| Description |
|
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become engaged in the process of preparing for the future international mechanism Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). The Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism (MECNT) is managing this process in partnership with the United Nations programme for REDD (UN-REDD) and the World Bank (FCPF Program). It was launched in January 2009 with a first joint mission with the MECNT, the three UN-REDD programme partner agencies (UNDP, FAO, UNEP), the FCPF and stakeholders (civil society, NGOs, etc.). In May 2009, a first “fast start” budgetary appropriation from UN-REDD enabled the work to be started. The programme coordinator was hired, as well as a technical consultant. In August 2009, the process was officially launched at a workshop conducted by the Minister of the Environment.
At the end of March 2010, a first step was achieved with the approval of the country’s plan for preparation for REDD (R-PP) by the UN-REDD Policy Board, and FCPF Participants Committee. THE DRC now has a solid internationally recognized road map and sizeable funding to launch the programme’s implementation.
At the heart of the preparation process, National Coordination REDD (NC-REDD) is playing a pivotal role. It was established in May 2009 and officially instituted by ministerial decree in November 2009 and is being managed by the MECNT and the Ministry of Sustainable Development. NC-REDD managed the process launch works: launch workshops in Kinshasa and in the provinces, awareness raising and information meetings in partnership with the civil society platform on climate and REDD (GTCR), writing the R-PP and technical preparation of its different components: institutional organization, information, education, communication and consultations, technical studies on the causes of deforestation, lessons from past experiences, scoping for needs and the process regarding the institutional and regulatory framework for implementation, reference scenario, carbon Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system, Social and Environmental Strategic Analysis (SESA), MRV of social-environmental and governance co-benefits, etc.
With the finalization and approval of the R-PP, NC-REDD’s role has evolved: after having “pulled” and managed the preparation process, it must now “push” it by re-focusing its efforts on supporting the different stakeholders in the R-PP’s implementation. Implementing the road map to prepare for REDD now falls under the National Committee-REDD, which is responsible for gathering all the stakeholders, including the DRC Presidency and Prime Minister, as well as several key ministers, the private sector and civil society, under the presidency of the MECNT. National Committee REDD is now the decision-making and orientation authority. This committee brings together most key ministers for process REDD+, and its vocation is to provide for the planning and sectional implementation management. It enables to provide for the harmonization and integration of National Committee REDD decisions with regard to the different ministries’ sectional strategies and programmes. NC-REDD provides a key role of support, encouragement and coordination of these two committees.
NC-REDD works are being organized in order to cover the national preparation road map’s four components. They are being placed under the responsibility of the Director of Sustainable Development of the MECNT, and managed by a National Coordinator and Principal Technical Consultant. In addition, NC-REDD is comprised of two transversal technical experts, one IEC expert as referent of Component 1 (Coordination and IEC+), a project manager responsible for Component 2 (strategy development), another project manager for Component 3 (pilot projects), two administrative and financial assistants and office staff. Technical consultants from UNDP, UNEP and FAO, international consultants for Components 2, 3 and 4 (anticipated programmes), and young citizen graduates with high potential for developing skills are supporting this team.
These terms of reference fall under the work of NC-REDD and are in regard to the preparation for Component 4. The REDD+ Specialist will be responsible for formalizing the guidelines for the work in Component 4 and for developing six detailed programme documents based on the first documents already produced in the second quarter of 2010, intended for Cancun. To do so, he/she can rely temporarily on two national consultants and one international consultant. He/she will also come to rely on support from transversal technical experts and work closely and transparently with the entire NC-REDD team and its partners within the government and national assembly, decentralized and deconcentrated departments, civil society, the private sector, the academic world, and international technical and financial partners.
Among the six potential programmes developed for COP16 in Cancun, the mission team will have to prepare detailed financing files. These files will be in the form of substantial documents of about one hundred pages, and the files considered a priority following COP16 in Cancun shall be developed and finalized.
The REDD+ Specialist will also coordinate all the anticipated programme contributions to the national preparation process, including by sustaining the Thematic Coordination Groups that will be instituted on each REDD+ sectional or transversal option, the various studies and other national experience sharing activities, and the development of technical, institutional and regulatory tools for implementation (MRV carbon, MRV co-benefits, SESA, legal framework, National fund and governance mechanism, REDD+ revenue distribution rules, etc.). This work will be conducted with all the stakeholders on the component’s perimeter, and shall facilitate the development, dissemination and harmonization with various UN-REDD work, assistance to decision-making and national process planning authorities, dialogue with stakeholders and development of a shared national vision, facilitation of consensus and arbitrage, etc.
Within this context, the specialist will also review initiatives directly or indirectly relating to REDD+ from among the DRC’s technical and financial partners.
|
Duties and Responsibilities
|
|
Under the responsibility of the Poverty Team Leader, general supervision of the Director of Sustainable Development of the MECNT, and direct supervision by the CTA UN-REDD and National Coordinator REDD, the REDD Specialist REDD+ shall be responsible for four principal duties:
- Management of Component 4;
- Development of the six detailed anticipated programmes;
- Review of REDD+ initiatives by the technical and financial partners;
- Coordination and integration.
More specifically, this will consist of (but will not be limited to):
Management of Component 4:
Component 4’s principal aim is to have the DRC enter the concrete large scale REDD+ operationalization to raise visibility, the sense of accessibility, and the credibility of perspectives for access to international funding, reduced emissions and development. Therefore, the primary goal of each anticipated programme is to obtain and secure substantially reduced emissions linked to deforestation and degradation in the medium term (as of 2015). Moreover, Component 4’s work will also result in: educating on the development of the national REDD+ strategy, which must end in 2012, and contributing to the implementation and increased power of actors in the field, whose responsibility as of 2013 will be to provide for deployment of the strategy at the local and national level.
