Colombia: Integrated Forest Restoration Monitoring Module Consultant

Colombia

Organization: GGGI - Global Green Growth Institute
Location: Colombia
Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Malaria, Tuberculosis and other infectious diseases
Closing Date: Closed

Colombia: Integrated Forest Restoration Monitoring Module Consultant

Based in Seoul, The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is an intergovernmental organization founded to support and promote a model of economic growth known as "green growth", which targets key aspects of economic performance such a poverty reduction, job creation, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. GGGI works with countries around the world, building their capacity and working collaboratively on green growth policies that can impact the lives of millions. The organization partners with countries, multilateral institutions, government bodies, and private sector to help build economies that grow strongly and are more efficient and sustainable in the use of natural resources, less carbon intensive, and more resilient to climate change.

GGGI has a diverse portfolio of programs in developing countries around the world. These in-country programs, together with global products and services, focus on delivering results through an integrated approach of evidence-based green growth planning and implementation aligned to countries’ development priorities. The organization also focuses on knowledge development and management activities which build a strong theoretical and empirical basis for green growth, while providing concrete options and guidance for policymakers; as well as building the conditions for public and private green infrastructure investments.

GGGI has been working with the Government of Colombia to advance green growth policies and green investments, through strategic partnerships such as with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Treasury and Public Credit and the National Planning Department, among others. In a new phase of collaboration with Government agencies at the national and sub-national level, GGGI with the Support of the Norwegian Kingdom is initiating an expansion of its Colombia Country program, mainly to support the transition towards a greener growth pathway that is socially inclusive and contributes to Colombia´s medium term development agenda. The expected impact of this collaboration, after five years of support (2017-2022), is an increased capacity to mainstream green growth objectives into development planning and investments in priority sectors and regions that are critical for Colombia´s future green growth, particularly in areas that are highly susceptible to increased natural resource degradation and forest cover loss.

The program was divided in two phases, one from 2017-2019, and a second one from 2020-2022. The second phase was designed to increase green growth investments in priority regions and sectors and to support the Government of Colombia (GoC) to reduce the current trend in deforestation. The program outcomes are aligned with the GoC´s nationally determined contributions (NDC) targets and sustainable development goals (SDGs), GGGI’s Strategic Plan 2015 – 2020 and GGGI Colombia Country Planning Framework (CPF) 2016-2020, as well as the Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) strategic objectives.

The desired impact of the activities carried between 2020-2022 is to facilitate Colombia in achieving its SDGs, those which include the following by the National Planning Document (NPD) 2018-2022:

Reduce the tendency of growth of projected deforestation by the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) from 0% to 30%.
Accumulated reduction of 36 MTnCO2eq of greenhouse gases (GHG), in relation to the national point of reference.
Proportion of overall share gross domestic product (GDP) comprised by the forestry sector from 0.79% to 1%.
Increase areas under sustainable conservation management (restoration, agroforestry systems, sustainable forest management) from 701,000 ha to 1,402,900 ha. (with 301.900 ha in restoration process).
Increase areas under Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes and incentives for conservation from 65,000 ha to 260,000 ha.

The second phase of the program is focused on: (i) strengthening conditions to increase the effectiveness of institutes to enforce measures of deforestation control and reduce deforestation; and, (ii) the implementation and subsequent upscaling of sustainable and/or restorative production systems through a landscape management approach.

The program capitalizes on GGGI’s comparative advantage to provide context-specific, tailored, green growth solutions, as well as its experience to date in promoting the green growth agenda in Colombia and other countries. Phase II of the program is designed to ensure that results are consistently delivered and the outcomes of Phase I are sustained. This is achieved by leveraging lessons learned as well as by taking advantage of synergies with other donor-funded activities and programs. This is made possible by GGGI unique positioning within GoC, that now includes supporting directly the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance. In fact, with Norway support, GGGI has built a strong reputation in the country, becoming the go-to institution for the GoC on sustainability related topics. This is also made clear by the decision of the GoC to recently approve Law 1954/2019 for the Establishment Agreement of GGGI in Colombia and moving towards an additional ongoing bill in Congress for the approval of the Host Country Agreement which is expected to be finalized this year.

