National Expert, Climate Resilience – Nepal at Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

B. Climate Adaptation and Resilience for South Asia Project

South Asia has experienced a long period of robust economic growth, which has translated into declining poverty and impressive improvements in human development. However, these long-term development gains are increasingly threatened by the staggering social and economic impacts of climate-related hazards. A recent World Bank study[1] concluded that 800 million (or 44 percent) people in South Asia today live in locations that would become moderate or severe climate hotspots by 2050 without climate action. Therefore, countries in the region need to preserve and enhance their social and economic growth by investing in climate-resilient development.

With the financial support from the World Bank Group, ADPC and the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) are jointly implementing a five-year (2020-2025) project, titled “Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) for South Asia”. The project aims to create an enabling environment for climate resilience policies and investments in Climate Resilient Agriculture, Integrated Water Resources Management, Resilient Transport Infrastructure, and Policy, Planning and Finance sectors. Through its regional portfolio, ADPC will also facilitate high-level dialogues for institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange, develop climate-resilient guidelines, and promote innovation and adoption of disruptive technology at national and regional levels. The national-level activities will initially be implemented in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

CARE for South Asia project’s proposed activities are aligned with the adaptation priorities identified in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) of Nepal. This shall include interventions to (i) develop and/or strengthen strategic and policy frameworks for climate smart agriculture and integrated water resources management; (ii) develop an implementation plan to roll out the climate change financing framework in select provinces; (iii) support the integration/ operationalization of the recently updated Climate Change Policy 2019 and development LAPAs; and (iv) help develop resilient road networks and scale-up plan for advanced bio-engineering slope stabilization solutions.

In the above context, ADPC will procure the services of an experienced National Expert on Climate Resilience – Nepal who provides technical advisory and support to ensure implementation and achievement of the project objectives for the ADPC’s country office in Nepal. S/he will be selected on a competitive basis following the World Bank Procurement Regulations and retained on a part-time basis.

The National Expert’s primary role covers:

· Providing expert advice and consultative support to the members of ADPC’s country office in Nepal, especially to the Country Project Lead, on country and region-specific issues of and policy strategies for climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and climate resilient development;

· Supporting the capacity and relationship-building to meet the wider needs of the stakeholders to be reached out and to benefit from the existing climate adaptation institutions and initiatives in the country; and

· Participating in national, regional and global events to highlight best practices and learning of the CARE for South Asia project from Nepal as part of wider knowledge-sharing.

C. Statement of Intent

National Expert on Climate Resilience­ – Nepal will help to improve output performance and increase the quality of the technical products and outcomes based on standards set by the World Bank.

It is also expected that National Expert will support the project’s sustainability by strengthening in-house technical capacities of ADPC’s country office in Nepal in key sectors and facilitate wider dissemination of the project outputs and outcomes beyond the geographical confines of the project.

Note:

It is not the intent of this Terms of Reference to cover every aspect of the position requirements, rather to highlight the most important areas of personal and joint responsibilities.

D. Duties and Responsibilities

The detailed functions of the National Expert on Climate Resilience­ – Nepal include:

1. Advisory and consultative support

⁃ Provide strategic advice to the Country Project Lead and sector specialists on the implementation of the activities and achievements of the project’s goals and objectives.

⁃ Review and ensure that project outputs and reports are delivered to the required quality standard, in line with agreed specifications of the Work Plan and other commitments.

⁃ Undertake periodic review of the implementation strategies of the ADPC’s country office in Nepal, identifying potential gaps and solutions and ensuring incorporation of lessons learned into ongoing implementation.

⁃ Provide advice and support in technical updates on climate resilience, including new technology and innovations, tools and approaches that can be applied in the project.

⁃ Work with and support the Country Project Lead to coordinate with Sector Focal Points (SFP) of the Project from participating Government departments in Nepal and other stakeholders to maximize program impacts and deepen partnership of program stakeholders.

2. National level capacity and relationship-building

⁃ Provide technical inputs to the project’s national activities and initiatives such as policy dialogues, thematic fora, and other outreach events and missions.

⁃ Represent ADPC at relevant national/regional/global meetings, where required, expand exposure, disseminate impact and lessons learned, and involve in the promotion or follow-up of the project.

⁃ Establish effective communication channels and develop close ties with existing and new national and regional partners and initiatives.

⁃ Provide technical support for the national initiative of demand-driven scientific research and advisory services targeting subnational public institutions and agencies in collaboration with regional and national centers of excellence.

E. Qualifications

The candidate should hold a Master’s degree (Ph.D. is desired) and have a minimum of 15 years of professional experience in climate change adaptation and resilient/sustainable development

Professional record should include experiences in:

· Strategic analysis, policy making, planning and programming for climate resilience and mainstreaming

· Leading and maintaining policy dialogue with high-level government counterparts

· Excellent English writing and communications skills

Experience in working with Government of Nepal is highly desired. Nepali nationals are preferred for this position.

F. Reporting Relationships

The National Expert will report to the Project Director and work in close coordination with the Nepal’s Country Project Lead.

The expert will submit a time-charging sheet every month explaining the type of inputs and a summary of deliverables every quarter to ascertain the level of efforts.**

G. Contract Duration

The contract duration will be 120 days stretched over a period of 1 year. It will be a time-based contract.

H. Selection Method

The consultant will be selected in accordance with ADPC’s recruitment process and in compliance with the World Bank Procurement Regulations.