Consultant for National Data Collection and Analysis for Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu and Development of Project Proposal of the Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan Stage at UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme: (Deadline 17 September 2023)

Work LocationHome-base

Expected duration12 months

Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Environment Programme is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The Law Division works with international and non-governmental organizations, national and local governments, business and industry to develop and implement policies, strategies and practices that are cleaner and safer, incorporate environmental costs, use natural resources efficiently, reduce pollution and risks for humans and the environment, and enable the implementation of Conventions and international Agreements.

UNEP OzonAction Branch under the Law Division is one of the four Implementing Agencies under the Multilateral Fund (MLF) for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the overall guidance of the Programme Management Officer-Southeast Asia Network and the Pacific Island Countries Network of UNEP CAP Asia and the Pacific Office and specific guidance of the ExCom Coordinator based in Paris, the consultant will work closely with the National Ozone Units (NOUs) of Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu and local consultants engaged by the NOU of Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga.

The consultant will be home-based and shall mobilize adequate time and resources to carry out the assignment within the agreed time frame and shall demonstrate a strong commitment to completing the assignment. The consultant shall consider actions in the data collection, consultations and preparation that will allow gender policy and efforts to be integrated within the strategy and Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan as much as possible.

The main tasks and responsibilities of the consultant are as follows (for each country, unless otherwise specified).
1. NATIONAL SURVEY FOR DATA COLLECTION AND DESK STUDY:

For Nauru, Niue and Tuvalu, the consultant will work closely with NOUs to directly undertaking nation-wide data collection. For Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga, the consultant will guide NOUs and local consultants in conducting the nation-wide data collection. Under this task, the consultant shall:
(i) Identify the type of data to be collected, target groups for data collection and developing methodology of the nationwide survey.
(ii) Support in finalizing national questionnaires for different target groups of the survey as per the questionnaires developed by UNEP.
(iii) Conduct data collection and desk study in Nauru, Niue and Tuvalu.
(iv) Provide technical support and guidance to the NOUs and local consultants during the data collection and desk study stages in Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga. Support in reviewing data collected, identification of areas where additional data may be needed and guide the NOUs and local consultants on how to improve the quality of analysis.
(v) In consultation with UNEP, provide advice to countries to take remedial actions to overcome the problems that may arise during the data collection.

Data collection and desk study under this task includes the followings:
(i) National wide survey to update HCFCs, HFC and alternatives consumption data for 2019- 2023
(ii) Yearly RAC and MAC equipment imports/manufactured/assembled for 2019-2023 and average lifetime of RAC and MAC equipment and development trends.
(iii) Institutional and legislative set up for the enforcement of the Montreal Protocol-related regulations.
(iv) Situation of refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) and mobile air-conditioning (MAC) servicing sector including servicing behaviors, servicing workshops/technicians and the situation of the vocational training/certificate system for RAC and MAC servicing technicians.
(v) An inventory of equipment relying on HCFCs, HFCs and alternatives, through reaching and mapping out large end-users and importers of equipment relying on HCFCs, HFCs and alternatives,
(vi) Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the demand of equipment relying on HCFCs, HFCs and alternatives during the baseline years if any.

2. SURVEY DATA ANALYSIS ON HCFC, HFC AND ALTERNATIVES CONSUMPTION DATA AND ESTIMATION OF FUTURE CONSUMPTION:

Based on the survey results, the consultant will take the lead in the establishment of the current consumption of HCFCs, HFCs and alternatives by substance and by sub-sector/sector. The consultant will review the state of alternative technologies, commercial viability and availability, and market penetration in each sub-sector/sector and develop a technology roadmap including priority sectors in conjunction with a servicing sector capacity development plan. Under this task, the consultant, in collaboration with NOU (and local consultants), shall
(i) Conduct analysis of usage of HCFCs, HFCs and alternatives data during 2019-2023 by substances and by sub-sector/sector and reconciling them with import statistics.
(ii) Provide an estimate based on sound methodology of the HFC baseline, and consumption projection by substance and by sub-sector/sector from 2024 under both business-as-usual scenario (BAU) and with KIP intervention.

3. ASSESSMENT OF CHALLENGES AND NEEDS FOR HFC PHASE-DOWN:

Based on the survey results, the consultant will highlight lessons learned, challenges, policy and capacity gaps and needs to be considered to support each country for HFC phase-down in close coordination with the NOUs (and local consultant). Data analysis and assessment of challenges and needs under this task includes but not limited to the followings:
(i) The experience and lessons learnt from the implementation of the HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMPs).
(ii) Challenges and needs in phasing-down consumption of HFCs taking into account the full phase-out of HCFCs by 2030.
• Licensing and quota system for HFCs and data reporting and monitoring to ensure accurate data reporting and to prevent illegal trade of HFCs.
• Phase-down or phase-out of specific HFCs with high GWP (the country can decide on the GWP threshold) or use of HFCs and adoption of low GWP alternatives in particular sectors/applications.
• Maintaining/enhancing energy efficiency and safety issues related to the phase-down of HFCs and adoption of low-GWP alternatives.
• Sustaining the capacity building of customs and enforcement as well as safety related authorities.
• Regulating servicing sector and sustaining capacity building of servicing sector e. g. codes of good practice and standards, systematic recording of refrigerants and their handling.
• Awareness raising.
• Other components as needed.

