UNDP Jobs - 82522- International Consultant to Develop a Business Cas

International Consultant to Develop a Business Case for the Private Sector to Engage in Climate Action in Uganda

Location :

Home-based with two missions to Uganda, UGANDA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

15-Jan-2019

Application Deadline :

31-Dec-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

40 working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

40 working days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

In 2015, up to 197 countries signed a new international climate accord, the Paris Agreement which aims to strengthen global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Paris Agreement requires all Parties to put forward their best efforts through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the years ahead. Many African countries are making considerable progress in preparing for NDC implementation through developing NDC implementation plans, prioritizing specific sectoral climate actions, designing institutional arrangements and developing coordination mechanisms to support NDC implementation and engaging the private sector to support.

On a global scale, the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted by the 197 parties represent at least a US$13.5 trillion market for the energy sector alone and specifically energy efficiency and low carbon technologies through 2030[1]. The global low carbon technology market is growing significantly faster and the national climate plans of developing countries will open new market opportunities. These include expanded markets in building efficiency and demand side energy management for example through low carbon technologies in the transport sector such as electric cars; solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy; and water and waste management. Businesses that act boldly and swiftly will reap the rewards of these market opportunities.

Uganda’s NDC seeks to help the country reduce vulnerability to climate change in priority sectors as well as contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions in forestry and wetlands, energy, transport and agriculture sectors. Under the Paris Agreement, Uganda committed 22% GHG emissions reduction by 2030 compared to the BAU, contingent upon receipt of ongoing and planned international support to complement domestic efforts set out in the 2015 National Climate Change Policy.

With the limited public finances available for climate change mitigation, the private sector has been credited for their involvement in climate action. Private actors have not only provided the much-needed finances for various climate change mitigation projects but have also facilitated technology development and transfer as well enabled infrastructure development that have all contributed positively to mitigating climate change. The private sector’s contribution to towards the achievement of Uganda’s climate change commitments under the Paris Agreement cannot be under estimated.

In addition, through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), private sector players in Uganda have mobilized resources by trading their Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) which has led to the implementation of projects in renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors. The private sector is well positioned to mobilize financial resources and technical capabilities, leverage the efforts of governments, engage civil society and community efforts, develop and adopt low carbon operations, technologies, services,expand and access new markets, benefit from cost savings, protect supply chains and build reputational benefits. The private sector can harness opportunities by building partnerships with other businesses, associations, NGOs, government agencies and development partners to take advantage of the resources, networks and expertise provided to implement mitigation projects.

This assignment also builds on the already ongoing initiatives by UNDP in 2017 to support the adoption of Equality Seal for Public and Private sector enterprises. The gender equality seal aims to strengthen performance across the public and the private sector in ways that deliver equal benefits for women and men hence enabling the achievement of the SDG targets.

The government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment’s Climate Change Department (CCD) is implementing the Nationally Determined contribution (NDC) Support programme with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The programme is supported by the governments of Germany and Spain, and the European Union as a contribution to the NDC Partnership. The project aims to strengthen and harmonize policies, institutional frameworks and establish a national Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system to mainstream national mitigation policies and targets in the context of NDC implementation; enhance the institutional, technical and financial feasibility of Uganda’s Green Growth Development Strategy (UGGDS) and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions and align them with NDCs; and apply innovative financial de-risking activities to attract private sector investment in mitigation actions. The programme also emphasizes gender mainstreaming in all planned activities.

Objective of the Assignment:

Under output 4 of the NDC Support programme, the project is supporting the private sector to engage in climate action. In the past, Uganda’s private sector has not been sufficiently engaged in taking climate change mitigation actions, either as financiers or reducers of the emissions. With the effort being made to achieve SDGs and the second National Development Plan (NDPII), the private sector is encouraged to undertake financing of climate change mitigation measures, make investment in new technological innovations that strengthen low carbon growth, adopt lower carbon production processes, and encourage and facilitate more climate conscious purchasing decisions by consumers.

This assignment aims to develop options and approaches that will enable the private sector in Uganda to engage and invest in climate actions that would contribute towards the achievement of Uganda’s NDC mitigation targets and provide recommendations to policy makers to create an enabling environment for investment in climate action.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be expected to perform the following specific tasks;

