Climate change adaptation and tourism expert

Background

To design a full project document titled “Enhancing the resilience of tourism-reliant communities in Samoa to climate change risks” for submission to the GEF-LDCF. The project document will be developed in collaboration and consultation with local counterparts and in compliance with UNDP-GEF requirements for Medium-Sized climate change adaptation projects (see annotated project document template).

The objective of this project is to increase the resilience of the Samoa tourism sector through integrating climate change and disaster risks into tourism policies, processes and related adaptation actions in tourism sites and tourism reliant communities. The project addresses priorities identified under Samoa’s National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA). It involves, amongst others integrating climate change aspects into the Samoa Tourism Development Plan and, management of Tourism Development Areas (TDAs), financial support schemes and risk transfer mechanisms, develop a sector-tailored climate information system, and implement concrete adaptation measures in selected tourism-reliant communities and tourism sites in the management of coastal infrastructure, water resources, shoreline and tourism resources including recreational activities.

A project concept was developed and approved by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) in December 2011. The project is now in its full proposal formulation phase that will involve review of relevant projects (past, current and in the pipeline), programmes and technical documents, and consultations with all stakeholders. The project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) with the support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE). The project will build on the recently established National Tourism Climate Change Adaptation Strategy funded under the Samoa – Australia Partnership, and coordinated by STA.

Duties and responsibilities

In close coordination with the Tourism Climate Change Coordinator, STA, MNRE and UNDP, the consultant will guide the implementation of the project preparation phase and ensure the timely formulation of the project document for submission. The principal output of the assignment is the fully formulated project document with the following main components (see further details in the annotated project document template):

• Situation analysis
• Project Strategy
• Project Results Framework
• Total budget and workplan
• Management Arrangements
• Monitoring Framework and Evaluation
• Legal Context
• Annexes
- Risk Analysis
- Agreements
- References
- Key assessment reports
- Stakeholder involvement plan
- Terms of Reference for Project Personnel
- Capacity Assessment
- Special Clauses
- Letters of Co-financing

Main tasks leading to the formulation of the project document involve

• Review and analysis of the relevant baseline development plans and investment programmes of the public, private and NGO sector in Samoa focusing on relevant activities as they pertain to climate change risk management in the tourism and related sectors through the proposed UNDP-GEF intervention;
• Review and analysis of the existing policy and regulatory frameworks existing within the tourism sector;
• Review, analysis of the project related activities (past, current and pipeline of other donors, development partners and private sector on adaptation in the tourism sector
• Capacity assessment of stakeholders and establishment of a stakeholder involvement plan
• Assist in the development of project partnerships and identification of co-operation and co-financing possibilities in the framework of the envisaged UNDP-GEF project
• Preparation of technical assessments in collaboration with national technical counterparts (including vulnerability assessment in tourism areas, identification of proposed adaptation interventions/options, identification of target areas/sites, pre-feasibility studies and business as appropriate) in order to justify the proposed project interventions and to leverage financing for the proposed activities
• Liaise with UNDP, STA, MNRE and national partners on technical matters
• Facilitate stakeholder consultations on project preparation (including national workshops and meetings with national stakeholders, and consultations at the tourism site and community levels)
• Quality control for the project document in line with UNDP/GEF requirements (as per project document template)
• Address any review comments received from GEF Secretariat on the submission of the project document, and help revising project document accordingly.

Competencies

• Proven track record of very extensive project development work, preferably in the context of GEF, in general, and UNDP and GEF, in particular;
• Knowledge of tourism development and climate change issues and context of related project and program implementation in Samoa (or alternatively familiarity in a similar country or regional situations in the Pacific);
• Experience in Pacific Island Countries or specifically Samoa is considered an asset
• Ability to deliver in timely manner and must have, good communication and consultation facilitation skills

Required skills and experience

Education

Professional and academic qualifications in the areas of environment, tourism and climate change or other related fields at a postgraduate level, preferably Masters

Experience

Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel and email

Language requirements

Excellent working knowledge of English both spoken and written