TECHNICAL SPECIALIST (CLIMATE CHANGE)
Location : Gaborone, BOTSWANA
Application Deadline : 02-May-12
Type of Contract : FTA International
Post Level : P-4 Languages
Required : English
Duration of Initial Contract : One year renewable
Background
Botswana is vulnerable to the potential negative impacts of climate change. Consistent rises in annual mean temperatures, less frequent rainfall events, increasing frequency and intensity of floods, and changes in rainfall seasons have already been experienced in Botswana 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 Botswana and put the possible achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at risk, including the obligations of, and commitments to the climate change regime. Also, because climate change impacts reach across the development spectrum, our responses must be multidisciplinary and as wholistically as possible.
Botswana has limited organizational capacity to deal with climate change impacts which is a new emerging priority for the country.. For Botswana, 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, Botswana 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 Botswana will be lead by the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism (MEWT) and is supported by UNDP under the GoB –UN POP. 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 Botswana; and
(iii) Development of a Multi-Stakeholder Framework of Action for Climate Change in Botswana.
The purpose of the NAPA 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, civil society organizations(CSOs) and the donors can align their actions in a more synergistic manner. Furthermore, NAPA will deliver a sharpened, prioritized and costed NAPA document that outlines Botswana’s immediate and urgent priorities in Climate Change Adaptation and will guide the provision of follow-up funding, to implement climate change adaptation and climate risk management activities.
Under the guidance and supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative, the Technical Advisor for Climate Change will be recruited internationally, in accordance with the UNDP recruiting procedures and appointed by UNDP to serve as the full-time Technical Advisor for Climate Change . The position will belocated within the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife & Tourism with active liaison with sectors both within and outside the MEWT.
Technical Advisor for Climate Change will provide advisory services on climate change as a development issue and in particular take responsibility for the delivery of programme outputs within the GoB-UN POP Results and Resources Matrix on Climate Change by supporting the relevant government, Civil Society Organisations and Private Sector agencies to deliver on their designated outputs.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Undertake systematic stocktaking of knowledge, research and data gaps on climate change in Botswana and identify and/or update capacity gaps at the national level, taking into consideration outputs of the GOB UN POP.
• Together with the Department of Meteorological Services, develop and organize a systematic inventory of Climate Change projects, activities and stakeholders in Botswana.
• Prepare a comprehensive collaborative review and analysis of existing literature and research about climate related vulnerabilities in Botswana.
• Stocktaking of current and proposed adaptation options in affected sectors to address urgent and immediate vulnerabilities because of climate change.
• Prepare comprehensive knowledge products 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.
• Build capacity to strengthen Botswana’s voice in the forthcoming climate change negotiations.
• Support the development of comprehensive strategies to tackle and adapt to climate change.
• Help enleash Botswana’s low-carbon development potential.
• Support the development of, and implementation of, a national resource mobilization strategy for climate change adaptation and mitigation activities.
The Technical Advisor for Climate Change assumes a facilitative and catalytic role to Implementing Partners for the Climate Change Sub-component of the GoB-UNPOP and other components as appropriate.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Provide advisory input into the preparation of a more detailed narrative on the institutional roles, responsibilities, coordinating actions and feedback mechanisms of program related partners.
• Advice on training needs for national institutions and other stakeholders.
• Design and guide the process of generating specialist inputs to the UNPOP on climate change, (e.g reports) to be generated within the scope of the programme and improves such reports in accordance with the expectations of the Government of Botswana and major stakeholders.
• Advice on preparation of national Greenhouse Gases (GHG) inventories according to the guidelines for the preparation of National Communications (17/CP.8).
• Advice on the preparation of vulnerability assessment and adaptation strategies.
• Provide advisory input into the preparation of a comprehensive National Action Plan (NAP) for adaptation.
• Facilitate the participatory development of negotiating positions and strategies for the Government of Botswana for meetings of the COP of the UNFCCC.
• Advice on preparation of GHG mitigation strategies
• To prepare inputs into the management reports (progress, exception, etc) in accordance with timetables established by the programme manager.
• To design a resource mobilization strategy and conduct resource mobilization meetings.
• Support relevant national agencies to attain effective representation of the GoB-UNPOP at meetings and other appropriate regional and international fora.
• Serve as a link between the Programme and the international community in-terms of facilitating knowledge sharing and benchmarking.
• To identify deficiencies in the operational aspects of all climate change activities and make recommendations for improvement for the benefit of the nation.
• Provide coordination and help organize collaboration on climate change issues
• Contribute to the development and implementation of a climate change policy for Botswana.
• Analyze MEWT communication strategies and interaction of DMS with the media to ensure the public is kept appraised on climate change issues
• To assess the systemic, institutional and individual capacity needs required to successfully implement the REDD programme.
• Support Department of Forestry & Range Resources (DFRR) to evaluate socio-economic data to assess drivers of deforestation and degradation and to propose mitigation measures for implementation
• Identify appropriate areas for REDD based on the conservation priorities, and a consideration of projects that would also abate the impacts of climate change
Competencies
Functional Competencies
Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda
• Creates effective advocacy strategies
• Performs analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of institutional responses
Building Strategic Partnerships
• Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build strategic alliances relevant to UNDP’s mandate and strategic agenda.
• Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners.
• Promotes UNDP’s agenda in inter-agency meetings
Innovation and Marketing New Approaches
• Seeks a broad range of perspectives in developing project proposals.
• Identifies new approaches and promotes their use in other situations.
• Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking.
• Makes the case for innovative ideas from the team with own supervisor
Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing
• Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches.
• Identifies new approaches and strategies that promote the use of tools and mechanisms.
• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office
Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise
• 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.
• Able to lead others to solve complex problems using technical knowledge and skills relating to clean energy, climate change adaptation and mitigation projects (e.g., developing CDM projects), and adaptation measures.
• Apply a high level of technical expertise in work in relation to the international CDM procedures and requirements.
• Excellent computer literacy in Microsoft Office (word, excel, outlook) and web-based applications.
• Excellent ability to quickly grasp and synthesize inputs from a range of disciplines related to climate change.
• 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.
• Performed analysis of political situations and scenarios, and contributes to the formulation of
institutional responses
Uses the opportunity to bring forward and disseminate materials for global advocacy work and adapts it
for use at country level
Core Competencies:
• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents
• Building support and political acumen
• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation
• Building and promoting effective teams
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication
• Creating an emotionally intelligent organization
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent, a PhD is an advantage) in disciplines such as environmental science, natural resource management, environmental economics and climate science.
Experience:
• Minimum 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 modeling, and proven experience in design of successful NAPA document.
• Familiarity with the United Nations Framework for Combating Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology, United Nations Convention and Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD).
• Experience in preparing scenarios for GHG abatement.
• Demonstrated capacity in strategic analysis.
• Waste Management and Environment.
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.
Closing Date: Wednesday, 02 May 2012
