GCF Projects Specialist Consultant

The purpose of this consultancy is to participate in the implementation and orderly closure of GCF Readiness project “Capacity Building in Carbon Markets and Article 6” (LAC-RS-019) in Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and El Salvador and the "Advancing a Regional Approach to the Green Hydrogen Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean" (LAC-RS-018) for B countries (Bolivia, Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay). The consultant is expected to provide technical information related to the progress of project implementation and budget expenditure, including the analysis of procurement and hiring processes for both projects. Review and edit the technical reports prepared and submitted by local consultants focused on the energy sector. Guide local and international consultants on project delivery. Specifically, the consultant supports the technical implementation in Bolivia, Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay of the LAC-RS-018 project. Contribute to the implementation of H2LAC (Platform for the Development of Green Hydrogen in Latin America and the Caribbean), capacity building and knowledge platform, through research on green hydrogen, organization and delivery of online and face-to-face training activities. Collect relevant information on hydrogen and sustainable energy innovations, financing and policy and transform it into recommendations for countries, cities and decision-makers in Latin America and the Caribbean. The purpose of this consultancy is to participate in the implementation of GCF Readiness project “Capacity Building in Carbon Markets and Article 6” (LAC-RS-019) in Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and El Salvador and the "Advancing a Regional Approach to the Green Hydrogen Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean" (LAC-RS-018) for B countries (Bolivia, Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay). The consultant is expected to provide technical information related to the progress of project implementation and budget expenditure, including the analysis of procurement and hiring processes. Under the direct supervision of UNEP’s Programme Management Officer for Energy Efficiency of the Climate Change Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean Office, the consultant shall perform the following activities: Capacity Building in Carbon Markets and Article 6 in Latin America (LAC-RS-019): Outcome 2.2. GCF recipient countries have developed or enhanced strategic frameworks to address policy gaps, improve sectoral expertise, and enhance enabling environments for GCF programming in low-emission investment. Output 2.2.1. Conditions needed for the implementation frameworks for the future operationalization of carbon markets mechanisms and Article 6 in the participating countries have been identified. • Activity 1. Prepare technical information on technical information on carbon markets and Article 6 in Latin America and the Caribbean, based on existing project studies and analyses. Responsibilities: The consultant will support the review of technical products prepared by consulting firms, identify relevant information, and provide basic comments or input for consideration by the project team. The consultant will also participate in relevant team and stakeholder meetings, as requested. Activities and technical input provided will be summarized in the monthly reports submitted to the supervisor. Outcome 2.4. Strategies for transforming and attracting private sector investment for low emissions and resilience developed and being used. Output 2.4.1. Private sector knowledge on Article 6 implementation is bolstered through capacity building workshops, and reports, guidelines and tools are developed to increase the participation of the private sector in the development of projects to reduce GHG emissions by sources and increase removals by sinks • Activity 2. Collect and organize information on private sector stakeholders and potential Article 6 initiatives in participating countries. Responsibilities: The consultant will assist in compiling information on relevant private sector stakeholders and potential projects identified through project activities. The consultant will support consulting firms and local consultants by organizing information, following up on inputs, and participating in relevant meetings as requested. Activities and inputs provided will be summarized in the monthly reports submitted to the supervisor. Advancing a Regional Approach to the Green Hydrogen Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC-RS-018): Outcome 2.4. Strategies for transforming and attracting private sector investment for low emissions and resilience developed and being used Output 2.4.A Public and private stakeholders engaged in identifying the most appropriate business models for hydrogen projects scaleup • Activity 3. Provide comments to the technical reports and prefeasibility studies prepared for Block B countries. Responsibilities: The consultant will assist in reviewing the reports, identifying basic gaps, inconsistencies, or information that may require clarification. The consultant will help organize comments and follow up on feedback from consulting firms and relevant stakeholders, as requested by the project team. Activities and inputs provided will be summarized in the monthly reports submitted to the supervisor. Outcome 4.1 An increase in the number of quality project concept notes developed and submitted Output 4.1.A Pipeline of concept note developed and ready for submission to the GCF Outcome 4.3. An increase in the number of quality project concept notes developed and submitted that target SIDS, LDCs and African states Output 4.3.A Pipeline of concept note developed and ready for submission to the GCF • Activity 4. Provide recommendations to improve the concept notes submitted to the GCF for the GH2 projects in Bolivia, Uruguay, Trinidad and Tobago and Chile Responsibilities: The consultant will assist in reviewing the concept notes and identifying information that may require clarification or adjustment. The consultant will help organize comments and follow up on inputs from relevant stakeholders, as requested by the project team. Activities and technical inputs provided will be summarized in the monthly reports submitted to the supervisor. Outcome 5.2 Partnerships established to foster development and dissemination of methods, frameworks, and information systems for enhanced climate finance programming at subnational, national, and regional levels. Output 5.2.A. South-south cooperation is enhanced by strengthening the regional hydrogen capacity-building platform. • Activity 5. Estimate the impact of the collaboration with H2LAC, using quantitative indicators to reflect the reach and effectiveness of the jointly developed activities. Responsibilities: Collaborate with the project manager of the LAC-RS-018 project in coordination with the regional hydrogen capacity-building platform, H2LAC, to enhance south-south cooperation The consultant will also support coordination and follow-up with the H2LAC platform, as requested by the project team. Activities and inputs provided will be summarized in the monthly reports submitted to the supervisor. Support to the closure of LAC-RS-018 and LAC-RS-019: Outcome. The GCF Readiness projects LAC-RS-018 and LAC-RS-019 are technically and administratively prepared for orderly closure in accordance with applicable UNEP and GCF requirements. Output. Technical, financial and supporting information required for project completion reporting and closure is compiled, reviewed and organized for consideration by the respective project coordinators and authorized UNEP officials. • Activity 6. Provide technical support and information to the project managers for the preparation of Project Completion Reports and closure documentation. Responsibilities: The consultant will support the project managers in compiling, organizing and reviewing technical information required for the completion and closure of LAC-RS-018 and LAC-RS-019. This will include supporting the consolidation of information on activities, outputs, results, pending actions and supporting documentation; reviewing draft technical inputs for Project Completion Reports; and identifying missing or inconsistent information requiring clarification or follow-up.