Conduct a mapping of companies in Uganda that have a high potential to contribute towards climate change mitigation in the energy and waste sectors (including renewable energy and energy efficiency) analyze what they do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, identify the challenges and barriers they experience in implementing mitigation measures and adoption of low carbon approaches and propose measures for improvement for example in terms of technology development and innovation;
Identify potentials, interests for engagement of private sector in climate action that will contribute towards the achievement of Uganda’s NDC mitigation targets;
Assess existing policies and legal frameworks e.g. the Green Growth Strategy, Climate Finance Strategy, Climate Change Policy and legal framework among others and establish the level of which these policy and legal frameworks are engaging private sector in climate action and propose recommendations for improvement;
Recommend policy reviews, incentives that are required to strengthen private sector investment in NDC priority sectors including energy and waste management;
Identify business opportunities and partnerships that could be established to increase investments in mitigation actions and especially opportunities for stronger women’s participation and establish if some companies that have adopted the UNDP gender equality seal have been in position to adopt climate mitigation and resilient strategies;
Develop a reporting framework for the private sector on their contribution to Uganda’s NDC /SDGs including SDG 13.
Develop sector-specific questions and indicators that highlight private sector opportunities to contribute to the climate mitigation in Uganda’s NDCs. These questions and indicators aim to raise awareness on NDC priorities and help private sector understand where their business can make the most effective contributions, considering their sector, capacities and influence;
Develop an online data-collection tool that will guide the private sector to implement mitigation actions, assess their contributions, assess climate finance flows and support to inform policies and actions to achieve transformational change based on the NDC priority sectors;
Provide technical guidance regarding the establishment of the NDC private sector investment committee. The committee will guide and support the private sector to implement specific mitigation actions and engage in financing and implementation projects;
Analyze measures where the private sector can improve their business operations and models to adopt low carbon technologies e.g. in cases such as green procurement, energy efficiency among others;
Assess and identify different climate finance instruments and opportunities that would enable private sector to invest in both mitigation actions for example through credit lines, concessional loans, carbon markets specifically under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, grant schemes through banks at national and regional levels and financing by the different development partners;
Develop recommendations on how the private sector can access climate finance at national, regional and international levels such as the Private Sector Facility of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and engagement in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement;
Make information on Uganda’s NDC priorities and potential business opportunities, including sector-specific questions and indicators, and SDG linkages, available in an online format that is broadly accessible to interested private sector companies in Uganda and abroad.
Develop a cost benefit analysis for the private sector (at least 2 specific sectors i.e. energy and waste management) in relation to investing in mitigation actions within their operations. This should clearly indicate how the private sector can achieve the bottom line as it is the core of their business.

Deliverables:

The deliverables will be made through a 2-Phase approach:

Phase 1 will focus on private sector consultation and preparation of a background report with the review of challenges & barriers, possible entry points, review of legal & policy framework, & potential government incentives, initiatives and partnerships. Project partners can then meet to review the findings and define the most promising / priority approaches to attract private sector contributions to Uganda’s NDC. The consultant will also conduct a cost benefit analysis for the private sector in Uganda to engage in climate action and make recommendations on key considerations and governance structure for the NDC investment committee.

Once this is agreed, Phase 2 can begin with work to develop sector-specific questions and indicators to highlight priority private sector opportunities to contribute to NDC actions and access climate finance. This Phase will also focus on making this information broadly accessible in an online format to interested private sector actors, with SDG linkages. The consultant will create a sustainability plan to update this online platform through the support through potential institutions such as the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), the Climate Change Department and other relevant institutions.

The consultant shall be responsible for delivering the following: The deliverables will be delivered in a total of 40 days

Consultation report with private sector input (5 days);
Submission of draft background report on barriers & opportunities (22 days);
Submission of sector-specific business questions, indicators & measures on NDC priorities and a cost benefit analysis (15 days);
Submission of recommended online outreach tools to make information broadly accessible, and a sustainability plan to continuously use these tools and used and updated them (20 days);
Submission of final comprehensive report & tailored outreach recommendations (10 days).

Competencies

Excellent communication (spoken and written) skills including the ability to convey complex information on climate change, climate finance to audiences at all levels, both orally and in writing, in a clear, concise style that can be readily;
Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to use sound judgment to ensure the effective and timely completion of complex tasks;
Places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision.
Excellent report writing skills;
Positive, constructive attitude to work;
Ability to act professionally and flexibility to engage with government officials, companies, development partners, associations, CSOs among others.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

The consultant should have minimum advanced academic degree in the relevant field of study of political studies or development studies, environment, climate change, international development, business studies;
Qualifications in climate finance is an added advantage.

Experience:

Seven Years of profound knowledge of UNFCCC processes in general and specifically the role of private sector in climate action in the context of the Paris Agreement and in the Kyoto protocol period;
A demonstrated expertise and experience in understanding the role of private sector and businesses in climate action
Demonstrated knowledge of developing IT solutions;
Certification in Greenhouse Gas accounting standards and/or Sustainability Reporting standards;
Demonstrated work experience with various private sector institutions, companies engaged in green growth, project developers implementing emission reduction projects, government institutions, financing institutions as well as development partners on climate finance and climate change mitigation;
Work experience with United Nations Organizations and/or public and private sector actors.

Language Requirement:

Fluency in both written and spoken English.

Schedule of Payments and Proposal Evaluation Criteria:

Payment to the Consultant will be made in three installments upon satisfactory completion of the following deliverables;

Payment Schedule:

20% upon approval of the inception report
40% upon completion of the draft background report

40% upon submission of Final comprehensive report

Consultation report with private sector input (10%);Proposal Evaluation criteria:

Submission of draft background report on barriers & opportunities (20%);
Submission of sector-specific business questions, indicators & measures on NDC priorities (20%);
Submission of recommended online outreach tools to make information broadly accessible to private sector (30%);
Submission of final comprehensive report & tailored outreach recommendations (20%).

Submission of Application:

The candidate is required to submit an electronic application directly uploaded on the UNDP jobs website with all the requirements as listed here below. Annexes and further information may be downloaded on http://procurement-notices.undp.org no.52229.

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document to this website - http://jobs.undp.org no. 82522.

Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);
Personal CV, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

Technical proposal:

Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II);
Annexes 1 and II - may be downloaded from the UNDP Procurement Notices Website -http://procurement-notices.undp.org/ For further clarifications, please contact; janet.anyango@undp.org; moses.lutwama@undp.org;

Interested applicants should submit applications through uploading of all their required documentation in one single pdf document on this website only.