Background

Montenegro is a small country on the Adriatic Sea covering surface area of only 13.8 square kilometres and with a population of only 620,000 people. Yet it boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and unparalleled richness and diversity of natural and cultural resources. Montenegro’s prime touristic attractions include 300 kilometres of stunning coastline with 60 kilometres of beaches, historical and cultural monuments, mountain ranges, virgin forests and national parks. Because of this, as well as of favourable political and economic climate, over the last decade Montenegro has seen unprecedented inflow of visitors and investment in its tourism sector. In 2011, more than 1.3 million tourists visited Montenegro, twice as much as domestic population and ten times more than just a decade ago (i.e. tourists’ count was 120,000 in 2002). Tourism’s total contribution to GDP has by now reached 17.2% and is projected to rise to 36.3% GDP by 2021. Similarly, the investment in the sector amounted for 164.6 mln € in 2011, or 23.6% of total capital investment.

As a main driver of Montenegro’s economic growth and investment, the tourism sector is responsible directly and indirectly for the large share of GHG emissions from the transport, accommodation and other tourism-related activities. According to Montenegro’s Second National Communication to UN Framework Climate Change Convention (2015), in the scenario without measures Montenegro’s GHG emissions will rise by app. 30% in 2020 above 1990 baseline. By contributing to over third of GDP and a half of capital investment in infrastructure, the tourism sector will inevitably be an important, if not the leading, factor in a projected GHG emissions increase. Apart from the direct GHG emissions, the indirect climate change impact of millions of holiday-makers is also substantial, first, because of their sheer numbers in proportion to small local population and, second, because of their more carbon intensive life-style and consumption patterns.

In the business-as-usual scenario, the carbon footprint of Montenegro tourism will continue to grow as a result of large-scale investment in tourist infrastructure and constantly growing number of travellers. The Government of Montenegro sees tourism as the main driver of economic growth and income generation, but also fully realizes the environmental challenges associated with its rapid development and is committed to address them as part of the National Sustainable Development Strategy and Tourism Development Master Plan. The Government is firmly committed to develop its tourism sector on a sustainable basis, it is putting in place the required policy and regulatory framework to attract large-scale investment in tourism infrastructure, but also to steer them in a more environmentally sustainable way. The proposed project will build on these commitments and efforts by enhancing the focus of national efforts on minimizing the carbon footprint of tourism and promoting Montenegro as a place for climate conscious tourism and “carbon neutral” holiday destination.

Towards Carbon Neutral Tourism (TCNT) Project will adopt a comprehensive approach to minimizing the carbon footprint of Montenegro’s main and most dynamic economic sector, the tourism. Its ultimate objective is to reduce GHG emissions from Montenegro’s tourism sector. It will do so by promoting country’s transition towards a carbon neutral travel & tourism, minimizing energy use and transport in and around new green field development projects, helping tourism industry to identify and implement cost-effective mitigation options in travel and accommodation sectors, as well as introducing carbon offset scheme and other innovative financial mechanisms to compensate for the residual emissions and generate additional revenues for climate mitigation and adaptation actions in tourism. The project will constitute of five components, as follows: Component 1: Legal and regulatory framework supporting low carbon tourism and low carbon spatial development, including increased certification of both existing and new tourist accommodation facilities and related services by internationally recognized environmental certification scheme(s); Component 2: Improved low carbon and carbon neutral transport infrastructure to support tourism sector related public and non-motorized transport.; Component 3: Pilot investments to support low carbon tourism development implemented, followed up by the establishment of  a sustainable financing mechanism to support climate change mitigation and adaptation actions in the  tourism sector; Component 4: GHG emission monitoring system and increased public awareness about the carbon footprint of the tourism sector, its GHG reduction potential and measures.

The environmental certification is recognized as very important instrument for full implementation of the low carbon policy for tourism development in Montenegro. Currently, the certification mechanism exists through implementation of the EU Eco label, Green Key and national-wide Wild Beauty standards, while the latter is related to the spatial planning, construction and operating of the different types of facilities. Still, the applying of the environmental certification remains low.
 