GGGI therefore requires to support IDEAM in strengthening their effectiveness and capacities to be able to develop an integrated restoration monitoring module that includes information from the environment and the agricultural sector, and allow the sector to keep track to the proposed forestry goals within the National Development Plan 2018-2022.

Objectives/Purpose of the Assignment

Provide professional services for generation of technical information to support the development of an integrated restoration monitoring module that includes information from the environment and the agricultural sector and articulate statistical information between IDEAM, MADS, MADR and other affiliated entities. The consultant will be part of the technical team of the Forest Monitoring System at IDEAM with experience in digital image processing applied to monitoring the dynamics of the forest cover in Colombia.

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the REDD+ Senior Associate of GGGI Colombia and the co-supervision of a Technical leader for the Forest and Carbon Monitoring System at IDEAM the Consultant will contribute to generate a technical framework for an integrated restoration monitoring module through the provision of technical deliveries in the following:

Generate a detailed work plan and activities schedule established in agreement with the SMByC coordinator and DBBSE MADS.
Identify relevant ongoing monitoring systems/modules for Colombia that generate or collect information related to Forest Restauration and its main objectives, operational schemes, functions, information requirements and implementation challenges (SMByC, CARs, SINA Institutes, etc).
Analyze databases and generate statistical reports of Forest Restoration Initiatives (CARs, ANLA, SUN-L, private sector, app tree counter, etc) that occurred in the past 10 years.
Identify at International, National and Subnational level best practices and technical requirements to stablish a Forest Restoration Monitoring Module and how it can be related to the NDP goals and other scheme reports (Sinergia, SIAC, SNIF, RENARE, National Restoration Plan, Private Initiatives, etc.).
Identify potential articulation options of a Restoration Monitoring Module with the network of permanent monitoring plots and the National Forestry Inventory.
Support the digital image processing for the generation of restoration process, regeneration and/or change detection through the implementation of methodologies/algorithms developed by IDEAM in pilot areas with regional authorities
Develop a technical approach (protocol) for Forest Restoration Monitoring in Colombia as a complement to current MRV system.
Generate and/or update restoration reports for the periodicity and scales defined by the IDEAM in coordination with MADS.
Support IDEAM and MADS with the reports of the overall NDP goal related to restoration.
Participate, when required, in meetings, workshops, forums or other spaces with public, private entities, NGOs and/or private organizations.

Output/Reporting Requirements/Deliverables

The expected outputs are the following:

(1) Workplan

A complete workplan based and a detailed methodological approach must be prepared by the consultant.

(2) Ongoing Restoration Systems characterization report

The report must include information related to the ongoing monitoring systems/modules relevant to Colombia that generate or collect information related to Forest Restauration and its main objectives, operational schemes, functions, information requirements and implementation challenges. And the analysis of databases and statistical reports of Forest Restoration Initiatives (CARs, ANLA, SUN-L, private sector) that occurred in the past 10 years.

(3) Restoration Systems´ Best practices report

A document that summarizes the identification of International, National and Subnational level best practices and technical requirements to stablish a Forest Restoration Monitoring System and how it can be related to the NDP goals and other scheme reports (Sinergia, SIAC, SNIF, RENARE, National Restoration Plan, Private Initiatives, etc.).

(4) Integrated Restoration Module draft proposal

The report must present the analysis of the potential articulation options of a Restoration Monitoring Module with the network of permanent monitoring plots and the National Forestry Inventory and a Draft technical approach (protocol) for Forest Restoration Monitoring in Colombia as a complement to current MRV system.

(5) Integrated Restoration Module proposal

The document will include the final technical approach (protocol) for Forest Restoration Monitoring in Colombia as a complement to current MRV system, a proposal for its implementation at National and subnational level and the evidence of the support provided on digital image processing for the generation of restoration process, regeneration and/or change detection through the implementation of methodologies/algorithms developed by IDEAM in at least two pilot areas with regional authorities.

(6) Consultancy summary

A brief word document no longer than 10 pages and a PowerPoint Slide deck no longer that 5 slides summarizing the main outcomes of this consultancy will be developed by the consultant.

