Background

Country:                                             Belarus

Description of the assignment:            International Consultant on Green Urban Development (1 position)

 

Project name:                                      “Belarus: Supporting Green Urban Development in Small and Medium-Sized Cities in Belarus”

Period of services (if applicable):           1 September 2017 – 31 December 2017

25 working days (including 2 missions to Belarus of 8 working days in total)

Proposals for tender ref. number 501/2017 should be submitted to on-line or to the e-mail tenders.by@undp.org no later than 17:00 24 July 2017 (Minsk time).

 

Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to the e-mail anna.trubchik@undp.org with the reference number (501/2017, International Consultant on Green Urban Development) in the subject field of the e-mail. We will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.

 

Ref. num. (501/2017, International Consultant on Green Urban Development) of the tender should be indicated in the subject field of the e-mail.

All details about the position can be found here: http://www.by.undp.org/content/belarus/en/home/operations/jobs/ic5012017.html

Duties and Responsibilities

In 2016, the Government of Belarus, GEF and UNDP launched a 5-year project “Belarus: Supporting Green Urban Development in Small and Medium-Sized Cities in Belarus”.  The objective of the Project is the growth of development of green urban development plans and pilot green urban development initiatives related to energy efficiency and sustainable transport in small and medium cities in Belarus.  This objective will be achieved through 4 components: i) Development and adoption of green urban development plans; ii) Development of pilots on sustainable urban transport in Novopolotsk and Polotsk; iii) Development of pilots on energy efficiency in Novogrudok; and iv) Replication mechanisms for green urban development in Belarus. The Project is expected to generate lifetime direct GHG emission reductions of 77.8 ktonnes of CO2 equivalent through improved urban transport efficiencies in the cities of Polotsk and Novopolotsk and 13.3 ktonnes of CO2 equivalent through energy efficiency pilots in Novogrudok municipality. Indirect emission reductions (top-down and bottom-up) will range from 25.2 to 231 ktonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Project Outputs:

-      Growth in green city development in Belarus;

-      Successful development and adoption of Green Urban Development (GUD) plans for at least 10 municipalities in Belarus;

-      Completion of successful projects in sustainable urban transport in Novopolotsk and Polotsk;

-      Completion of successful energy-efficiency demonstration projects in Novogrudok.

 

To enhance the replication of GUD plans and implementation beyond the three cities of this Project, the Project will facilitate:

-      The definition of criteria for green urban development and a green city for Belarus;

-      Analysis of existing legal and regulatory system against the criteria of green urban development;

-      Identification of key strategic directions of the national urban development policy in Belarus, to reflect green urban development priorities;

-      Incorporation of green urban development plans into a model residential area that meets the principles and norms of green urban development to promote new approaches to spatial planning in Belarus;

-      Introduction of eco-standards in urban development;

-      Setup of institutional mechanisms to promote green urban development throughout Belarus;

-      Support efforts of other municipalities in Belarus to become green cities through new institutional mechanisms.

 

  1. OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

-      Provide guidance and knowledge on best international practices for GUD;

-      Work on identification of National GUD priorities and set up the necessary framework do develop national GUD standards/criteria and regulations;

-      Identify and facilitate import of foreign low carbon technologies that can be used for the goals of the Project.

 

  1. SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED WORK

Project background:

The objective of the Project is the growth of development of green urban development plans and pilot green urban development initiatives related to energy efficiency and sustainable transport in small and medium cities in Belarus.  This objective will be achieved through 4 components: i) Development and adoption of green urban development plans; ii) Development of pilots on sustainable urban transport in Novopolotsk and Polotsk; iii) Development of pilots on energy efficiency in Novogrudok; and iv) Replication mechanisms for green urban development in Belarus. The Project will be implemented over a 5-year period and is expected to generate lifetime direct GHG emission reductions of 77.8 ktonnes of CO2 equivalent through improved urban transport efficiencies in the cities of Polotsk and Novopolotsk and 13.3 ktonnes of CO2 equivalent through energy efficiency pilots in Novogrudok municipality. Indirect emission reductions (top-down and bottom-up) will range from 25.2 to 231 ktonnes of CO2 equivalent.

 

Expected Project outputs:

 

  • Growth in green city development in Belarus;
  • Successful development and adoption of Green Urban Development (GUD) plans for at least 10 municipalities in Belarus;
  • Completion of successful projects in sustainable urban transport in Novopolotsk and Polotsk;
  • Completion of successful energy-efficiency demonstration projects in Novogrudok.

Objectives of the assignment:

 

  • Provide guidance and knowledge on best international practices for GUD;
  • Work on identification of National GUD indicators and priorities and set up the necessary framework do develop national GUD standards/criteria and regulations;
  • Identify and facilitate import of foreign low carbon technologies that can be used for the goals of the Project.

 

Duties and responsibilities:

 

The work shall be performed in line with the Project Document, Detailed Work Plan 2017 and include the principal activities as follows:

 

  • Assist development and integration of GUD concept into Belarusian legal and regulatory framework by setting up of the necessary framework of standards/criteria and regulations;
  • Assist development of defining criteria for the three demonstration GUD projects in Polotsk, Novopolotsk and Novogrudok through preparation and holding of 3 practical workshops in focal cities on the following topic: “Defining Growth Criteria and Indicators for the Local GUD Plan Using the International Experience”;
  • Prepare for and participate in 1 Seminar “Identification of Key Strategic Directions of National Green Urban Development Plans and Policies in Belarus”.

