Specific requirements to the strategy development should be considered, such as methodology used; national priorities and needs; poverty eradication, green jobs, gender issues, and in particular cross-cutting issues with adaptation strategy.
  • Ensure that all relevant national stakeholders are consulted during preparation of recommendations, in order to reflect properly:
  • National development priorities and policies that are likely to lead to high or low GHG emissions;
  • The national procedures for approval of strategies and plans;
  • Whether the proposed mitigation solutions have been tried before, and which are the barriers to implementing/scaling up;
  • How the project will complement, reinforce and build on existing projects/investments;
  • Ensure that the recommendations meet the UNDP’s quality standards.
  • Finalize the strategy considering the recommendations, including addressing comments and inputs from relevant stakeholders, with support from the CO and BRC.
  • Closely coordinate work with an international consultant on low-emission development to ensure that the national strategy on low-emission and climate resilient development has adequate representation of adaptation and mitigation and low-emission and climate resilient sections are developed in close coordination and reinforce each other.
  • The international consultant will work together with several national consultants specialising in the subject area.
Deliverables and timelines
 
The consultant is responsible for the following deliverables:
 
            Deliverable                                                                                                                   Schedule
  • Inception report                                                                                                       28 February 2013
  • Establishment of the inter-ministerial working group
  • Concept proposal of LEDS, including a communication strategy                 30 June 2013
  • Preparation for and facilitation of a workshop with local stakeholders on national low emission development strategy concept
  • Draft NAMAS developed                                                                                       10 August 2013
  • Preparation for and facilitation of a workshop with local stakeholders on NAMAS finalization and identification of priority mitigation actions
  • NAMAS finalized, priority mitigation actions identified                                    30 October 2013 
       

Competencies

Competencies
  • Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modeling UN values and ethical standards
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
  • Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high-ranking members of international, regional and national institutions.
  • Excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports.
  • Extensive knowledge of computer applications
  • Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
  • Ability to work independently as well as part of a fairly big team
  • Ability to operate under strict time limits;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Masters degree in economics, energy, development, or a closely related field.
Experience:
  • 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in implications of climate change on development, finance, environment and other relevant fields is critical
  • Profound knowledge of climate change mitigation and development
  • Experience in the policy development process associated with environment, climate change and sustainable development an asset.
  • Proven successful accomplishment of similar assignments Knowledge and understanding of the UNFCCC and KP requirements
  • Sound, practical understanding of market economics and how regulatory and fiscal policies can help to reduce GHG emissions.
  • Demonstrated experience in project development, implementation or management
  • Knowledge on mainstreaming gender equality in environment
  • Excellent and proven experience in dealing with national government partners
  • Pro-active, independent and responsible personality
  • Experience in drafting strategic documents
  • Experience in  the policy development process associated with environment, climate change and sustainable development
  • Experience of work in countries of the region would be an asset.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English 
Payment schedule:
Payments will be done in three installments (depends on the scope of work):
  • 20% upon Mission and respective deliverables to Pristina in February 203, and submission of inception report containing concept proposal of LED strategy, and establishment of the inter-ministerial working group
  • 50% upon draft strategy presentation in a round table and submission
  • 30% upon finalization of the strategy including addressing all the comments and suggestions of national counterparts
Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP Programme Analyst on satisfactory performance.