It is also essential for the REDD+ Specialist to develop a monitoring and management mechanism for Component 4 for the year 2012. This scoping and planning work must be executed in a spirit of transparency, participation and inclusion. It will require from the consultant that he/she perform the following:
- Gather the methodological components on the anticipated programmes’ selection process (FIP logical framework, ROSE method, etc.) to guide the selection of future programmes;
- Consult key actors to establish the list of possible options and gather the relevant contextual elements to support the selection process;
- Create a framework document reviewing the logical thought process, future selections and overall management of Component 4;
- Design methodology for cost assessment and scenario modeling for REDD+ according to the various sectors considered as options (Thematic Coordination Groups). Organize workshops with international expertise to finalize methodologies and train TCG members for implementation. Follow-up implementation and consolidate the reports to feed national strategy.
Development of the investment plan 2012-2016:
The specialist will prepare the national investment plan for REDD+ 2012-2016.
He/she will mainly coordinate with other components and work flows within the national coordination, for example the team in charge of the Forest Investment Programme, the experts on reference levels, MRV, implementation framework, standards etc.
He will also build on the six anticipated programmes, and develop the financing files based on the framework documents prepared for Cancun.
These files must include the following elements:
- Context and stakes;
- Potential and justification;
- Synthesis of the relevant national and international experiences;
- Strengths and weaknesses of the DRC to conduct the programme successfully;
- Opportunities and threats, and capitalization, development and bypass measures;
- Strategic goals in ten years and operational goals;
- Plan for mobilization of the actors and principal sites;
- Action plan per site in three years;
- Investment needs;
- Expected qualitative and quantitative results, including in terms of reduced emissions linked to deforestation and forest degradation.
To develop these files, the specialist will rely on National Coordination and its partners to collect the required bibliographic information, and consult and validate the hypotheses gradually. Among the sources, note the work of Component 3 on the pilot projects, the work of Component 2 and that of the different thematic coordination groups, as well as studies conducted in association with the REDD process (review of past experiences for the fight against deforestation and degradation, analysis of sectional programmes within the different ministries within the framework of the UNDP’s support for the DSCRP, preparatory work for SESA, etc) or by various partners (UNEP, World Bank, technical partners, international agencies, NGOs, etc.).
Revue of REDD+ initiatives by the technical and financial partners:
The REDD+ Specialist will review programmes from the DRC’s technical and financial partners. First, he/she will propose an analytical grid of the programmes based on analysis of Component 3’s pilot project with regard to REDD+ initiatives and projects. Based on meetings and bibliographic review, he/she can then organize and map the different direct and indirect contributions by the DRC’S international partners on REDD. This work will be consolidated under the form of a framework document to monitor international financial support to REDD+, including REDD+ finance but also REDD-related finance linked to projects that are seeking compliance with REDD+ objectives.
This will support Component 3’s coordination efforts, and will also help support the consolidation process for REDD+ financing and activities for the national record and management of backers.
The specialist will then monitor the financial flows related to projects and programmes supported by international partners and report on a quarterly basis.
Coordination and integration:
The REDD+ Specialist shall provide for the overall coordination of his/her team and implementation of his/her perspective with all the NC-REDD work and REDD process in its broad meaning. He/she shall thus respect the national process’ principles, particularly transparency, inclusion, participation, and sustainable capacity building in technical and management terms.
The REDD+ Specialist shall particularly ensure that Component 4’s information and teachings will support the needs of the other NC-REDD components. He/she can, for example, contribute to certain thematic coordination groups (for example, GCT “farming sedentation,” “alternative energy wood,” “agroforestry,” etc).
He/she will also provide for extension and distribution of the mission’s work, monitor the participative process, and improve discussions and dialogue, in support for the actors’ empowerment. He can organize syntheses, dissemination notes, lead trainings, etc.
Impact of the Results:
Design of programmes and entry of DRC into the REDD+ phase 2 (Investment Phase). Development and set-up of the strategic framework for REDD+ early implementation. Contribution to the overall success of the participatory construction of the national REDD strategy.
|
Competencies
|
|
The principal aptitudes and skills required as are follows:
- Proven technical skills in the field of mitigation of climate change, environmental and natural resources management, and if possible, with REDD+;
- Proven technical skills in the area of strategic planning, development and implementing of projects:
Evaluation and audit skills;
- Strategic and technical analysis skills;
- Transversal skills on key technical subjects for the mission: environmental economics, property law, agronomics, rural development, etc.
- Leadership and the ability to take initiatives;
- Proven ability to plan, organize, and implement activities effectively;
- Great capacity to coordinate and work in a team, including in complex environments;
- Excellent aptitude in communicating orally, stimulate and facilitate dialogue;
- Excellent writing qualities;
- Knowledge of the United Nation’s essential procedures and values.
|
Required Skills and Experience
|
|
Education:
- Master’s degree in management, environmental economics, social sciences, or development.
Experience:
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in designing and implementing programmes in the field of development or environmental management;
- Solid experience in the area of developing and implementing programmes;
- Experience working in REDD+ related assignments;
- Experience working in Central Africa is an asset.
Language requirement:
- Perfect command of French;
- Knowledge of English is considered an asset.
|
| Click here for important information for US Permanent Residents ('Green Card' holders). |
|
