Nepal is highly vulnerable to the potential negative impacts of climate change. Consistent rises in annual mean temperature, less frequent but more intensive rainfall events, increasing frequency and intensity of floods, changes in monsoon on- and offset, growing threat from Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF), longer dry spells and drought events, and increasingly stronger storms have already been experienced in Nepal in the past decade. These climate-induced hazards are not only causing damage and loss of human lives and property; they also undermine development progress in Nepal and put the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at risk, including the obligations of, and commitments to the climate change regime.
Nepal has limited organizational capacity to deal with climate change impacts. In Least Developed Countries (LDCs) like Nepal, climate change is a new and emerging priority. For Nepal, since greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are negligible on a global scale, there is no significant comparative advantage in responding to climate change issues through intensified mitigation approaches. Although a cleaner energy path has, to some extent, been taken to meet the obligations of UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, Nepal cannot escape from the consequences of climate change and has recognized the need to take concrete steps to adapt to its adverse effects. Therefore, the development of a National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to climate change has been recognized as an important priority and a starting point for vulnerability reduction in climate sensitive sectors and sub-regions. The NAPA process in Nepal will be lead by Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MOEST) and is supported by UNDP, GEF, DFID and Embassy of Denmark. The NAPA process has three major components: i) Preparation and dissemination of a National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA). ii) Development and maintenance of a Climate Change Knowledge Management and Learning Platform for Nepal. iii) Development of a multi-stakeholder Framework of Action for Climate Change in Nepal.
The purpose of the NAPA Project is to develop a strategic framework of action on climate change that identifies immediate priorities for climate resilient and low carbon development behind which the government, the civil societies and the donors can align their actions in a more synergistic manner. Furthermore, the project will deliver a sharpened, prioritized and costed NAPA document that outlines Nepal’s immediate and urgent priorities in Climate Change Adaptation and will guide the provision of follow-up funding, including financing from the Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) to implement climate change adaptation and climate risk management activities.
Through the NAPA project, UNDP in collaboration with other donor agencies is trying to build national capacity in government and civil society organizations to harness multi-stakeholder inputs on climate change issues through effective coordination among the donors and the partners required for timely delivery of NAPA document, and institutionalize processes that are urgently needed to identify and follow up on most immediate adaptation priorities. This will ultimately involve the strengthening of existing support mechanisms and a new joint stakeholder effort to create an enabling environment for the creation of climate resilient natural and social systems in Nepal, reinforced by systematic access to knowledge and learning.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Support implementation of the NAPA project, and maintain active technical involvement in the NAPA preparation process.
- Provide technical advisory services to government and national stakeholder processes on climate change related issues.
- Undertake systematic stocktaking of knowledge, research and data gaps on climate change in Nepal and identify and/or update capacity gaps at the national level, taking into consideration outputs of the NCSA project.
- Assist the Government of Nepal to develop a follow up programme proposal for the development of a programmatic framework of action on climate change in Nepal.
- Provide support to the NAPA Project Manager (PM) to implement the NAPA project in line with UNFCCC guidelines on NAPA preparation.
- Undertake a systematic inventory of existing climate change and climate risk related information and capacity in Nepal, and identify evident capacity and information gaps in relevant government institutions in Nepal
- Support the selection and identification of priority adaptation actions in Nepal through consultative processes in collaboration with relevant institutions.
- Assist in the definition and management of technical sub-contracts and advisory services within the NAPA process
- Develop strategic partnerships with government agencies and other partners for effective implementation of the NAPA project
- Ensure the quality of technical assessments performed in the course of the NAPA preparation process
- Assist finalization and technical review of NAPA document
- Assist government authorities to identify, frame and address climate risk issues in their day-to-day business and to recognize the added value of becoming involved in NAPA and NC processes
- Advocate for and assist the government to include climate change related information and risk management measures into national policies, plans, and monitoring systems across the affected sectors
- Identify and formulate strategies and tools to integrate climate change and risk reduction activities into specific sectoral policies and plans, including non-climate change initiatives of the government.
- Ensure synergy between the NAPA project and other national and international stakeholders working on climate change and risk reduction issues.
- Provide substantive inputs to the process of preparing climate change policy and strategy for Nepal
- Participate in climate risk management and climate change related workshops and meetings and advise the government on strategic directions to be taken for managing the risks.
- Together with the Climate Change Network Facilitator, develop and organize a systematic inventory of Climate Change projects, activities and stakeholders in Nepal
- Prepare a comprehensive collaborative review and analysis of existing literature and research about climate related vulnerabilities in Nepal.
- Stocktaking of current and proposed adaptation options in affected sectors to address urgent and immediate vulnerabilities because of climate change.
- Prepare a comprehensive synthesis report on existing and potential adaptation options, including evident data, information and financing gaps.
- Contribute to the strengthening of capacity of government and non-government institutions and staff of various government entities to understand the short-term as well as long-term implications of climate change, and the related mitigation and adaptation measures.
- Assist the government to frame a systematic and institutionalized follow-up to priority adaptation actions identified in the course of the NAPA process
- Prepare monitoring and reporting guidelines for a multi-donor and multi-stakeholder Climate Change programme in Nepal.
- Develop a series of NAPA follow up proposals for presentation to a multi-actor Framework of Action for Climate Change in Nepal, which address priority adaptation actions identified in the NAPA process and address critical research and capacity gaps
- Assist in the development of an LDCF funding proposal for the implementation of at least one NAPA priority in Nepal
Competencies
- Technical skills and knowledge on Climate Change issues in developing countries
- Effective communication skills and ability to establish good working relationships with national and local authorities, and international interlocutors
- Ability to work with multi donor funded projects and in government working environment condition
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Ability to travel under harsh conditions within the country whenever required
- Excellent computer literacy
- Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
- Excellent ability to quickly grasp and synthesize inputs from a range of disciplines related to climate change
- Work experience of Asian context a familiarity with a multi-hazard country will be a strong asset
- Excellent networking skills and ability to enhance knowledge and skills of the NAPA preparation team, particularly on climate change issues
- Self-motivated ability to work with minimum supervision
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, team oriented work style, interest and experience of working in multi-cultural environment.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- An advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent, preferably PhD) in disciplines such as environmental science, natural resource management, climate science, or a relevant subject.
Experience:
- At least 10 years of work experience in working on climate change and development-related issues in developing countries.
- Demonstrated technical skills and knowledge on climate change issues, including adaptation and risk reduction
- Proven experience in the methodological issues of hazard and vulnerability mapping, and/or climate change modelling, and proven experience in design of successful NAPA document
- Demonstrated capacity in strategic analysis
Language requirements:
- Fluency in both written and spoken English. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
After the 1st of July 2009, the successful applicant for this position will be offered a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA).