Project Concept Design Consultant-Tuvalu
JOB DETAIL
Organizational Setting: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP’s Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This consultancy post is in the Ecosystems Division’s Climate Change Adaptation Unit (CCAU) (Nature for Climate Branch). Background: UNEP promotes increased action and investment in climate change adaptation, with a focus on incorporating nature-based solutions as part of an overall adaptation strategy. UNEP supports developing countries in accessing funding to address their climate change adaptation needs, including funding from several multilateral funds established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Adaptation Fund was established in 2001; it supports developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, in increasing their resilience through concrete adaptation projects and programmes that reduce the adverse effects of climate change facing communities and sectors. The Adaptation Fund provides funding to LDCs and SIDS to address their immediate and urgent climate change impacts identified through the country Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Policies on Climate Change, National Communications on Climate Change and National Adaptation Plans. The Government of Tuvalu has requested UNEP’s support to develop a new USD 10M project for Adaptation Fund financing, focused on enhancing water security for vulnerable communities in Tuvalu through aquifer restoration with ecosystem-based approach. Access to freshwater is a fundamental human right and basis for healthy life, but safe water is not always readily available or accessible, especially for the small island countries. The effects of climate change, especially sea-level rise and frequent droughts, which contribute to saltwater intrusion to aquifers, further exacerbate these issues. In addition, poor sanitation systems cause natural coastal ecosystems to deteriorate, thus weakening natural defenses against coastal erosion. Such is the case of Tuvalu, where, heightened by the effects of climate change, water scarcity and poor sanitation systems impose on the nation’s already vulnerable state. Shallow groundwater, on which Tuvaluan communities rely on during dry periods, is easily polluted through wastewater due to the extensive use of pit latrines and septic tanks and through livestock and other type of waste including chemicals (medical, batteries, oils and fertilisers etc.), in absence of sewerage treatment facilities in Tuvalu. These conditions further increases the risk of water borne diseases and potential degradation of coastal ecosystems and therefore, pose additional challenges to country’s water security. To address these challenges, the Government of Tuvalu (GoT) has implemented a number of projects, including the “Integrated Sustainable Wastewater Management (EcoSan) for Tuvalu” (2008-2014) and “The Tuvalu Ridge to Reef Project: Groundwater investigations on Nanumea and Nukufetau atolls” (ongoing from 2015) and “Managing Coastal Aquifers in Selected Pacific SIDS” (ongoing from 2020) projects funded by GEF and Strengthening Water Security of Vulnerable Island States project (2014-2019), funded by New Zealand. This project aims to build a more resilient and sustainable water sector for Tuvalu and strengthen its natural defenses for its coasts by applying ecosystem-based adaptation approaches. The project is expected to build on the outcomes of the completed and ongoing projects, in particular the Managing Coastal Aquifers in Selected Pacific SIDS” project . The objective of this project is to reduce the vulnerability of the people of Tuvalu to the impacts of climate change by enhancing water security. Measures to enhance water security are expected to respond to the urgent need for solutions, thus, being effective for short- to medium-term droughts. These include: Rainwater harvesting • Provision of water conservation products and water tanks. • Training for installation and maintenance of rainwater harvesting systems. • Awareness on water conservation and water sector governance and planning. Invest in nature-based solutions to reduce exposure to climate related threats • Assessment of groundwater resources across all 9 islands, focusing on both quality and quantity (water table and yield). This will involve include modelling of groundwater flow and mass transport, to determine the hydrological system under different scenarios, including interaction of saltwater intrusion and recharge. • Conduct restoration and management of a coastal aquifer and enhance water provisioning services.Strengthen community understanding of climate risk and ability to restore and maintain ecosystem services and functions for securing water supply. To improve sanitation systems and promote health of natural coastal ecosystems, the project will intervene through: • Assessment of key challenges and gaps in water and sanitation sector and determine suitable sanitation practices for each island. • Undertake feasibility study on preferred options • Implementation of preferred, appropriate sanitation practices in selected islands. The project interventions will be designed to reduce the vulnerability of local communities to the intensifying impacts of climate change, including Sea Level rise (SLR), storm surge, floods and inundation, changing rainfall patterns, droughts, and increasing temperatures. The project will enhance the knowledge and understanding of people in Tuvalu on sustainable water management practices, increase household water supply as well as provide options for alternative sources of water as reserve. It will also improve the coastal ecosystem through sanitation practices in order to restore and build Tuvalu’s natural defenses against the effects of climate change that affect its water security and coastal areas.
UNEP (Climate Change Adaptation Unit, Ecosystems Division) will be the Adaptation Fund (AF)’s Multilateral Implementing Entity (MIE) for the project. Partnerships for the development, implementation and monitoring of the project will be further identified and developed during the concept note development phase. Duties and Responsibilities: The consultant will lead the development of the concept note for submission for Adaptation Fund Board approval. For the development of the concept note, the consultant will work closely with and coordinate inputs from UNEP and senior key experts from Ministry of Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment (MoHACCE), Ministry for Public Utilities and Environment, other Government agencies, development partners and academia. In addition, the consultant will work closely with the UNEP Task Manager and Portfolio Manager, as well as the MoHACCE focal points. Specific tasks that the consultant is responsible for include: Task 1: Develop the project Problem statement, Theory of Change and intervention strategy • Undertake one mission to Tuvalu, as required and organize consultations with key stakeholders in Tuvalu and collect all information needed for the development of the concept note; • Undertake a problem and solution tree analysis, and develop the project problem statement that aligns with this (including baseline drivers of vulnerability, root causes and barriers to proposed solutions). Ensure that the climate and non-climate drivers and their interactions are fully integrated, and consider the multiple plausible systems futures; • Develop the project Theory of Change and intervention strategy. Ensure that the project strategy responds directly to the adaptation challenges identified in the problem statement, accurately reflects the needs and capacities of targeted communities, and prioritizes interventions in target islands. Task 2: Draft and prepare the concept note for submission to Adaptation Fund Board • Develop the description of project adaptation alternative (components, outcomes and outputs). Develop outcome statements that capture the project’s specific focus on reducing vulnerability to climate change. Define project output statements as tangible and measurable deliverables; • Coordinate and confirm the selection of the project sites, articulate the rationale for their selection and develop a detailed map of the sites; • Undertake community-level consultations to explore and test the proposed project intervention strategy and to ensure the proposed adaptation options are appropriate and robust across different futures; • Identify lessons learned and good practices from relevant initiatives, for replication and/or upscaling through this project and ensure that the project intervention strategy aligns with lessons learned; • Identify other ongoing and planned initiatives for the project to coordinate and collaborate with; • Draft all sections of the Adaptation Fund concept note template, integrating information on Adaptation Fund requirements as outlined in the template and in the accompanying guidance; • Screen the project for environmental and social safeguards risks using UNEP’s screening tool (Safeguard Risk Identification Form, SRIF); • Complete the UNEP’s Quality Enhancement Checklist (QEC) . Task 3: Processing review sheets • Respond to Government and UNEP’s internal review comments, including reviews by the UNEP Task manager, Adaptation Portfolio Manager, Safeguards advisor, and Concept Review Committee (CRC), and undertake required revisions; • Respond to Adaptation Fund Board secretariat review comments and undertake required revisions, until the concept note is approved. Reporting lines The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNEP Task Manager, with overall oversight from the UNEP Adaptation Portfolio Manager. The consultant will work very closely with the focal points at the MoHACCE and a national consultant to provide local context and expertise.
