Background

As Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the Commonwealth of Dominica, are required under Article 6 to develop national strategies, plans or programmes to fulfil the objectives and measures of the Convention. In response to the guidance of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD, enabling activities of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in biodiversity have focused on assisting countries to prepare their national biodiversity strategies and action plans and/or their first national reports to the CBD.

The National Report to the CBD represents a country’s assessment of the progress of implementation of the Convention and the effectiveness of these measures. In accordance with Article 26 of the CBD and decision X/10 of the COP, Parties are asked to submit national reports. National reports are tools which allow the Convention to monitor its implementation in the various country Parties. Dominica has submitted its 5th National Report.

In decision XIII/27, the COP decided that the sixth National Reports (6NR) should focus on providing a final review of progress in the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including relevant national targets, based on information concerning the implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and other actions to implement the Convention. Parties should provide updates since the last national report was submitted. This includes recent changes to the status trends of biodiversity and to the pressures on it.

In the 6NR, Parties are requested to report on national implementation of the Convention in a structured concise narrative form. It is structured in seven sections (two of which are optional) which will be updated on any progress made from the last report submission. The mandatory sections to be included in the report are as follows:

• Information on the targets being pursued at the national level;
• Implementation measures taken, assessment of their effectiveness, associated obstacles and scientific technical needs to achieve national targets;
• Assessment of progress towards each national target;
• Description of the national contribution to the achievement of each global Aichi Biodiversity Target; and
• Updated biodiversity country profiles.

There are also resource modules on the CBD website that should be referred to in the development of each section. Various technical resources are available here: https://www.cbd.int/nr6/

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK        

The consultant will produce the Sixth National Report for Saint Lucia as well as associated documents as follows:

Task 1: Inception Report and Initial Work Plan

To commence, the consultant will have detailed inception meetings with the national CBD focal point (and other parties as the country deems necessary e.g. departments with responsibility for forestry, protected area, environment) to understand country-specific context, scope and expectations. Within two weeks of the effective date of the contract and initiation of the consultancy, the consultant shall submit for the consideration and approval, an inception report, identifying the detailed work plan including the schedule of activities to be undertaken for the duration of the project, including the allocation of time and human resources to various tasks. The work plan will specify the methodologies to be employed in pursuit of satisfying the various objectives, and the expected output from each activity.

Task 2: Technical Reports

The following technical reports addressing major issues/topics will be submitted:

• Background assessment on invasive species
• Background assessment on endemic species
• Impacts of climate change on biodiversity (with emphasis on coastal ecosystems including mangrove forests, wetlands, sea grass beds, coral reefs)
• Impacts of habitat conversion on biological diversity

The technical reports will include examination of the impacts of major economic activities e.g. agriculture, tourism, and policy decisions (e.g. laws) on biodiversity, especially invasive and endemic species. The reports shall inform the 6NR, but may be presented following the completion of the 6NR, if so advised by the country.

Task 3: Draft Sixth National Report

The draft 6NR will be comprised of the following sections:

In addition, the draft 6NR will be submitted in conjunction with the following supporting documents:

• Implementation plan for the 6NR
• Communication strategy for the 6NR
• Summary of the participatory process, including stakeholders consulted in annex

Task 4: Final Sixth National Report

The final 6NR will be prepared, incorporating comments and feedback on the drafts received from the respective government and UNDP and submitted with the supporting documents above.

Expected deliverables and deadlines are the following:

Competencies

I. Years of experience:

• 10 years of experience in research, analysis or implementation of biodiversity conservation programmes

• 5 years of experience working on biodiversity issues in SIDS the Caribbean; specific experience in-country highly desirable

• Previous experience in preparing national reports on implementation of the biodiversity-related MEAs

• Familiarity with the CBD and relevant guidance for preparing NBSAPs and National Reports

• Prior experience with UNDP and/or GEF projects would be an asset

   II. Competencies:

• Strong technical report writing, data acquisition and analysis skills;

• Strong verbal and written communication skills;

• Timely delivery of high quality analytical work;

• High proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite; and

• Fluency in spoken and written English

Required Skills and Experience

III. Academic Qualifications:

• Post-graduate degree in environmental science, environmental management, ecology, natural sciences or related field