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National Implementation Specialist to Support the Institutionalization of the REDD+ in the MoE/RTS

About the position

• Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Deadline: 10-Jan-23 (Midnight New York, USA)
• Language Requirement: English
• Type of Contract : Individual Contract
• Duration of Initial Contract : Form 80 days (January 2023 to August 2023)

Background

Over the past two decades Cambodia has realized exceptional rates of economic growth averaging over 7% prior to the pandemic, with persistent declines in poverty and rapid improvements in human development. Yet Cambodia faces several development challenges. Pressures stemming from Cambodia’s rapid progression as a Middle-Income Country (MIC) have tended to be resource and carbon intensive, resulting in environmental challenges and natural resource depletion. For example, forest coverage has been declining for decades, and from 2010 to 2018 shrank from 57 percent to less than 47 percent of national territory.

To sustain Cambodia’s vital ecosystems and environment, the Government has implemented environmental governance reforms. These include new policies and legal frameworks, jurisdictional reforms resulting in the creation of protected landscapes that cover 7.4 million ha of land (41% of the country), a new draft Environment and Natural Resources Code, decentralization of natural resource management functions and a moratorium on new economic land concessions. The government has also embraced the REDD+ agenda.

REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries) is a global policy initiative under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to tackle climate change threats by addressing emissions from the forest and land use sector. The goal of REDD+ is to halt forest degradation and deforestation, and promote forest conservation, sustainable management and forest enhancement through policy approaches and positive incentives to developing countries.

Cambodian national development policies, strategies and programmes have incorporated REDD+ as part of their strategic agendas. Guided by the Warsaw Framework for REDD+, Cambodia has established four interconnected elements as part of its national REDD+ architecture: 1) a National Strategy or Action Plan (NRS), 2) a National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS), 3) a Safeguards Information System (SIS), and 4) a Forest Reference Emissions Level/ Forest Reference Level (FREL).

The implementation of the REDD+ Program generates relevant challges that demand action to refine and institutionalize the REDD+ institutional arrangements through an reformed institutional structure within MoE organogram. This reform must be defining processes, roles, and mandates of the institutions responsible for REDD+ implementation at national and subnational levels valided by the MoE, RTF/RTS, as well as coordination, monitoring, and reporting lines across institutions at various levels agreed with all the actors involved.

UNDP has been a key partner of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to support Cambodia in REDD+ readiness phase through the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Cambodia is now in REDD+ transition stage, moving Readiness phase to Implementation phase. A new REDD+ regulatory framework has been developed and is currently under consideration by the RGC for official endorsement. A nested framework will be operationalized following official endorsement of the regulatory framework, sub-decree and prakas. Under the business-as-usual scenario, the national REDD+ programme during the readiness phase is supported through REDD+ Secretariat based in the Ministry of Environment (MoE). It is, however, well understood that to move from readiness to implementation and then to performance phases an institutional restructuring is needed to strategically position the REDD+ secretariat as a separate unit within the MoE organogram to deal issues related to stakeholders’ engagement, policy and innovation, implementation of projects and programmes at different jurisdictional levels.

UNDPwill continue to extend and strengthen its technical support to the RGC during this critical stage of transition. A detailed concept note has been developed in consultation with the RGC to institutionalize and strengthen the REDD+ secretariat in order to cope with the current transitional period and to be able to adopt under a regulatory framework.

The FCPF Readiness support is going to end in December 2022 and a continued support to the RGC in advancing REDD+ transition is much needed. As a reflection of the long-standing development partnership between the RGC and UNDP, Cambodia is part of UNDP’s Climate Promise 2.0, focusing on Institutionalizing and strengthening of the REDD+ Secretariat in the MoE, along with other areas of support. Such activities have been aligned mainly to finalize and strengthen activities related to manage the REDD program as monitoring and the implementation of the nested framework and results-based payments; assessing the extent to which climate finance and markets can contribute to meeting climate targets; establishing the steps required by NDC; and ensure the institutional arrangements to implement the forest component in the NDC through Cambodia’s Investment Plan for REDD+. These actions – all together – require adequate institutional arrangement, availability of human resources and transparent as well as efficient operational management,to fast-track REDD+ transition and long-term sustainability is ensured. in the current institutional framework of the RCG to give the system sustainability over time.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Specialist will perform the following key functions:

A.  Provide technical support on the institutionalization and strengthening of REDD+ program in the Ministry of Environment and integration of the LULUCF/FOLU sector with the national climate policy framework.

B. Support REDD+ Secretariat in the organization of consultations, training and activities related to the institutionalization process of REDD+. 

C. Support the integration of REDD+ and broader, the LULUCF/FOLU sector into national climate policy framework

D. Contribute to producing knowledge products related to the institutionalization process of REDD+.

A.Provide technical support on the institutionalization and strengthening of REDD+ program in the Ministry of Environment.