Products 1 and 6 must be produced in English and Spanish, while 2-5 will be developed in Spanish.

Deliverables, Timeline and Payments

Payment	Outputs	Deliverables	Deliverables description	Target Completion	Amount (% over total fee)
Payment No. 1	(1) Workplan	Detailed workplan	Detailed workplan with activities, dates and methodology.	October 23, 2020	10%
Payment No. 2	(2) Restoration Systems characterization	Ongoing Restoration Systems characterization report	A report that includes an analysis of the past 10 years’ experience with the ongoing monitoring systems	December 14, 2020	20%
Payment No.3	(3) Best Practices identification	Restoration Systems´ Best practices report	A report that presents a state-of-the-art report of best practices and technical requirements for stablishing Forest Restauration Monitoring Module	February 24, 2021	20%
Payment No.4	(4) Draft Integrated Monitoring Module proposal	Integrated Restoration Module draft proposal	A draft document that present the technical proposal of the integrated restoration module	May 5, 2021	20%
Payment No.5	(5) Final Integrated Monitoring Module proposal	Integrated Restoration Module proposal	A final document that present the technical proposal of the integrated restoration module and its mean of implementation	August 4, 2021	20%
Payment No.6	(6) Summary	Consultancy summary	A brief 10pg word document and a 5 slide PowerPoint file that summarize the main outcomes of this consultancy	September 24, 2021	10%

Reporting Arrangements

The consultant work progress will be monitored primarily through periodic review meetings for planning, and weekly

short face-to-face meetings for prioritizing of activities, all of them previous consensus with the Contract Supervisors (GGGI and IDEAM/MADS). In these review meetings will be tackle subjects such as: the overview of the contractual objectives, the development of activities, detailed information milestones, actual achievements made against the timeline initially set, and any other relevant progress details.

Supervision shall be provided by the REDD+ Senior Associate of GGGI Colombia and the co-supervision of the SMByC Coordinator at IDEAM, in order to ensure the timely and quality delivery of products outlined in the contractual objective. The final review and approval of activities and deliverables under the contract is to be made by the REDD+ Senior Associate of the GGGI Colombia team.

Deliverables 1 and 6 must be produced in English and Spanish, and reports 2-5 must be written in Spanish, in accordance with GGGI’s formatting requirements, and submitted with proof of editable file back-up (e.g. .docx, .pptx) in an external hard-disk and GGGI SharePoint system. Where relevant, the consultant shall also provide sets of raw data, research materials, and meeting notes related to the contractual objective.

Suggested methodology and competence requirements

The consultant should follow the specific methods provided by the Contract Supervisors. The consultant will make

best use of both primary and secondary sources of information for the development of activities defined under the contract objective. The consultant will always provide the information to the REDD+ Senior Associate of GGGI Colombia for review and approval, prior taking final action.

Qualifications/Experience/Expertise

The Consultant should demonstrate the credentials described below.

(MANDATORY) Must hold a valid Work Visa in Colombia
(MANDATORY) Degree in Forest engineering, environmental engineering or related engineering degree.
(MANDATORY) A Postgraduate degree in GIS analysis. Properly management of GIS/Image processing software is a plus.
(MANDATORY) A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience in the field of geographical information systems, forestry studies, environmental zoning or environmental evaluation or monitoring. Also, research in forest products is a plus.
(MANDATORY) A minimum of six years’ experience in the aforementioned fields when the applicant holds a postgraduate degree in the areas described above.
(MANDATORY) Experience in Forest Restoration GIS analysis.
(MANDATORY) A strong understanding of Colombia´s public institutions related with forest sector is essential.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
Proficiency in geospatial analysis tools (QGIS, ArcGIS, ERDAS,) is a plus.
Exceptional analytical and quantitative skills; capacity for synthesis, presentation and communication; and strategic thinking skills
Organized with excellent time management and attention to detail.
Strong and matured interpersonal skills and proven ability to work with teams.
Ability to work well under pressure and have a flexible approach to tasks given.

Additional Information

Contract duration: October 2020 - October 2021 (full-time)
Contract value: up to USD 24,000 (dependent on candidate's credentials)

Date to close is Korean Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Applications and CVs must be sent in English.

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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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