Antecedentes

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries unanimously agreed to work toward global goals that would limit global average temperature rise. Specifically, the Agreement seeks to limit the rise in the world’s average surface temperatures to “well below” 2°C above pre-industrial times this century, while “pursuing efforts” for 1.5°C. It also sets a target of eliminating global GHG emissions by the second half of the century – or at least compensating any residual emissions through, for example, forest growth.

A key principle in the Paris Agreement is that no country should backslide on its intentions, which were put forward in climate action plans known as “Nationally Determined Contributions”, or NDCs. The NDCs describe each country’s self-determined strategy for curbing GHG emissions, typically in five- or ten-year periods (i.e., currently until 2025 or 2030). Most also include plans to increase resilience. Individually, NDCs represent each country’s climate priorities and vision for achieving sustainable development. Aggregated, they represent the world’s collective efforts to fight climate change. However current NDCs are estimated to collectively result in a temperature rise of 2.9 to 3.4 degrees C by 2100[1].

All countries are expected to submit increasingly ambitious NDCs every five years, often described as a “ratchet mechanism”. A first opportunity to do so is in 2020. Achieving the Paris Agreement’s goals will require an emissions peak as soon as possible, followed by sharp reductions in GHG emissions. Therefore, many see high ambition in 2020 as fundamental to get on track to 1.5°C and counter a worrying trend of rising emissions[2]. The transformative climate action required needs a global commitment to raising ambition, articulated in the next generation of NDCs, to create economic drivers that shift investments away from fossil fuel use and carbon-intensive practices.

Furthermore, many changes have occurred since the current NDCs were prepared that may provide a strong technical and economic rationale for revising the NDC. Sectoral and market trends – for example, the dramatic fall in technology costs for renewable energy and batteries – is likely to have significant impact on the prioritization of NDC actions and/or target-setting. Countries may have improved cost estimates, or wish to highlight sustainable development benefits, such as improved health or livelihoods, while those with long-term strategies have defined a new pathway toward net-zero emissions.

In the lead-up to the UN Climate Summit, UNDP and UNFCCC released the most comprehensive review to date of global ambition. The joint report, The Heat is On, revealed:

• 75 countries (representing 37% of global GHG emissions) intended to raise ambition through either mitigation or adaptation or both;
• 37 countries (16%) intended to update information in their NDCs;
• 71 countries (21%, including most developed nations) were either undecided on their approach, provided no information, or were seeking support for the NDC revision process; and
• 14 countries (26%) had no plans to revise their current NDCs.

The report reiterated that the choices made on ambition in 2020 would have profound consequences for future generations and required the world to move beyond business-as-usual as quickly as possible. It also highlighted that 2020 intentions represent a ladder of opportunity where advocacy efforts could potentially be undertaken at each level to persuade a country to undertake a positive step-change in ambition, e.g. a country that had no plans to revise its NDC submit an updated one, a country focused on adaptation ambition also increases mitigation ambition, etc. 

UNDP is well-positioned to support countries on these efforts, with a long track record of supporting NDC processes globally, which has led to insights on critical bottlenecks, key success factors, emerging trends and anticipated support needs. In 2014, UNDP and UNFCCC jointly launched a series of regional technical dialogues that provided a neutral space for countries to share experiences on NDCs and build trust. In all, 22 dialogues have been held, attracting 2200+ participants from 150 countries. UNDP also assisted 43 countries to submit intended NDCs in 2015 and now supports 63 countries to strengthen core elements of NDC architecture, such as gender-responsive institutional coordination, whole-of-government approaches, strengthened transparency systems, and mainstreaming of NDC targets. These efforts are underpinned by a $3.2BN grant-financed portfolio of climate action in 142 countries.

In response, UNDP announced it would leverage its extensive climate portfolio and scale up urgently-needed support for NDC enhancement in 100 countries, working in close collaboration with UN system partners (e.g. UNEP, FAO, UNICEF), IRENA, the NDC Partnership, the Green Climate Fund, and other strategic partners. An integrated approach will be used that harnesses the wide-ranging expertise of UNDP’s Global Policy Network to strengthen climate solutions with perspectives from governance, health, water, gender equality, women’s and youth empowerment, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive growth, among others.

A structured approach to NDC enhancement, which can be tailored to country context and sectoral priorities, serves as the framework for UNDP’s services under the Climate Promise (Figure 1). It is not anticipated that UNDP will support a comprehensive NDC review process in every country supported under the Promise. Rather, Country Offices will consult with governments to identify the most strategic and impactful responses to national priorities, while also supporting mitigation ambition.

Promise support will strategically augment other relevant ongoing activities, as appropriate, especially where other partners have a leading role on NDC enhancement. Where a country is receiving no assistance, UNDP may offer a fuller range of support.

The five core tasks of the NDC enhancement process are briefly described below, followed by information on UNDP’s service offer.

Figure 1: Five key tasks provide the framework for UNDP’s service offer under the Promise

[1] Climate Action Tracker

[2] After being static from 2014 to 2016, global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose to historic highs in 2018 according to the IEA 2019 Global Energy and CO2 Status Report, driven by higher energy consumption

Deberes y responsabilidades

The UNDP’s RBAP Climate Promise Team requires a Climate Change Knowledge Management Consultant to map the thematic areas across CO workplans, maintain a tracking system for progress and results, compile and consolidate tools and methods relevant to several countries and shape knowledge exchange between countries on experiences and lessons learned across climate-related issues for UNDP’s Climate Promise Initiatives and use the technical insights from on the ground work in countries to prepare and package of knowledge generated in user-friendly formats. This consultancy will enable increase outreach for knowledge and lessons learned for UNDP’s and UN agencies support to countries on Nationally Determined Contributions and the contribution to the achievement of National Adaptation Planning in the lead up to the Asia-Pacific Climate Week and the COP 26 in United Kingdom and beyond.