 

To complete the Assignment, the Consultant shall fulfil the duties within the following Milestones:

Milestone 1 – by 30rd  of September 2017

  • Completed review in English of the best international GUD practices (at least 30 pages excluding annexes and references) containing narrative comparison of existing GUD concepts (general structure of the concept, basic principles, criteria and indicators); description of administrative and legal framework for GUD plans’ development, adoption and implementation methods, naming the plans’ status, developing and legalizing bodies; review of tools and methodologies for the evaluation of CO2 reduction as a result of the activities on green urban planning;
  • Draft report presented in English (at least 15 pages excluding annexes and references) with proposed GUD concept in Belarus (including draft list of GUD criteria and indicators).

Milestone 1 report approved by the Supervisor. The Supervisor is eligible to demand corrections and elaboration of the report by the Consultant.

Milestone 2 – by 31st of October 2017

  • A system proposed for defining criteria for GUD of small and medium-sized cities based on international experience and specifying the ones proposed for GUD of demonstration cities. The Supervisor is eligible to demand corrections and elaboration of the papers by the Consultant.
  • Mission 1 to Belarus successfully completed: the Consultant delivers a presentation on the results on Milestone 1 (up to 40 slides); prepares and conducts 3 regional 1-day practical capacity building workshops in Polotsk, Novopolotsk and Novogrudok (up to 20 participants each) on the following topic: “Defining Growth Criteria and Indicators for the Local GUD Plan Using the International Experience”.

The Consultant suggests a format of the workshop that gathers range of local and national experts and stakeholders and provides new collective knowledge on GUD criteria in the local context. The program should cover the following issues:

- availability and detailed elaboration of social and economic forecast to be used for defining growth of the city and its district;

- determination of the optimal system of settlement distribution and land use;

- determination of the required regional system of public transport and infrastructure;

- coordination with local government urban development plans and objectives of the national strategies and programs;

- estimating projections of energy requirements using low carbon technologies to meet the requirements of a green city plan;

- considering barriers and enablers to GUD Project development,

- system of defining criteria for the preparation of GUD plan.

The Consultant develops a program, content of presentations and gets approval from the Supervisor. The Consultant delivers presentation and handouts, conducts the whole day training during the workshops. Simultaneous translation from English to Russian as well as translation of the workshop materials prepared in advance will be provided if needed by the Project.

 

Milestone 2 report approved by the Supervisor.

Milestone 3 – by 31st of December 2017

  • The report in English (at least 30 pages excluding annexes and references) that includes recommendations to enhance national policies and regulations to address green urban development naming:

- proposals on main strategies and growth directions for the local GUD Projects;

- barriers and enablers to GUD Project development;

- recommendations to integrate GUD into existing national legislative framework on spatial development;

- proposals on the green urban development activities aimed at the maximum CO2 reductions to be implemented in the Republic of Belarus.

The Supervisor is eligible to demand corrections and elaboration of the report by the Consultant.

  • Mission 2 to Belarus successfully completed: the Consultant delivers presentation (about 20 slides) at the 2-day seminar in Minsk on the following topic “Identification of Key Strategic Directions of National Green Urban Development Plans and Policies in Belarus”, holds the sub-session (about 20 participants) of the Seminar on legislative framework for GUD in Belarus.

The Consultant suggests a sub-session program, content of the presentations and gets approval from the Supervisor. The Consultant delivers presentation and handouts on developing national GUD plans: the concept, strategy and principles, criteria and indicators. The materials are provided in Russian \ English in electronic form. The texts that need to be translated sent to the Supervisor 15 days prior to the start of the Seminar.  Simultaneous translation from English to Russian as well as translation of the workshop materials prepared in advance will be provided if needed by the Project.

 

Milestone 3 report approved by the Supervisor.

Expected outputs and time-frame:

 

  • Review of the best international GUD practices;
  • Proposed directions and criteria for GUD in Belarus;
  • Presentation on the results of review of the best international GUD practices containing narrative comparison of existing GUD concepts, description of administrative and legal framework for GUD plans’ development, adoption and implementation methods, naming the plans’ status, developing and legalizing bodies; review of relevant guidelines, methodologies and tools to connect mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions with urban planning;
  • Capacity building workshops results on defining growth criteria and indicators for the local GUD plans for the pilot cities;
  • Presentation of the Report on the recommendations to enhance national policies and regulations to address GUD during the Project Seminar in December 2017;
  • Missions 1,2,3 summary reports (at least 3 pages) submitted within 10 (ten) days after the mission completion and approved by the UNDP Belarus.

 

Approval of Milestones 1,2,3 reports by the UNDP Project Manager will govern payment under the contract for this assignment.

 

 

 

 

Competencies

Competencies:

-     Solid knowledge of the state-of-the-art approaches and best international practices, European and other advanced regulations and standards/criteria on the topic of sustainable urban development, practical applications of different local development approaches and techniques must be demonstrated by at least 5 relevant publications and/or at least 5 evidences in professional experience records;

-     Familiarity with relevant Belarusian/post-soviet regulations and standards in urban development is an asset;

-     Strong report writing skills;

-     Experience of presentation (which includes graphs, pictures, diagrams, figures and other illustrative tools to enhance the presentation quality);

-     Experience in cooperation within international team.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

-     Advanced university degree (at least the Master level) in any of the following fields: urban studies, urban and regional planning, environmental management, sustainable development, land-use or other relevant to the field of urban sustainable development. PhD degree (or equivalent) is preferable and will be considered as an asset.

 

Professional Experience:

-     At least 5 years of practical experience (consultancy, development, design) in the field of urban sustainable development. Working experience in Belarus and/or any of the CIS countries is an asset;

-     Practical experience in performing at least 2 similar assignments in international/national projects;

-     Experience in delivering of at least 2 workshops on the issues of regional and local sustainable development.

 

Language skills:

-     Excellent written and spoken English;

-     Knowledge of written and spoken Russian is an asset.