Vulnerability and adaptation expert

Project title:

CLIMA South: Support to Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the ENPI South Region

Brief description:

Beneficiaries: the ten countries and territories of the South Mediterranean region covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument South (ENP South): Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria*, and Tunisia.

* Cooperation with Syria is temporarily suspended until further notice from the European Commission

The overall objective of the programme is support the transition of ENP South countries towards low carbon development and climate resilience, in a context of sustainable and democratic development, by enhancing regional cooperation, information sharing and capacity development on climate change mitigation and adaptation between the EU and its Mediterranean neighbours (EU-South) and among ENP partners themselves (South-South)

The specific purposes of this project are:

• Strengthening the capacity of policy makers to engage in and to implement the upcoming global legal climate change framework post-2012, as well as the Kyoto Protocol and/or its potential successor;
• Strengthening the institutional capacity for strategic planning on climate change mitigation, including Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV), Low Emissions Development Strategies (LEDs), and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) (where not covered by other donors and projects);
• Strengthening the institutional capacity for strategic planning on climate change adaptation, in particular improving the use and sharing of data on climate science and economic development trends in a way that can enhance the capacity of beneficiary countries to elaborate well targeted adaptation strategies, further increase climate resilience, and mainstream climate change adaptation into other policies;
• Improving partner countries capacities to benefit from possible new or reviewed financing mechanisms;
• Promoting a closer dialogue with the EU on climate change, better access to information and expertise on the EU climate policies and acquis. Promote north-south as well south-south cooperation on climate change issues, and support the coordination of the on-going climate change actions in the region.

Requirements:

Qualifications and skills

• Master degree or equivalent diploma in economics, engineering, energy, environmental sciences, or related field or equivalent
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Excellent knowledge of English and French is essential. Arabic is an asset

General professional experience:

• At least 10 years relevant professional experience in climate change
• Proven experience in development cooperation associated to vulnerability and adaptation to climate change
• Working experience in one or preferably more partner countries is an asset
• Familiarity with EC development cooperation management and procedures is an asset

Specific professional experience:

• At least 5 years of experience on vulnerability and adaptation assessment methodologies (e.g., UNDP APF, IPCC guidelines, UNEP handbook etc.), methods and tools
• Proved experience in vulnerability and adaptation in the Mediterranean context in at least one of the following fields: water scarcity management, crop management and adaptation, sea level rising, ecosystems, forest, health, tourism, etc.
• Good knowledge of the UN Rio Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Desertification
• Strong and proven ability to analyse corresponding socio economic impacts of vulnerability and adaptation assessments
• Solid understanding of the gaps and needs for developing/improving vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans
• Proved technical expertise in the formulation of adaptation projects, programmes, plans and strategies
• Good knowledge of the resources and financing mechanism for adaptation projects and climate resilient policies in developing countries
• Good knowledge of the EU climate change policy, directives and best practices in the areas of vulnerability and adaptation
• Work experience with non-EU countries on the EU climate acquis is a strong advantage
• Demonstrated capacity to work in a multi-cultural environment, mainly with government institutions