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The consultancy will be developed in the framework of the project “Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into the tourism sector in synergy with a further strengthened protected areas system in Cabo Verde”, executed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAA), through the National Directorate of the Environment (DNA), in close collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, and co-funded by the UNDP and the GEF.
The project’s main objective is to safeguard globally significant biodiversity in Cabo Verde from current and emerging threats, by enhancing the enabling and regulatory frameworks in the tourism sector and activating a critical further subset of the national protected areas (PAs) system.
The proposed alternative scenario, supported by the project, will create enabling conditions to mitigate the adverse impacts on biodiversity by the tourism sector in Cabo Verde. The frameworks will be developed at national level and tentatively rolled out in four priority islands – Santiago, Sal, Boa Vista and Maio – where immediate pressure is greatest and urgent action is required that can be replicated more widely in the future. This urgent action includes at the local level the pending operationalization of a number of critical terrestrial and marine/coastal PAs and the piloting of marine biodiversity and artisanal fisheries management together with communities in two selected sites. At the same time the project will harness the opportunities to establish more sustainable tools for PA financing, protected area management and local community development, contributing to the consolidation and diversification of Cabo Verde tourism product, and the sustainability of the destination and the sector. This will be achieved through the following two project components:
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Under Component 1, the project will develop and put in place coherent and effective enabling frameworks (i.e. legal, policy, regulatory and institutional) for enhanced multi-sectoral strategic land-use planning at the landscape level, to focus on the tourism, fisheries and associated real estate/construction and fisheries sectors. This will involve: (1) strengthening the capacity at the institutional/governmental level for integrating biodiversity into the tourism sector, including through Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and related regulations in tourism planning and permitting, and for compliance monitoring and enforcement; (2) the setup of policy mainstreaming committees overseeing policy and planning coherence between tourism development and environmental/biodiversity management, at the national level and on the targeted islands with significant local tourism developments (i.e. Santiago, Sal, Boa Vista and Maio); (3) the development and revision of land-use planning regulations (i.e. SEA, EIA, Special Touristic Zones (ZTEs), Zones of Integral Tourism Development (ZDTIs), Zones of Touristic Reserve and Protection (ZRPT), etc.) so they fully integrate biodiversity concerns, and to ensure their recommendations are implemented and monitored; (4) implementation of SEAs to inform tourism development plans, where there are gaps in destinations where significant tourism development pressure is predicted; (5) the revision of financial tax incentives and licensing processes to integrate biodiversity criteria; (6) the establishment and piloting of best-practice standards for sustainable tourism and voluntary certification for enterprises and destinations; and (7) the design and piloting of innovative PAs financing mechanism, through biodiversity offsets.
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Under Component 2, the project will support: (1) the operationalization of PAs through the development of management plans, ecotourism plans and supporting regulations for 7 in-operational PAs (i.e. one on Santiago, four on Boa Vista and two on Sal) to address existing and emerging threats to biodiversity; (2) identification of new potential Marine PAs (MPAs) sites for inclusion in the national PAs system, through a systematic assessment of biodiversity resources on the marine shelf, and contributing to the development of key missing marine species/habitat management plans; (3) the definition of and implementation of PAs governance, including co-management and conflict resolution mechanisms; (4) agreements on the regulation, management and enforcement of the use of land and natural resources by local communities/resource users; (5) the introduction of biodiversity-friendly and sustainable artisanal fishing in two pilot sites through the promotion and adoption of suitable gear and best practices, the designation of community-enforced no-take zones and seasonal fishing bans, etc.; (6) develop and pilot island-specific, cost-effective PAs revenue generation mechanisms in conjunction with tourism sector stakeholders – these will potentially include, inter alia, gate fees, tourism operator concession fees, ecotourism taxes, and biodiversity offset and reinvestment schemes; (7) installation of a tracking and environmental monitoring program and plan to track the impacts of tourism and fishing in PAs, using participatory approaches; and (8) the preparation and implementation of Informational Education and Communication (ICE) campaigns to promote the role of PAs and sustainable tourism.
More specifically, under Project Output 2.2. “New potential MPA sites are identified, and the representativeness and connectivity of the PA system improved through biodiversity assessments around the marine shelf of target islands”, the project will support processes to identify and declare new MPAs, in order to preserve biodiversity, genetic diversity, conserve ecosystems, to sustain natural assets for tourism experiences, and also to replenish depleted fish stocks.
A team compounded by the international consultant and two national researchers specialized on marine biodiversity, respectively belonging to the National Institute for Fishery Development (INDP) and to the University of Cabo Verde (UVICV), will be in charge to collaboratively develop the technical work associated to the MPA gap analysis.
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Duties and Responsibilities
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The International Consultant will have the following functions and responsibilities:
Develop and agree with the PNUD Country Office (CO) (Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction Unit) and the DNA/PMU, the work plan for the whole consultancy and planned methodology;
Carry out an data collection and reference analysis that will include:
- a. Compilation of scientific and technical literature on MPAs national systems gap analysis carried out in other countries, with special reference to SIDS, and other similar archipelagos.
- b. Extensive compilation of formal and informal literature on marine ecosystems and biodiversity in Cabo Verde.
- c. Data collection, on GIS basis, of resources available at national and international level relevant to the work to be carried out.
Hold meetings with national level stakeholders in order to:
- a. Complete data collection (see point above).
- b. Discuss preliminary findings and the current status of MPAs in Cabo Verde, with specific focus on their territorial structure and conservation/sustainable use of natural resources.
