Background

The Republic of Maldives is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its low-lying geography that makes it susceptible to flooding and inundation, and its dependence on economic activities that are sensitive to climate change, such as fishing and tourism. It is also highly dependent on imported fossil fuels for its energy supply and this represents a major source of greenhouse gas emissions for the country. Consequently, the Maldives has made significant commitments to the pursuit of a low emission climate resilient development agenda. However, ongoing decentralization reforms, fiscal crisis and low capacity at the sub-national level, mean that local planning is not reflective of national level commitments.

The 3-year, US$9.2 million United Nations (UN) Joint Programme, "Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development" (LECReD) funded by the Government of Denmark, responds to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) Outcome 9: “Enhanced capacities at national and local levels to support low carbon life-styles, climate change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction” and builds on the comparative strengths of United Nations Organizations including UNDP, UNICEF, UNOPS, UNFPA, UN WOMEN, WHO and FAO. The programme is innovative and represents a pioneering initiative of bringing together the wealth of diverse development-oriented expertise from these United Nations Organizations (UNOs) with equally diverse national and local partners to address this multi-faceted development challenge.

The programme is assisting the Laamu Atoll and its islands to realize low emission and climate resilient development (LECReD). The programme seeks to mainstream LECReD issues into local level development planning and service delivery for greater community-level ownership and sustainability of programme benefits. Towards this objective, the programme is supporting local councils, civil society, private sector and other local stakeholders to establish platforms for stronger partnerships, improved coordination, and enhanced participation in local planning for LECReD; strengthen data and knowledge systems for LECReD; improve local level LECReD development planning and management of service delivery; and through a learning-by-doing approach establish early lessons and build demand for LECReD planning and management for replication and scaling-up.

The aim is that the local development plans (at atoll and individual island levels) will evolve from stand-alone action plans into more strategic and evidence-based instruments, which are climate smart and able to mobilize public and private investment. This programme will be closely linked to the existing national development planning cycle and will build capacity of local and national partners engaged in these local processes. The rationale being that lessons learned will be used to inform replication throughout the country and directly support the national agenda.

In pursuit of the core objective, the programme will achieve the following outputs:

• Output 1: Partnership, coordination and participation platform for local LECReD planning and action is strengthened.
• Output 2: Data and knowledge systems established or identified to support evidence-based planning and policy development for LECReD at the local level.
• Output 3: Improved Local Level Planning and Management for LECReD.
• Output 4: Practical local experience in LECReDs interventions leads to learning and promotes replication.

As part of Output 2, Activity 2.1.6 and Activity 2.2.8 will identify and review existing Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments along with other vulnerability related assessments and reports developed under LECReD, as well as review all available data, relevant guidelines and associated methodologies and tools for risk and vulnerability assessments covering environment, climate change and disasters. If it is found that existing guidelines are not considered suitable for Laamu Atoll, then adapted simple local level guidelines including associated methodologies and tools will be prepared. Furthermore, training materials on the use of the guidelines will be prepared and training of relevant stakeholders in Laamu Atoll to be undertaken.[1] Finally, risk and vulnerability maps will be produced for selected islands of Laamu Atoll covering the areas of environment, climate change and disasters, based on the findings of this assignment.

Objectives

The objectives of the assignment are:

• To undertake a review of all vulnerability related assessments, reports, and data on the Maldives in general, and specifically on Laamu Atoll, to inform the assignment. 

• To identify and review relevant existing national and local levels guidelines for risk and vulnerability assessments covering environment, climate change and disasters. 

• To prepare simple guidelines including associated methodologies and tools for local level participatory risk and vulnerability assessments covering environment, climate change and disasters.
• To prepare training materials on the use of the guidelines.
• To provide training to local stakeholders in Laamu Atoll on the use of guidelines.
• To produce risk and vulnerability maps for selected islands of Laamu Atoll.

Duties and Responsibilities

The scope of work for the consultancy will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following key activities:

• Prepare Inception Note including:
  • Preliminary identification of key stakeholders; and
  • Write-up an inception note comprising: i) the Contractors understanding of the consultancy and associated tasks; ii) identification of issues crucial to the viability of the consultancy; and iii) comments on this TOR. Subsequently, if required and approved by UNDP and the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MEE) the activities can be elaborated, modified, etc.

• Consult with UNDP Maldives, MEE and other bodies identified by UNDP to finalize the methodology and scope of the assessment. 

• Based on the agreed scope, timeline and process carry out the assignment through the agreed methodology.