Under the guidance and supervision of the Regional Focal Points of UNDP’s RBAP Climate Promise team, and in close collaboration with the UNDP’s Global Policy Network team and the communications team at UNDP, the consultant will contribute to the knowledge management and communication objectives of the UNDP’s Climate Promise Initiative under RBAP as the following:

Main responsibilities

• Map thematic topics and needs identified by all COs and assist in compiling tools, methods and technical resources to support COs
• Track progress of CP roll out on a bi-monthly basis and capture in CP data base.
• Prepare e-updates twice a month including:
  • Capture progress and bottlenecks.
  • Suggest topical stories within RBAP and/or Country Offices and identify contributors (in coordination with UNDP’s RBAP Climate Promise team and UNDP Country Offices); and
  • Scan key UNDP’s Climate Promise’s Initiative progress and thematic issues; and prepare the line-up of the stories and finalize the production of the e-update.
• Co-organize 6 webinars with external partners:
  • Undertake preparatory work / concept preparation.
  • Draft outlines, identify resource people; conduct and moderate the webinars, in collaboration with partners; and
  • Ensure follow up documentation post the webinars is completed and available online.
• Edit and finalise the production of 2 knowledge products – once drafts are delivered by the technical team; ensure the documentation for the UNDP quality assurance process (QAP) is prepared for the policy briefs and supplementary guidelines, and send to the Regional Focal Points to gain approval. Oversee the preparation of the layout; liaise with designer; conduct final amends / edits / checks. Ensure products are published online and disseminated through knowledge networks. Ensure print-quality product is also prepared. 

The final products are:

• Two policy briefs

• Provide support to the UNDP’s RBAP Climate Promise team in preparing knowledge and communication products.

Duration of Work and Duty Station;

Duty station: Home based with possible travel. However, given the current COVID-19 global pandemic operating environment and related travel restrictions prevalent worldwide, no travel related activities are envisaged until further notice. As a result, all expenses related to such travels will also not be taken into consideration at this point in time. As and when COVID-19 travel restrictions have been eased and or lifted and such travels are deemed necessary, all such travel expenses shall be discussed and agreed to between UNDP and the consultant prior to undertaking any travels and reimbursed separately and on actual cost basis.

The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment; The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, specific software, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection; Payments will be made upon submission of a certification of payment form and acceptance and confirmation by the Regional Focal Points of UNDP’s RBAP Climate Promise team on days worked and outputs delivered.

Competencias

Corporate:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’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.

Functional/Technical:

• Knowledge, skills and experience in working with UN Agencies, NGOs/CSOs or other organizations in the development sector;
• Demonstrable creative flair and lateral problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication skills in English
• Ability to upload files to online sites;
• Ability to work remotely in a team and consolidate discussions into action

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications or other closely related field.

Experience:

• At least 3 years of professional experience in generating communications, communication strategies, media operations and advocacy material via various media (i.e. print, video, websites);
• Demonstrated substantive experience in knowledge management and packaging of knowledge products;
• Proficiency and experience with media and social media software, applications and communication tools;
• Familiarity with website management, Content Management Systems, digital media and web content creation;
• Sound understanding of sustainable development, environmental management issues, climate mitigation and adaptation issues, vulnerability and impacts of climate change and other related sustainable development issues;
• Experience working with UN system, and especially UNDP, and familiarity with UN editorial guidelines and templates, is an asset.

Language:

• Excellent English communication skills.

Required Documents to be Submitted:

The following documents will be requested:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed daily rate as per template provided by UNDP.
2. Detailed Personal CV and/or P11, indicating all past experiences from similar projects, as well as the contact details

(email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

1. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
2. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.
3. All supporting documents (a-c) must be part of the detailed CV and uploaded AS ONE document:

Criteria for Selection of Best the Offer:

The following criteria will serve as basis for evaluating offers:

• Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated;
• The technical criteria (education, experience, language) will be worth a maximum 100 points with a weightage of 70%;
• Technical criteria for evaluation (Max100 points);
  1. Criteria 1: Relevance in education background – Max 10 points;
  2. Criteria 2: Experience working on communications in the development sector –Max 30 points;
  3. Criteria 3: Demonstrable communication products and editing, developmental editing, proofreading and copyediting from past assignments that showcase experience in producing large projects – Max 30 points;
  4. Criteria 4: Experience in working with UNDP and familiarity with UNDP editorial guidelines and templates – Max 5 points;
  5. Criteria 5: Experience with the sustainable development, environmental management issues, climate mitigation and adaptation issues, vulnerability and impacts of climate change and other related sustainable development issues – Max 20 points; and
  6. Criteria 6: Excellent English communications skills – Max 5 points.

• For those passing technical evaluation above, offers will be evaluated per the Combined Scoring method:
  1. Technical (70%)
  2. Financial Evaluation (30%)
• The financial proposal shall specify an all-inclusive1 daily fee (including number of anticipated working days and all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment);
• Applicant receiving the Highest Combined Score and has accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract.

Payment Terms:

Payment will be made based on daily fee rates, approved by the supervisor against the satisfactory completion of deliverables as per estimated timeframe below and as per an agreed work plan at the beginning of the consultancy and submission of deliverables over the duration of the consultancy