Home-Based

6 Months

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LACO), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). One of the most relevant challenges the implementation of the Paris Agreement poses to countries is to count with strong Transparency Frameworks. Article 13 of the Paris Agreement establishes the need of Parties to implement national robust and transparent monitoring, reporting, verification and accounting systems to give clarity on action and support while providing clear information to stakeholders to be available to assess if the necessary is being done in relation to compliance with the commitments assumed to face climate change. As part of building and enhancing their Transparency Frameworks, Parties of the United Nations Frame Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will progressively implement better tools and institutional arrangements, many of them not sufficiently developed in the countries. This is especially true for developing countries. The UNFCCC enhanced transparency framework demands substantial and immediate progress in the countries´ domestic Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems and strategic de-carbonization and adaptation planning. This entails moving from often disintegrated and often different methodological approaches in data management to an integrated and robust system. The success of the Paris Agreement hinges on enhanced transparency of action and support, as a critical foundation to making its bottom-up country-led approach work, as well as mutual trust and confidence amongst Parties. In this line, the UNEP Transparency and Climate Ambition Team has developed, together with eight (8) countries of the region, a Regional Readiness Proposal “Capacity Building in Carbon Markets and Article 6”. This proposal seeks to collectively improve: i) the overall knowledge of the scope and functioning of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement in Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and El Salvador through a regional approach and, ii) support the relevant stakeholders from these participating countries to comply with the institutional, technical and operational requirements to establish or participate in new or existing carbon markets. This will not only support the participating countries to comply with the goals established in their NDCs but also allow the national governments to increase their ambition, transparency and cooperation among parties in their commitments under the Paris Agreement. The green hydrogen generation technical potential in Latin America and the Caribbean is significant, estimated at 1,114 EJ of green hydrogen produced at a cost under USD 1.5/kg by 2050. Therefore, green hydrogen can be produced using the clean and renewable energy sources available in the region. Beyond the potential for its production, using hydrogen as an energy source can also result in a myriad of benefits for the region. The transport sector is the highest consumer of fossil fuels and the leading source of fossil-fuel-related GHG emissions (15% of all regional GHG emissions in 2018). Diesel and gasoline are the main fuels used in transport, accounting for 83% of the total energy use. Hydrogen can be used for all transportation electrification, fuel cell electric cars, trucks, buses, forklifts, ferries and ships, and aircraft. Globally, some 8,000 fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) were sold in 2020. The project "Advancing a Regional Approach to the Green Hydrogen Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean" aims to create the right conditions to promote the hydrogen economy through the exchange of experiences at a regional level, ending with the preparation of i) national strategic planning and ii) funding proposals that could be submitted to the GCF and other international financial sources. This project is being implemented in 7 countries in parallel. Therefore, the Climate Change Unit is looking for a GCF Projects Specialist Consultant for the projects “Advancing a Regional Approach to the Green Hydrogen Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean” (LAC-RS-018) and “Capacity Building in Carbon Markets and Article 6” (LAC-RS-019). The incumbent is expected to work from home and will be expected to comply with 40 working hours per week, from Monday to Friday. He or she will be supervised by UNEP’s Programme Management Officer for Energy Efficiency of the Climate Change Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean Office.

ACADEMIC: ● Bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, engineering, economics, finance, administration, political science, international relations, or related fields is required. ● Master’s degree in engineering, public policy, economics, energy systems, natural resources management, or related fields is desirable. PROFESSIONAL: ● Two (2) years of experience in climate change projects, engineering, environmental sciences, environmental economics, energy, sustainable finance, climate policy, economic research, or related fields is required. ● Two (2) years of experience in data processing and analysis is desirable. ● Experience in budget planning and monitoring and in the preparation of Terms of Reference (ToRs) for procurement and recruitment processes is desirable. ● Experience in preparing progress and completion reports for donors on climate change projects is desirable. ● Experience in low-emission hydrogen is desirable. ● Experience in the development and implementation of climate change projects in developing countries and/or within multilateral organizations is desirable. ● Experience in the public sector is desirable. ● Experience working with GCF projects is desirable. ● Knowledge of carbon markets is desirable. LANGUAGE: ● Fluent in Spanish (required). ● Fluent in English (required). SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: ● Excellent understanding of global and national climate change issues, related to transparency and carbon markets, is desirable. ● Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to climate change mitigation and adaptation planning, and intergovernmental climate change negotiations are desirable. COMPETENCIES: PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations. TEAMWORK: ● Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: ● Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

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THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.