• Identify and review relevant existing national and local levels guidelines including associated methodologies and tools:
  • Concerning guidelines for risk and vulnerability assessments covering environment, climate change and disasters among others review   
    1. For national/sub-national level:  
       • Mapping Climate Change Vulnerability and Impact Scenarios - A Guidebook for Sub-National Planners, UNDP, 2010
       • Handbook on Methods for Climate Change Impact Assessment and Adaptation Strategies, UNEP, 1998
       • Second National Communication of the Maldives to UNFCCC, 2016
    2. For local level:
       • The methodologies used for socio-economic and hazard assessments as part of the UNDP funded Detailed Island Risk Assessment Maldives (DIRAM) including in Gan Island in Laamu Atoll  
       • Assessing the Vulnerability of Local Communities to Disasters:  An Interactive Guide and Methodology, UNEP, 2008
       • Participatory Vulnerability Analysis - A Step–by–Step Guide for Field Staff, ActionAid International, 2005  
       • Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments undertaken by LECReD
       • Climate Profiles of Laamu Atoll
       • Other relevant reports/information
  • ?Assess if existing guidelines including associated methodologies and tools are suitable including: i) participatory; and ii) reflect local context in Laamu Atoll including the small scale (11 inhabited islands with a population of roughly 12,000 people) and associated limited institutional, financial and human capacities. 
• If existing guidelines are not considered suitable, prepare (adapted) simple participatory guidelines including associated methodologies and tools covering climate change, environment and disaster risk reduction;
• Prepare training materials on the use of the guidelines including:   
  1. Identity and review available training materials associated with existing guidelines including methodologies and tools such as textbooks, manuals, PowerPoints, etc.
  2. Recommend required training materials;
  3. Prepare training materials (including as appropriate based on available training materials); 
  4. Prepare draft and final versions of training materials in English; and, 
• Provide training on the use of the guidelines including:
  1. Link the training to the LECReD Laamu Atoll Capacity Development Plan  (prepared as part of other work);
  2. Identify and recommend local participants including from atoll and island councils, council offices, Women Development Committees (WDCs), non-government organizations (NGOs), private sector, etc.;   
  3. Prepare schedule and agenda for training workshop in Laamu Atoll; 
  4. Undertake training in Laamu Atoll;
  5. Prepare training evaluation questionnaire and undertake a training survey at the last day of the training workshop; and,
  6. Summarize the training undertaken including the evaluation survey results.
• Provide training on the use of the guidelines including:
  • Link the training to the LECReD Laamu Atoll Capacity Development Plan  (prepared as part of other work);
  • Identify and recommend local participants including from atoll and island councils, council offices, Women Development Committees (WDCs), non-government organizations (NGOs), private sector, etc.;   
  • Prepare schedule and agenda for training workshop in Laamu Atoll; 
  • Undertake training in Laamu Atoll;
  • Prepare training evaluation questionnaire and undertake a training survey at the last day of the training workshop; and,
  • Summarize the training undertaken including the evaluation survey results. 
• Produce Risk and Vulnerability Maps for selected islands including;
  • Identification and justification for the selected islands
  • Clearly defined maps of the islands showing the specific risks and vulnerabilities of the island with respect to climate change, environment and disasters (Maps to be delivered in the format agreed at the beginning of the assignment as directed by UNDP and Ministry of Environment and Energy).
  • Narratives of the maps along with other supporting images.

Deliverables

At the end of the assignment, the Contractor will deliver the following:

• Inception Note.
• Review report of existing relevant national and local levels guidelines including associated tools for risk and vulnerability assessments in the areas of environment, climate change and disasters.
• Simple guidelines including required methodologies and tools for local level risk and vulnerability assessments in the areas of environment, climate change and disasters.
• Training materials in English on the use of the guidelines.
• Training evaluation questionnaire.
• Training report including the evaluation of survey results.
• Risk and vulnerability maps for Laamu Atoll. 

Institutional Arrangement

• The Contractor will report to the Project Manager (LECReD) of UNDP Maldives and will seek technical guidance from the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MEE), and other technical bodies identified by UNDP. 
• The Contractor shall give, at a minimum, weekly updates on the progress of all the deliverables to the Project Manager (LECReD) and should raise any issues faced by the Contractor that might affect the delivery of the consultancy. The method of feedback will be agreed upon at the beginning of the assignment.

Duration of Work

• It is expected that the assignment including final version of all deliverables will be completed within (8) weeks (45 working days) from contract signature. 

Competencies

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.

Functional Competencies

• Inter-personal skills;
• Exceptional analytical skills, solution oriented program design skills;
• Research and evaluation skills including ability to synthesize information;
• Excellent oral, and effective presentation and report-writing skills;
• Ability to work under with minimum supervision, while meeting deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability of timely completion of assignments;
• Excellent social and communication skills;
• Strong facilitation skills;
• Ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural settings;
• Good working knowledge of information technology;
• Excellent Managerial and analytical skills;
• Proven co-ordination and networking skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Postgraduate degree in climate science, environmental science/management, geography, development studies or related field. 

Experience

• Substantial, relevant and practical working experience with risk and vulnerability assessments.
• Substantial, relevant and practical working experience with preparation of guidelines, preferably in the areas of risk and vulnerability assessments and mapping.
• Substantial, relevant and practical working experience with geographic information systems (GIS).  
• Substantial, relevant and practical working experience with training including preparation of training materials.
• Significant working experience in the Maldives, or other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and/or other developing countries. 

Language Requirement

• Excellent working knowledge of English.

Application Documents

• The application must include a letter of interest to undertake this task, the CV, Personal History Form (P11), and a financial proposal (indicating the daily fee for the assignment). The applicant must also submit the names and email address of the referees and/or submit reference letters from past supervisors/clients. To download P11, kindly please visit the link:   http://www.mv.undp.org/content/maldives/en/home/operations/jobs
• Please combine all the documents into one single file, as the system will allow for only one document to be uploaded.
• We will only accept online applications.