Palau CBIT Greenhouse Gas Inventory Consultant

Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The GGGI is co-executing the Palau Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) Project with the Palau Office of Climate Change (OCC), with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the GEF Implementing Agency.

The CBIT project’s objective is to strengthen the climate transparency system of Palau in order to meet the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement through three project components: 1) strengthening gender-responsive institutional arrangements for ETF, 2) establishing GHG inventory systems, and 3) strengthening the MRV system for tracking climate actions and support. The project is designed to address key barriers to climate transparency, including limited institutional capacity, insufficient data management systems, and gaps in technical expertise for GHG reporting.

In response to the above, the Palau OCC, with the support of GGGI, seeks to engage an individual consultant to address the challenges relating to establishing a robust, national GHG inventory system, including the establishment of standardized data collection protocols, calculation methodologies, and quality assurance frameworks aligned with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines.

To achieve the project objectives, GGGI is looking for a qualified consultant to support the Palau Office of Climate Change in strengthening the implementation of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), specific to the Greenhouse Gas Inventory preparation. The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following:

• Develop a comprehensive scoping paper to assess GHG inventory data availability and map key stakeholders across all IPCC sectors.
• Review and strengthen activity data collection templates and develop protocols for GHG inventory in Palau across Energy, Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU), Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU), and Waste sectors.
• Review and develop GHG estimation and calculation spreadsheets tailored to Palau's national context, along with accompanying guidance documentation.
• Review and finalize formal Data Sharing Agreements for key data providers to facilitate robust, consistent data flows for both the National GHG Inventory. Note that there may be existing agreements framework which require refinement.
• Develop a detailed guidance manual covering GHG inventory data collection, calculation, and compilation processes.
• Develop QA/QC guidelines and a QA/QC plan for the GHG inventory system, including supporting training materials.
• Facilitate training workshops for government staff and relevant stakeholders on GHG inventory processes and the application of QA/QC procedures.

The consultant will work in close collaboration with the Palau Project Officer and CBIT project team under the overall guidance of the CBIT Project Manager, and in close coordination with the Palau OCC, relevant line ministries and agencies. The consultant will ensure that all the training will ensure balanced gender representation through targeted outreach, encouraging participation of women staff. Feedback mechanisms will be established to identify and address any gender-specific challenges encountered during data collection activities. The Consultant will undertake the following tasks and deliverables:

Deliverable 1: Scoping paper on gases, sectors and availability of data for preparing GHG inventory

The consultant will develop a scoping report assessing the availability of GHG inventory data across Palau, mapping key stakeholders and the data they hold, and reviewing existing methodologies. The report will specify GHG emission categories and sub-categories within the IPCC sectors and identify the appropriate methodology tier to be applied from the IPCC Guidelines for each sector. The report will also identify key data gaps, methodological weaknesses, and capacity constraints that need to be addressed to strengthen Palau's GHG inventory system. The report will be developed through desk review and consultations with relevant line ministries and agencies, and will serve as the foundational reference for subsequent deliverables under this assignment.

Deliverable 2: Data Sharing Agreements and consultation workshops

The consultant will review the existing Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs) already developed by the OCC, and where gaps exist, update the DSAs for data not yet covered. The DSAs will be informed by the scoping paper under deliverable 1. The  updated DSAs will ensure that all key data providers for the GHG Inventory activity data are governed by clear, legally sound, and operationally effective data-sharing arrangements.  The consultant will update the DSAs through consultations/workshops with relevant institutional stakeholders to ensure the DSAs reflect each agency's mandates and data management requirements.

The consultant will incorporate feedback and agreed revisions emerging from the consultations/workshops to produce the finalized version of the DSAs. The consultant will also produce a consolidated consultations report documenting the consultation processes, key discussions, feedback received, and agreed revisions made to the DSAs.

As the CBIT project also includes a parallel workstream on NDC action tracking led by a separate consultant, where the data provider for NDC tracking-related data is the same agency as for the GHG inventory activity data, the consultant shall work closely with the CBIT Project's NDC Tracking Consultant to consolidate data sharing arrangements under a single agreement, avoiding duplication and ensuring consistency across both reporting streams.

Deliverable 3: Data collection templates, data collection protocols, GHG estimation spreadsheets, and QA/QC guidelines and plan

The consultant will review and update existing data collection templates and protocols developed by OCC for GHG inventory preparation. Where gaps exist or current tools are found to be inadequate, new or revised templates and protocols will be developed to ensure comprehensive coverage across all four IPCC sectors: Energy, IPPU, AFOLU, and Waste.  The templates will define clear and consistent data collection procedures, specifying data requirements, units of measurement, and responsible data providers for each sector.