Eco certification within Towards Carbon Neutral Project is initially planned to be promoted as a voluntary measure by motivating the owners and managers of the tourist accommodation facilities and related services by:

• Raising their awareness on the simultaneous cost saving benefits and other win-win opportunities;
• Providing financial incentives for the forerunners by sharing the initial certification and auditing costs; and
• Providing specific visibility and marketing support for eco-certified facilities through the local and national tourist organizations.

In a due course, certification of all registered tourist accommodation facilities for their environmental performance will be made mandatory and included into the current quality classification system. The project is supporting this by reviewing the current legislative and regulatory framework, drafting suggestions for the required amendments and developing a road map for moving from voluntary to mandatory certification scheme by the end of the project. Beside mandatory measures, the suggestions may also include specific financial and fiscal incentives to support initial or complementary voluntary action.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the assignment: To define most feasible eco certification scheme(s) for Montenegrin tourism, as climate change mitigation action and green selling point.

Job content

Under the supervision of the UNDP Project Manager, and in cooperation with the local legal expert, the international consultant for Tourism Sector Eco Certification in Montenegro will undertake the following specific tasks:

• Prepare overview on the environmental certification for collective and non-collective facilities, specifically in the tourism sector, which are applied in European Union, with showcases and best practices. The experiences from Mediterranean region should be elaborated, as well as complexity of the requirements of certain certification standard (approx. 10 pages);
• Draft brief analysis (approx. 5 pages) on the current status of quality standards and certification schemes in Montenegro, including legal and institutional context. The consultant will develop questionnaire related to this analysis and communicate it with the TCNT project team for accurate information;
• Conduct scoping mission to Montenegro and in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders: central level: Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, National Tourism Organization, Institute for standardization, regional/local level: Montenegrin Tourism Association, local tourism organizations, licensed certifications’ entities (organization and individual consultants); local self-governance; Report on the tasks 1-2 will be sent to the stakeholders in advance of the mission, as basis for targeted discussions;
• Draft assignment report, which will include eco certifications’ overview, adjusted to the current conditions and perspectives of the Montenegrin tourism development, with set of the recommendations on the most appropriate certification scheme/schemes for accommodation facilities. The recommendation can include other facilities/products/services in tourism supply chain which can hold environmental certification/s;
• Propose at least 10 collective accommodation facilities that can enter certification process in the course of 2015;
• Produce final assignment report (approx. 40 pages), based on the feedback provided from the project team and key stakeholders in English.

 Key Outputs:

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following outputs:

• Delivery of the desktop analysis (tasks 1 and 2) – due date: 25 May 2015;
• Delivery of the draft assignment report – due date: 20 June 2015;
• Delivery of final assignment report in English – due date: 20 June 2015.

Timing:

The Consultant will be engaged on short-term basis (approximately 20 working days) under the Individual Contract, following the selection process of the best candidate.

Travel:

The assignment will require one mission to Montenegro, with maximum duration of five days.

Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UN/UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates ability to manage complexities and work under pressure, as well as conflict resolution skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• University degree in the thematic areas relevant to the assignment (e.g. economics, tourism, social sciences, environmental sciences, or other relevant area).

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience related to the quality standards and environmental certification schemes and their implementation in practice;
• Experience in the tourism development trends with focus on the low carbon tourism development;
• Experience in the Mediterranean and/or SEE region will be considered as asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in English language;
• Knowledge of the local language will be considered as an asset.

Other:

• Good computer skills.

Application procedure:

Interested applicants are requested to submit their applications by May 7, 2015 by using the Apply now button. The application should contain a duly completed Personal History Form (P11) that can be downloaded from http://www.me.undp.org/content/montenegro/en/home/operations/jobs.html.

Only the short-listed applicants will be contacted and requested to submit a letter of interest including a price quotation indicating the lump sum (in EUR) requested for the work and travel envisaged in the section "Description of Responsibilities".