UNDP Jobs - 96143- BBRSO123340:Development of a Gender Responsive Pri

BBRSO123340:Development of a Gender Responsive Private Sector Scoping Study to explore investment opportunities to enhance NDC implementation in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location :

NDpBarbados and the Eastern Caribbean, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Feb-2021

Application Deadline :

15-Jan-21 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

3 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

3 months

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

Climate Change presents the single biggest threat to sustainable development and is already causing widespread, unprecedented impacts that disproportionately burden the poorest, marginalized and most vulnerable. Its effects are being shaped by pervasive and entrenched gender inequalities and key vulnerable groups such as women, indigenous people, the elderly as well as persons living with disabilities are among the most likely to be disproportionally affected.

The unanimous commitment made by 195 countries under the 2015 Paris Agreement, to work towards global goals that would limit global average temperature rise, put forward through a country’s climate action plans also known as their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) was first hailed as a momentous step in curbing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the current trajectory estimates a rise in global temperature of 2.9 to 3.4 degrees Celsius by 2100. All countries are therefore expected to submit increasingly ambitious INDCs/NDCs and 2020 is seen as the first opportunity to do so, as it marks the first five-year review cycle. Although, the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will make it difficult for many countries to meet the December 2020 deadline it is still expected that this will be achieved by the end of March 2021.

Though, 2020 is seen as a year for increase ambition, whereby countries will have the opportunity to embrace more ambitious NDCs targets to remain on track to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic represent a major barrier in preventing many countries from achieving their goals. The pandemic also serves to compound the existential threats caused by climate change further as these two global threats serve as poverty multipliers, forcing already vulnerability groups such as women and girls into further poverty resulting in sustained and/or reinforced inequalities. The drive towards the submission of more ambitious NDCs targets and enhance NDCs implementation is even more crucial now given the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of countries NDCs targets will, however, require significant levels of international and domestic private sector investments inflows if developing countries are to deliver on the NDCs commitments made under the Paris Agreement.

Attracting the scale of private sector investment, at the speed needed, to respond to climate change and to meet NDCs targets requires a multidimensional approach.[1] UNDP is well positioned to support countries in their efforts to assess the estimated cost for NDC implementation nationally as well as identify the private sector investment opportunities available to accelerate NDC implementation. The UNDP Climate Promise Programme was designed to support countries in submitting increasing ambitious NDCs targets and in enhancing NDC implementation. Climate Promise intends to achieve this, by either leveraging the UNDP existing climate portfolio, or working in close collaboration with other UN system partners or by strategically augmenting other relevant ongoing activities, as appropriate. The Enabling Gender-Responsive Disaster Recovery, Climate and Environmental Resilience in the Caribbean (EnGenDER) project, provides an excellent opportunity for support to be offered to specific beneficiary countries under the Climate Promise Programme, by leveraging the funding available under the EnGenDER project to advance activities which “systematically employ a gender-responsive approach within NDC processes, policies and programming.”[2]

Through the funding support provided by the Global Affairs Canada and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the EnGenDER project, seeks to further integrate gender equality and human-rights based approaches into disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change (CC) adaptation and mitigation; environmental management frameworks across nine (9) Caribbean countries, of which Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a beneficiary. Climate change adaptation policies and actions underpin how countries will advance more ambitious NCDs targets and implementation. The EnGenDER project provides a perfect nexus, for the advancement of Activity 4. 2:

“Design gender responsive dialogues with private sector to scope investment opportunities that can help identify more ambitious actions for enhanced NDCs.”

Under the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Climate Promise Work Plan, given its inclusive approach to integrate gender within the country’s NDCs. The technical support being provided to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, under the EnGenDER project, will support the conduct of a gender responsive private sector scoping study to explore private sector investment opportunities which will lead to enhance gender responsive NDC implementation and climate change actions in that country. This is in keeping with the five (5) year enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender and its Gender Action Plan agreed to at COP 25.

[1] Mobilising Investment for NDC Implementation. October 22, 2020.

https://southsouthnorth.org/portfolio_page/mobilising-investment-for-ndc-implementation

[2] United Nations Development Programme. UNDP’s Climate Promise Service Offer: Safeguarding Agenda 2030 Through Bold Climate Action. a.i.; 4.

Duties and Responsibilities

Please refer to Section 2- Scope of Work captured in Annex I- Terms of Reference for the project titled Gender Responsive Private Sector Scoping Study to enhance Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) implementation in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Competencies

At least 5 years of experience addressing issues specific to Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) surrounding private sector investment and climate finance.
At least 3 years of experience in undertaking private sector development research resulting in the preparation of investment strategies, finance plans, policy documents and action plans.
Experience working with economic analysis regarding climate change issues and/or financial appraisal of revenue generating projects.
Experience working with, and delivering technical assistance to, public sector clients specific to Caribbean SIDS or in developing countries.
Sound understanding of national and local development planning processes within the Caribbean context especially knowledge of the INDCs/ NDCs development or implementation process in the region.
Sound understanding of gender and gender mainstreaming within climate change actions and in private sector development.
An understanding of the Global and National Climate Finance landscape and procedures, multilateral funds and the other channels including the role of private sector in climate finance.
Ability to transfer analytical results into simple and actionable solutions (based on job experience/field work).
Sound understanding of the issues relevant to the priority sectors surrounding climate change vulnerability and risk, or other related development issues within Caribbean region (based on job experience/field work).
Previous work in any of the EnGenDER beneficiary countries[1] and in a similar project is highly desirable.

II. Competencies:

Solid experience addressing issues specific to Caribbean SIDS surrounding private sector investment and climate finance.
Strong experience in developing private sector development research resulting in the preparation of investment strategies, finance plans, policy documents and action plans.
A substanatial understanding of the INDC/NDC development planning process and implementation.
Previous experience in gender and climate change projects specifically in the areas of performing gender analysis and gender-responsive stakeholder participation.

[1] EnGenDER Beneficiary Countries- Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guayna, Jamaica, Siant Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname.

Required Skills and Experience

Mandatory: Postgraduate degree (MSc, MBA or higher) in Economics, Finance, Business Administration, International Business or Sustainable Development