Climate Change Adaptation Economics Modeler (Consultant)

UNDP Environment and Energy Group (EEG) is based in UNDP’s Bureau of Development Policy and is responsible for providing leadership and technical support to delivery of the Environment and Sustainable Development pillar of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. Its main focus is on helping countries develop the capacity to fully incorporate environmental sustainability into development at national and local, but also global and regional levels. The principal areas of work are in environmental mainstreaming, environmental finance, adaptation to climate change, and local governance of resources, including energy. With its technical focus, the Environment and Energy Group is organized into substantive technical teams with a Principal or Senior Technical Advisor (PTA/STA) being the team leader within each area. Each team leader supports and guides a team of Regional Technical Advisors (RTA). As well as being a member of a technical team, each RTA is also a member of a regional team, which consists of RTAs from all technical teams working together under the leadership of a Regional Practice or Team Leader. The regional teams are based in regional service centres from where they support UNDP’s Country Offices and partners in their region. The role of an RTA is to provide high quality technical guidance and support to policy and project development and implementation partners, primarily UNDP Country Offices but also other UN agencies, governments and inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, donors, etc. The PTAs and RTAs are also responsible for providing detailed knowledge related to sources of funds for environment work, and assisting partners to obtain, use, and report on, such funding. Currently the main sources of funds include: the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and its Adaptation Funds (LDCF, SCCF); the CDM carbon market; and various bilateral, multilateral, and sub-national donors and partners including Governments, NGOs, and the private sector. EEG is in the process of expanding its capacities to assist countries access the voluntary carbon markets, the private sector, the UNFCCC Adaptation fund, and, if they become available, mechanisms associated with reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).

Duties and Responsibilities

The services of technical experts on the topic of economics of climate change adaptation are being sought by UNDP for the period February 2012 - December 2013. The experts willprovide technical leadership on climate change modeling as it relates to programming work on climate change adaptation in the context of support for the development of low emission climate resilient development strategies (LECRDS) supported by EEG’s Environment Finance Group (EFS). The Consultant will provide services directly to the PTA/STA and RTAs as well as other clients engaged in UNDP's oversight of adaptation initiatives (financed by GEF/LDCF, SCCF and other sources of funds) at the national, sub-national and local levels. Duties and Responsibilities: Provide technical guidance on the economics of adaptation in support of UNDP’s LECRDS programmes, including production and analyses of economic impacts and adaptation-related data (obtained from numerical models); Identify and develop specific programmes and projects that apply or develop innovative cutting-edge climate change economic impact analysis and modeling; Provide guidance on the most appropriate methodological framework for the vulnerability and adaptation studies, including the modeling tools needed for economic impact assessments, consistent with the scope of work, the characteristics of project area, technical expertise required, resource constraints and data availability; Provide scientific guidance on model development (e.g. watershed, ecosystem, and agricultural models) for various scenarios to support physical and economic climate change impact and adaptation assessment in a given territory; Apply economic modeling tools, techniques and guidelines in support of LECRDS in the context of MDG achievements at national and local levels and organize in-house awareness and training on the use of methodologies and tools; Assess and review technical rigor of estimates of climate change-related impact data as well as model development produced by UNDP supported initiatives at the national, sub-regional and community level; Assist in the scientific aspects of developing methodologies and capacity development tools and guidelines in support of LECRDS, especially as they pertain to data and use of analytical models in climate change impact and adaptation assessment; Technical input support to country projects seeking to understand the impacts of climate change on their country and how to adapt within the various EEG thematic clusters; Develop and conduct training and skills development programmes to enhance the capacity of national teams and regional and local government to assess the economic impact of climate change as well as various adaptation options by accompanying regional authorities and technical staff, through on-line and on-site technical assistance, procurement of information, processing and technologies and learning and knowledge sharing management services; Develop and deliver guidance on the use of climate change economics impact and adaptation modeling tools and techniques, to the network of UNDP Regional Offices in charge of assisting Country Offices in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of projects requested by member states; Develop partnerships with institutions building integrated assessment models of climate impacts, mitigation, and adaptation; Substantive guidance to Country Office teams and project beneficiaries in the identification and application of the most appropriate climate change economic impact and adaptation modeling tools and techniques to support physical and economic climate change impact assessments. Deliverables: Create guidance notes/reports on: (i) analytical data on economic impacts of climate change adaptation; (ii) methodologies for the vulnerability and adaptation studies, including modeling tools required for economic impact assessments; (iii) model development (watershed, ecosystem, and agricultural models) for various scenarios supporting climate change impact and adaptation assessments; Develop specific programmes and projects that apply innovative, cutting-edge climate change economic impact analysis and modeling; Develop training and skills development programmes to enhance capacity of national teams, regional and local governments to assess economic impacts of climate change as well as various adaptation options; Develop guidance note on the use of climate change economics and adaptation modeling tools and techniques.

Competencies

Ability to demonstrate sufficient technical knowledge to perform effectively and independently; Willingly provides support to others in UNDP who request advice or help; Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically; Ability to design and synthesize ideas and concepts and integrate approaches into a cohesive, unified direction; Ability to work with multiple stakeholders across a wide range of disciplines; Displays open, cooperative behavior with other team members.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Master's degree or higher in economics, environmental studies or closely related fields. Experience: At least 3 years of experience in the field of environmental economics or closely related fields; Experience in policy development processes associated with environment and sustainable development issues; IT literacy, familiarity with e-presentation techniques and ability to operate with on-line web-based applications; Excellent drafting ability, presentation and communication skills, both oral and written; ability to explain complex issues to UNDP staff and other partners. Language Requirements: Fluency in written and spoken English.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence

Climate Change Adaptation Economics Modeler (Consultant)