Consultant: climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment

Background

Papua New Guinea completed its Initial National Communication (INC) and submitted it to the Secretariat of the UNFCCC during the Eight Conference of the Parties in November 2002. The project for preparation of the Second National Communication (SNC) on Climate Change is a continual step toward further implementation of the UNFCCC at the national level. Its main objective is to prepare a comprehensive report on the climate change vulnerability and adaptation related issues. The analysis conducted within the INC will be updated and upgraded/extended, which will result in preparation of a comprehensive SNC. Furthermore, it will work towards ensuring that climate change issues are not considered as separate national and local environmental concerns but integrated into national and local strategic development planning process.

Duties and responsibilities

This consultancy service will assist the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) in addressing the climate change vulnerability and adaptation gaps that were identified during the INC. An integrated climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment will be undertaken for key socio-economic sectors including coastal zone and marine ecosystems (inlc. fisheries resources), agriculture, land-use change and forestry, water resources, health, biodiversity, food security, public infrastructure and government’s capacity. The completion of these sector assessments will assist the GoPNG to complete its Climate Change Adaptation Report that will outline the country’s priorities that will be incorporated into a draft strategy as the country’s position for UNFCCC COP15 negotiations.

Furthermore, an integrated part of the climate change vulnerability adaptation assessment is capacity development. The training will focus on enhancing the capacity of key government officials and stakeholders to enable them to assist in GoPNG’s Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation assessment.

Specific duties include:

The consultant is expected to use relevant global and/or regional circulation models to construct climate change scenarios for the region that includes PNG. Where possible, integrated assessment modeling will be used to assess the impacts of climate change in PNG. Based on these quantitative analyzes, appropriate cost-effective adaptation options and measures will be assessed. The impacts of climate change on national development strategies; plans and programmes will be evaluated; and appropriate policy options will be identified and developed for response strategies.

Therefore, the specific duties of the consultant include:

• Review PNG’s Initial National Communication (INC) under its obligations to UNFCCC and identify gaps in the first report using global and regional assessments criteria;
• Assess the climate change vulnerability and adaptive capacity of the following sectors: agriculture, land, forestry and water resources, coastal zones and marine ecosystems including fisheries resources as well as other natural ecosystems and human health;
• Identify the most vulnerable areas/regions that are most critical and describe links between climate and socio-economic baseline conditions of the country’s provinces in the most vulnerable sectors;
• Analyze the climate changes for the period 1961-August 2009 for existing stations of the following parameters: temperature, precipitation, wind, cloudiness and sunshine hours and analyze these existing climate data and parameters by months and years;
• Revise the scenarios for climate change, applying the most recent revision of MAGICC-SCENGEN;
• Analyze the climate changes for the period 1961-2008 for existing stations of the following parameters: temperature, precipitation, wind, cloudiness and sunshine hours;
• Identify the data needs, availability and suitability, and establish datasets baselines of the assessment;
• Prepare climate maps including development of spatial information materials (e.g. maps, diagrams, decision matrices) for policy makers using GIS technology or available technology;
• Based on the output of the vulnerability assessment, evaluate the long-term feasibility of available adaptation measures to meet their specific needs and concerns arising from the adverse effects of climate change;
• Based on the assessments identify PNG’s priority climate change vulnerability and adaptation issues and prepare the country’s position to the UNFCCC COP15 meeting and recommendation for inclusion in key national strategic plans;
• Complete the vulnerability and adaptation assessment report for the following sectors: agriculture, land, forestry and water resources, coastal zones and marine ecosystems including fisheries resources as well as other natural ecosystems and human health;
• Conduct an analysis of barriers and opportunities for integration of adaptation measures in the medium and long-term national development plans focusing on identifying the least-cost adaptation measures;
• Review PNG’s National Framework for Action for Disaster Management and Disaster Risk Reduction to identity the link between climate change -induced disaster prevention, preparedness and management options for the country’s National Climate Change Adaptation Framework;
• Prepare a national adaption action plan to implement those measures being of highest priority including clear distinction of responsibilities among the relevant stakeholders, timeframe for fulfillment/implementation of the recommended measures, financial means for implementation of the measures, and identification of possible barriers and risks; and
• Train key members of the Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment team to enable them to assist in the integrated assessment of impacts and adaptation options.

Competencies

Knowledge management and learning

• Demonstrated capacity in knowledge sharing and knowledge management and ability to promote a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues
• Ability to conduct research and analysis and strong synthesis skills.

Development and operational effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting
• Ability to develop innovative approaches to program design, implementation, monitoring evaluation of development programmes and projects.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision

Management and leadership

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback; consensus-oriented
• Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation
• Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills
•  Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Proactive and have the ability to discuss openly with all senior government staff
• Results-orientation and efficiency in a multi-tasking environment
• Capacity to perform effectively under pressure and hardship conditions
• Highly develop inter-personal, negotiation and teamwork skills, networking aptitude, ability to work in multi-cultural environment
• Highly developed inter-cultural communication and skills;

Corporate / functional

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism
• As strong understanding of political sensitivities and ability to work positively with all partners in a politically dynamic environment.

Essential knowledge and experience:

The V&A Consultant should meet the following minimum criteria:

• Prior experience in vulnerability assessments and adaptation process including sound knowledge of various V&A tools, through involvement in the INC, especially in developing countries;
• Highly qualified scientist working in the fields of climate observation and vulnerability analysis in the specific sectors;
• Strong expertise and experience with the use of UNFCCC, IPCC methodologies for vulnerability assessments and adaptation including MAGICC/SCENGEN and other methods;
• Experience in conducting training on climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessments.
• Proven record in the writing of research papers, policy analysis; and recommendations, reports and publications;

Required skills and experience

• A University Degree or advanced qualification in environmental science and/or climate change related field;
• Sound and broadly recognized scientific expertise and experience on climate change preferably in the Asia-Pacific region;
• More than 7 years experience in climate change related assessment.