4. COUNTRY REPORTS ON DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS AND CHALLENGES/NEEDS:

The consultant will be responsible for preparing the country report on data collection, analysis and challenges/needs. For example, the following information should be in the report:
(i) Results of the nationwide survey on the import and export of HCFCs, HFCs and alternatives as well as inventory of HCFCs, HFC and alternatives-based RAC and MAC equipment
(ii) Current and future consumption of HCFCs, HFCs and alternatives by substances and by sub-sector/sector and information on how HFCs are being used in different applications
(iii) Current regulations regarding the import of HCFCs, HFCs, and alternatives and RAC and MAC equipment relying on these substances as well as other related regulatory and standard frameworks, (iv) Existing national policy frameworks of related fields such as energy efficiency of RAC equipment, cooling strategy, greenhouse gas emission, safe transport, storage and handling of flammable/hazardous substances, occupational safety, green procurement etc.
(v) Review of the state of alternative technologies, commercial viability and availability in country and development of a technology roadmap including priority sectors in conjunction with a servicing sector capacity development plan.
(vi) The infrastructure of servicing sector e.g., number of technicians, servicing workshops, vocational schools and available equipment in the TVET system.
(vii) Given the Multilateral Fund and UNEP policy on gender mainstreaming, the national policy framework for the Kigali HFC Implementation Plan shall also include policy intervention for gender mainstreaming.
(viii) Challenges and needs to fill any gaps with regard to policy, regulatory and institutional framework on the above topics to ensure the sustainability of the HFC phase-down

5. DEVELOPMENT AND FINALIZATION OF NATIONAL STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN TO PHASE-DOWN HFC CONSUMPTION IN 12 PICS:

Based on country reports on data collection, analysis and challenges/needs of Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu prepared by the consultant and country reports on data collection, analysis and challenges/needs of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to be provided by UNEP (prepared by another consultant), the consultant shall analyze information contained in each country reports to understand the context and further develop national strategy and action plan to phase-down HFC consumption in each of 12 PICs to assist these PICs to comply with its first two HFC phase-down obligations under the Kigali Amendment during implementation of the Stage I of the Kigali HFC Implementation Plan e.g. a freeze at baseline consumption levels from 2024-2028 and a 10% reduction from the baseline by 2029. The consultant will work with the NOU of each 12 PICs to obtain feedbacks and comments from national stakeholders and UNEP. The consultant will incorporate feedbacks/comments to finalize the national strategy and action plan of each PIC, which will be submitted to NOU of each PIC and UNEP respectively.

6. DEVELOPMENT AND FINALIZATION OF THE OVERARCHING HFC PHASE-DOWN STRATEGY AND PROJECT DOCUMENT OF THE REGIONAL KIGALI HFC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN STAGE I FOR THE 12 PICS:

Based on the finalized national strategy and action plan of each PIC, the consultant in close collaboration with NOUs of 12 PICs and UNEP will develop overarching strategy of the Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan and further develop project proposal of the Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan Stage I for 12 PICs in accordance with the guidelines of the Executive Committee with consideration of integration with the existing HPMP Stage II. As this is a regional project, the project proposal of the Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan Stage I for 12 PICs shall also include regional strategy and action plan in addition to the national strategy and action plan of each 12 PICs. The first draft should be submitted to UNEP, in electronic format, for review and comments. The consultant will incorporate comments from UNEP in the draft, which will be further circulated to the NOUs of 12 PICs for its national consultation process. Based on feedback and comments obtained from stakeholders’ consultations and UNEP, the consultant will finalize the proposal of the Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan Stage I for 12 PICs. The consultant will submit the final project proposal of the Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan Stage I for 12 PICs with the budget table of the funds request by activities and by country to UNEP and the NOU in electronic format for final approval and submission to the Multilateral Fund Secretariat. Given the Multilateral Fund and UNEP policy on gender mainstreaming, the national policy framework for the Kigali HFC Implementation Plan shall also include policy intervention for gender mainstreaming.

7. SUPPORTING THE DELIVERY OF STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS: The consultant will assist the NOUs (and the local consultants) to

(i) For Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, the consultant will assist the country in conducting stakeholder consultations with industry, policymakers and relevant stakeholders to launch the preparation, data collection, validate data and finalize the country reports on data collection, analysis and challenges/needs.
(ii) For all 12 PICs, the consultant will assist the country in conducting stakeholder consultations with industry, policymakers and relevant stakeholders to obtain feedbacks/comments to finalize the national strategy and action plan of each PIC and to finalize overarching HFC phase-down strategy and project document of the Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan Stage I for the 12 PICs.

8. SUPPORT UNEP IN THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION AS REQUESTED FROM THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL MULTILATERAL FUND SECRETARIAT:

The consultant will provide inputs and support to UNEP in providing responses to comments from the Multilateral Fund Secretariat and to revise the overarching HFC phase-down strategy and project proposal of the Regional Kigali HFC Implementation Plan Stage I for the 12 PICs following recommendations and requests of Multilateral Fund Secretariat.

Qualifications/special skills

ACADEMIC:
Bachelor’s Degree in science, engineering, environment, public or environmental policy, development studies or a related field relevant to this assignment is required. Other academic qualifications in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the bachelor’s degree.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• At least 5 years of working experience in project development, project implementation or data analysis and reporting is required.
• Prior experience in working with governments in Asia and the Pacific region on Environment/Energy/Climate Change is desirable.
• Prior working experience with international organizations, and/or intergovernmental organization at the global, regional and national level is desirable.
• Experience in working on the Montreal Protocol including Kigali Amendment related areas and implementation of country projects such as Institutional Strengthening Project (IS), HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP), ozone depleting substance (ODS) alternatives survey and data verification, Enabling Activities Project for HFC phasedown (EA) and development of Country Assessment Report under the framework of EA project is desirable.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
• Demonstrated skills in data analysis, developing reports, organizing technical workshops, stakeholder consultations for international organizations at regional/national level is required.
• Knowledge of refrigeration and air conditioning sector, greenhouse gases and their global warming potential (GWP), uses of HFCs, linkages of climate change and HFCs, energy efficiency in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector, and national policy and legislation system for the Montreal Protocol implementation is desirable.

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken English is required

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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