Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
The Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) promotes integration of innovative approaches in the activities of the Organization, for the sustainable use, management and conservation of natural resources for food and agriculture. OCB assists FAO Members in their responses towards the challenge of climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as the development of adaptive capacities of agriculture, fisheries and forestry for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and other natural resources. It provides a coordination role on climate change, biodiversity and the environment. The Office also serves as the focal point for a multidisciplinary and global approach to UNFCCC, CBD and topics on bioenergy as well as on Globally Important Agriculture Heritage Systems, ecosystem restoration and green and climate resilient agriculture.
The NDC Enhancement Support Team (NEST) in OCB strengthens FAO’s longstanding work to address climate change in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors and supports countries participating in the climate change negotiation processes within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Call purpose

The purpose of this Call is to identify suitably qualified and experienced consultants to populate a roster for the following Carbon market specialist and Climate finance specialist profiles:
–    Development climate finance expert – AFOLU/agriculture sectors;
–    Carbon Finance Expert – agriculture sectors;
–    Voluntary Carbon Market expert;
–    Expert on market and non-market approaches under Article 6;
–    Carbon finance project development specialist;
Candidates may be involved in more than one profile orientation. Candidates may be invited to undertake assignments to a maximum of 11 months. The possibility of extension is subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the resources and needs of the Organization.

Reporting Lines

The Consultants will report to the Senior Natural Resources Officer in Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB)

Technical Focus 

The Consultants will work for the Climate action for Resilient Agriculture Transformation (CARAT) Value Added-impact Area (VAIA) under the organizing principle of “Better Environment”, linked to the Programme Priority Area (PPA) on “climate change mitigating and adapted agrifood systems”, as well the organizing principle of “Better Life”, linked to the PPA on “scaling up investments”. The consultants will bring technical expertise on international climate finance, domestic and international carbon finance, voluntary carbon markets and the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, in a view to support countries’ climate actions in the agriculture sector across all production systems and associated natural resources.

Tasks and responsibilities 

Based on their competencies and expertise, each candidate will perform a selection of the following key functions:

Carbon finance – analysis and policy 

–    Assess carbon finance flows – historical and prospective – to the agriculture sectors and food systems;
–    Analyze carbon finance projects in the agriculture sectors and food systems to draw lessons for country engagement in future opportunities and further global and national carbon market and policy development;

–    Review evolving carbon finance opportunities, standards and methodologies of relevance to the agriculture sectors, value chains and food systems;

–    Assess potential of evolving voluntary carbon market to finance food systems transformation under climate change at global, regional, national levels and for different sub sectors;

–    Prepare country and regional analysis on current and proposed use of market and non-market approaches for the implementation of NDCs;

–    Support climate finance access for developing countries, including the development of readiness and project templates related to the implementation of Article 6 and carbon finance projects;

–    Prepare guidance materials to support countries in identifying and pursuing suitable carbon finance options in the agriculture sectors;

–    Support countries in adapting their policy and regulatory frameworks to take advantage of evolving carbon finance opportunities while safeguarding national interests, ensuring environmental integrity and the rights and needs of vulnerable groups;

–    Support the development of a strategy for FAO support to member countries on capitalizing on carbon finance   including relevant partnerships;

–    Develop content for dissemination and capacity building products (technical webinars, policy briefs, analysis).
–    Identify and recommend potential projects and programmes on the voluntary carbon market for the Organization to engage;

–    Stock take of FAO projects and programmes to identify entry points for carbon finance at country, regional and global level;

–    Prepare country and regional analysis report on capacity building needs on the implementation of institutional arrangements for Article 6;

–    Develop a monitoring system to track Carbon Markets-related activities for both internal FAO and external market analysis.

Carbon finance – design and implementation

–    Assess the possible implementation of carbon projects under the requirement of Article 6 at country and regional level;

–    Support the development of a “How to Guide” to assess carbon market opportunities and access relevant opportunities benefitting relevant stakeholders in developing countries, in particular governments and Small and Medium Size Entreprises (SMEs);

–    Assist FAO member countries interested to assess opportunities, requirements and eligibility to engage in carbon market projects;

–    Support and strengthen capacities of countries in assessing relative merits of different carbon finance opportunities in light of country circumstances – biophysical, policy, and institutional/capacity;

–    Support the origination, evaluation, and management of agriculture and food systems related carbon finance project pipelines where requested by member countries

–    Carry out feasibility studies/assessments of specific carbon finance (project) opportunities
–    Conduct financial and economic analysis of potential carbon projects to assess viability and appropriate financing models

–    Support carbon finance project development, implementation and M&E;
–    Support development and implementation of capacity building and readiness projects to implement Article 6.

Carbon markets – MRV

–    Review and provide an overview of standards and methodologies in voluntary carbon markets and compliance markets or relevance to the agriculture sectors (crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries) and food systems;

–    Review MRV requirements for different methodologies, standards and market segments and assess feasibility (for developing countries), complementarity with existing public data and information systems in different contexts;

–    Assess cost of MRV (compliance) for specific carbon finance opportunities and contexts;
–    Assess the applicability and pilot applications of innovative technologies in improving accuracy and/or reducing cost of MRV for carbon finance in the agriculture, in particular related to opportunities for small and medium producers;

–    Assess readiness of different agriculture sub sectors and production systems for carbon finance in view of MRV requirements and existing capacities, to identify early upscale opportunities as well as key priority areas for further development of methodologies and MRV protocols;

–    Support development of methodologies for carbon finance in priority areas;
–    Provide technical guidance and capacity development support to countries and partners on MRV for carbon credits (under article 6 and the voluntary carbon market);

–    Develop content for dissemination and capacity building products (technical webinars, policy briefs, analysis);
–    Support and backstop South-South/peer to peer learning on MRV for carbon finance.

Climate finance analysis and policy

–    Support the development of climate-related finance analysis in the agriculture and land use sectors;
–    Develop qualitative and quantitative analysis of climate-related finance opportunities in the agriculture and land use sectors;

–    Support the internal coordination activities to develop an Organizational strategy on climate and carbon finance;
–    Support climate finance access for developing countries, including the development of readiness and project templates related to the implementation of Article 6 and carbon finance projects;

–    Perform analysis on climate change, agriculture and land use policy;

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in Economics, Finance, Climate policy, Environment engineering, and Agriculture, Environment, Forest Sciences;
•    One to four years (for Category C), at least five years (for Category B), a minimum of twelve years (for COF Category A) or fifteen years (for PSA Category A) of relevant experience in issues related to climate change, climate finance, carbon markets, carbon finance project implementation, and climate, environmental, forestry and agriculture policy analysis.
•    For consultants, working knowledge (proficient level C) of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of one of the other two, or of Arabic, Chinese or Russian.  For PSAs, working knowledge (proficient – level C) OF English, French, Spanish Arabic, Chinese or Russian.

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Knowledge of climate finance architecture, with a focus on carbon finance;
•    Knowledge and working experience in the field of addressing climate change are essential
•    Demonstrated experience in ensuring the transparency and accountability of carbon market programmes and carbon market operations is an asset
•    Knowledge of UNFCCC negotiations and decisions, and climate change policy environment;
•    Paris Agreement’s Article 6 implementation;
•    Carbon finance-related project development and management;
•    Climate policy research;
•    CDM and Market mechanism design.
•    Knowledge of the UN system