- c. Explore possibilities to structure the methods for the national gap analysis of the MPAs network.
- d.Collect additional feedbacks on potential MPAs sites with limited availability of scientific/technical information.
In collaboration with the two associated national researchers from INDP and UNICV, co-lead a two-day national workshop which will aim to:
- Present and discuss with national stakeholders, international best practices and local lessons learned in MPA system planning.
- Propose a workshop concept/methodology
- Present and discuss the key findings based on current availability of data sets, as well as scattered data and information useful to support the MPAs national network gap analysis and identification of new MPAs.
- Present, discuss and refine the proposed methodology to implement a systematic assessment of biodiversity resources on marine shelf and territorial national waters, and a systematic identification of key ecological areas and corridors and linkages with already established MPAs. The selection of candidate sites will be based on scientifically sound and recognized system-wide criteria and standards. If applicable (e.g. availability of suitable data sets), priority will be given to methodologies based on GIS tools for systematic conservation planning of marine environments/ecosystems available at international level.
Periodically review and discuss, at different stages, with UNDP-CO (Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction Unit), DNA/PMU, associated national researchers the findings and outputs from consultancy mission.
Prepare the consultancy progress Report that will include:
- A brief description of the activities carried out during the first field mission.
- A list of persons met and brief results from these meetings.
- Workshop report and key results/recommendations from the national workshop and other public presentations.
- Annotated compilation of scientific and technical literature on MPAs national systems gap analysis carried out in other countries, with special reference to SIDS, and other archipelagos.
- Bibliographic list and associated assessment of the extensive compilation of formal and informal literature on marine ecosystems and biodiversity in Cabo Verde, carried out by the consultant in collaboration with the two associated national researchers.
- The proposed methodology to develop the MPAs national network gap analysis and associated proposals for the identification of new MPAs.
- Overall findings from the first in-country mission, including constrains and limitations occurred.
Review the consultancy progress Report according to the feedbacks received from UNDP-CO and DNA/PMU, and key stakeholders such as the National Directorate for Marine Economy (DNEM), the INDP, and UNICV; and deliver Progress Report final draft.
Implement approved methodology to develop the MPAs national network gap analysis and associated proposals for the identification of new MPAs.
Prepare the first draft of the consultancy Final Report that will include:
- The approved methodology to develop the MPAs national network gap analysis and associated proposals for the identification of new MPAs.
- The systematic assessment of biodiversity resources on marine shelf and territorial national waters.
- The systematic identification of key ecological areas and corridors and linkages with other MPAs, particularly around Sal, Boa Vista and Maio.
- As annexed documentation, the data sets and bibliographic resources used to develop the analysis and deliver proposals.
In collaboration with the two associated national researchers from INDP and UNICV, co-lead a two-day validation workshop with relevant stakeholders which will aim to:
- Present and discuss the systematic assessment of biodiversity resources on marine shelf and territorial national waters.
- Present and discuss and agreed the systematic identification of key ecological areas and corridors and linkages with other MPAs.
- Discuss, define and agree a road map to establish of the agreed identified sites as new MPAs.
Deliver to the UNDP-CO and DNA/PMU the whole set of data collected within the framework of the consultancy, especially those used to carry out every stage of the gap analysis, including GIS-associated data sets.
Based on the outputs from validation workshop, UNDP, DNA/PMU, prepare the final draft of the consultancy Final Report that will include:
- The approved methodology to develop the MPAs national network gap analysis and associated proposals for the identification of new MPAs.
- The systematic assessment of biodiversity resources on marine shelf and territorial national waters.
- The systematic identification of key ecological areas and corridors and linkages with other MPAs.
- The proposed list of new identified MPAs, with tentative geographical definition of their location.
- Road map to establish identified new MPAs agreed with relevant national stakeholders.
- Overall findings from the consultancy, including i) constrains and limitations occurred during the implementation of the consultancy, ii) lesson learned, and iii) recommendations.
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Competencies
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Corporate Competencies
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and ?adaptability;
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
Functional Competencies
Knowledge Management and Learning
- Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on environmental issues;
- In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.
Development and Operational Effectiveness
- Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in order to communicate complex, ?technical information to technical and general audiences;
- Skill in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations;
- Skill in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others;
- Skill in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise.
Management and Leadership
- Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
- Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.
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Required Skills and Experience
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Education:
- Hold an advanced degree (Master or PhD) with expertise in the area of marine Biology, marine natural resources management, Environment or related fields, or a mix of one degree in those fields, and one degree, or specialization in geography, or landscape/seascape planning, or related fields.
- Additional relevant professional trainings and courses are an asset.
Experience and Skills:
- Have at least 10 years of proven experience in marine natural resources planning and management, and/or MPAs planning and management.
- Have at least one previous professional experience in designing and establishing MPAs national/regional systems/networks. Additional similar experiences, including in identifying single MPAs, are considered as a strong asset.
- Demonstrated track record of production of relevant publications and technical documents on marine ecosystems, marine PAs, seascape planning, fishery resources management, and related fields (papers, project proposals, guidelines, manuals, planning documents, etc.).
- Relevant professional experience in GIS-based seascape planning;
- Previous working experience in MPAs and/or marine biodiversity conservation in SIDS, in archipelagos of the Macaronesian Region, or Sub-Saharan Africa is an asset.
- Previous experience with GEF project development and technical support is an advantage.
Language
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It is required the working knowledge of at least one of the following languages: Portuguese, English, French, or Spanish;
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Working knowledge of spoken and written Portuguese is a strong competitive advantage.
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