The consultant will develop sector-specific spreadsheet tools for calculating and compiling GHG inventory data, tailored to Palau's national context and aligned with the IPCC guidelines. Each spreadsheet will integrate appropriate calculation formulas and emission factors, and will be accompanied by a concise guidance note explaining its use. Building on these tools, the consultant will further develop a comprehensive, user-friendly guidance manual consolidating the full GHG inventory process - from data collection through calculation to final compilation.

The consultant will also develop detailed QA/QC guidelines and a QA/QC plan tailored to Palau's GHG inventory processes, defining specific procedures, institutional responsibilities, and a schedule for QA/QC activities. The consultant will also develop a comprehensive set of training materials to support national stakeholders in applying QA/QC procedures in practice. All documents will be finalized through stakeholder consultation.

All templates, protocols, spreadsheets, and QA/QC documents will be developed in close consultation with relevant line ministries and agencies, and validated with key stakeholders before finalization.

Key outputs under this deliverable:

• Updated data collection templates and protocols (all four IPCC sectors)
• Sector-specific GHG estimation spreadsheet and guidance manual
• QA/QC guidelines and QA/QC plan
• Training materials

Deliverable 4: Capacity Building Training Workshops

The consultant will facilitate a series of gender responsive training workshops for national government staff and relevant stakeholders, covering GHG data collection, the use of GHG estimation templates developed under this project, the practical use of IPCC Inventory Software for GHG estimations, and the application of QA/QC procedures. The trainings will be organized in conjunction with the BTR training activities, led by OCC.

Workshops will ensure balanced gender representation through targeted outreach. Each workshop will be documented through a summary report capturing key discussions, participant feedback, and agreed follow-up actions. The consultant will also prepare a consolidated training report synthesizing the outcomes, lessons learned, and recommendations across all workshop sessions.

Notes:

• The Consultant will use their own resources (laptop, etc.) during the consultancy service under the project to produce all deliverables.

• All deliverables must be submitted to GGGI and the Palau Office of Climate Change in English.
• Any data and information collected as part of this consultancy must be submitted to GGGI and the Palau OCC, ensuring confidentiality of unpublished government information and complying with GGGI’s and the Government of Palau’s data protection, ethics and safeguarding policies.
• All reports under this consultancy must be approved by GGGI and the OCC, before payment is made to the Consultant.
• The Consultant shall consider all comments and necessary revisions proposed and provide a final version of the reports reflecting the revisions within 10 working days of the receipt of feedback.
• Electronic versions of deliverables must be compatible with Microsoft Office applications and adhere to GGGI's font and style guidelines. Copies will also be provided to GGGI and the OCC.
• The Consultant will report to the Project Manager of the Palau CBIT project and work in close coordination with PMU & the Palau Office of Climate Change.

The consultant is expected to have the following qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, environmental policy, climate change, statistics, data analytics, environmental economics, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree in climate change or any related discipline is preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in GHG inventory development, including QA/QC procedures, MRV systems, or climate transparency.
• Demonstrated technical understanding of the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories and ETF requirements under the Paris Agreement.
• Experience working with and supporting governments on GHG-related data collection, data management, and inter-agency coordination is desired.
• Demonstrated experience and understanding of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), including the National Communications (NCs)/Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) is preferred.
• Previous experience working in the Pacific region is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to design, plan, and facilitate effective stakeholder engagement meetings and workshops.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to produce clear, effective reports and other publications.
• Strong interpersonal and motivational skills, with sensitivity to the local environment and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to effectively lead and collaborate with people from diverse professional, cultural, and technical backgrounds.

Interested consultants shall submit the following documentation:  

• Curriculum Vitae with a maximum of four pages.
• Cover Letter with demonstration of ability and experience in the deliverables outlined in the ToR.
• Proposed one-page workplan, indicating the applicant’s understanding of the scope of work and approach for the completion of the assignment.

Applications will close on 16 July 2026 11.59pm Korean Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.  Application including Cover Letter and CV must be sent in English. A consortium, or a firm may not be engaged for the individual consultant assignment.

Project: Palau Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) – Greenhouse Gas Inventory Consultant
Duty Station: Palau/Remote
Contract Duration: 12 months
Consultant Level: 4
Total Fees: 72,500

Child protection – GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGI’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.