  • Prepare a comprehensive policy and guidance document no more than 30 pages (excluding annexes) on the institutionalization and strengthening of REDD+ through critical analysis of existing national and international policy documents; identifying further support needed to create enabling environment.
    • Collect and review REDD+ institutionalization process followed by other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and/or FCPF/UN-REDD countries.
    • Inlcude a roadmap document about the implementation process. This section should be central in the consultation process with the government.
    • In line with the approved Concept Note of REDD+’s Institutionalization by the REDD+ secretariat and close coordination with REDD+ Secretariat, as an annexes of the policy and guidance document, prepare Terms of References of various technical positions proposed in the new REDD+ structure. The terms of reference should follow standard format in compliance with UNDP and REDD+ Secretariat and outline various roles, responsibilities, and outputs/deliverables.
  • Maintain close communication with MoE through UNDP team based in REDD+ Secretariat to ensure strong feedback on background documents and meeting reports prepared in line with activities related to REDD+ institutionalization and strengthening.
  • Ensure the gender approach set by Country Office (CO) in such a way fulfils the UNDP’s global indicator related to alternatives and consultation processes.
  • Review reports and documents translated in Khmer for broader access to information and reports by the key stakeholders.

B. Support REDD+ Secretariat in the organization of consultations of Action and Investment Plan (AIP) for the Implementation of the National REDD+ Strategy

  • Support and facilitate  consultations with key stakeholders in coordination with UNDP and REDD+ Secretariat.
  • Prepare a Report no more than 20 pages (excluding annexes) about the consultation process for the AIP of the National REDD+ Strategy which has the following points:
    • Outlining methodologies (relevant stakeholders/working groups, method, etc) and develop the material required to facilitate the consultation (concept notes, information materials, PPTs, etc).
    • Systematize the information and report the process as well as elaborate the respective outputs.
    • Incorporate the results and make adjustments to the AIP of the National REDD+ Strategy.
    • Provide recommendations to update the National REDD+ Strategy based on the findings of this assignement.
  • Consultation process will consist of at least two sessions. In session one, Consultan will present AIP and collect inputs, while session two, Consult will present a new version of AIP with inputs included. Additional sessions, if needed, will be agreed with the consultant.
  • Ensure the gender approach set by Country Office (CO) in such a way fulfils the UNDP’s global indicator related to alternatives and consultation processes.

C. Support the integration of REDD+ and broader, the LULUCF/FOLU sector into national climate policy framework.

  • In consultation with the Government, UNDP Cambodia, UNDP Forest and Climate team, and stakeholders (to be define with CO) provide technical assistance and develop a report no more than 30 pages (excluding annexes) to enhance and scaletet potential synergy areas between the LULUCF/FOLU sector and the NDC and the Long-Term Strategy of carbon Neutrality (LTS4CN). The report should consider:
    • Collaborate in integrating various climate finance initiatives and various policy documents that represent opportunities to implement LTS4CN/NDC, especially those linked to carbon markets and climate finance.
    • Consider other forest-carbon initiatives related to looking for collaboration opportunities and strengthening the integration of REDD+ in the national climate policy framework.

D. Contribute to producing knowledge products related to the institutionalization process of REDD+.

  • Develop three knowledge products based on the previous key functions:
    • Product 1: Blog on institutionalization and strengthening of REDD+ program in the Ministry of Environment (800 words)
    • Product 2: Blog on consultations of Action and Investment Plan (AIP) for the Implemnetation of the National REDD+ Strategy (800 words) 
    • Product 3: Blog on integration of REDD+ and broader, the LULUCF/FOLU sector into national climate policy framework (800 words)
  • Ensure strict adherence to approaches such as do-no-harm, gender-based, and leaving no one behind (LNOB) in all activities and those approaches are strategically incorporated in all knowledge products on safeguards (if correspond).

Competencies

Functional competencies:

  • Forest and development: Knowledge of forestry and development and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
  • Climate change: Knowledge of climate change Including climate change international regime) and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
  • Climate finance: Knowledge of climate finance concepts and instruments and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
  • Resource mobilization: Ability to identify and organize programmes  and projects to implement solutions and generate resources 

Corporate competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards. 
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
  • Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

  • A Bachelor or preferably a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Economics, or other closely related fields.

Experience:

  • Master with at least 2 years or Bachelor with at least 5 years of relevant professional work experience on issues related to climate change, forestry, conservation, natural resources management, forest economic policy and community development livelihoods.
  • At least 5 years of working experience in REDD+-related project support.
  • Experience in leading and/or supporting activities related to institutional structuring and governance in governemnt and other organization, will be considered as asset
  • Proven experience and knowledge of the country’s institutional framework, environmental regulation and climate policies related to forests and climate management.
  • Experience in working with multi stakeholders including the government and development partners.
  • Experience of implementing programmes across the UN agencies and across the Royal Government of Cambodia are definite advantages.
  • Expeirence in writing and/or supporting preparation of national report or policy documents and knowledge products.
  • Experience in writing blogs or communication materials

Language Requirement:

  • Fluency in spoken and written Khmer and English.

How to apply

Note: This position is open for national of Cambodia only. 

You need to apply online.

For more detail Click here