International Consultant to undertake a study on green industrialization in Southern Africa

Result of ServiceThe consultant will review the green industrialization policies and strategies, legal, regulatory and institutional mechanisms in the six study countries, identify best practices in support and implementation, profile mechanisms for financing green industrialization, assess the potency of regional approaches to support green industrialization and propose frameworks to effectively implement the green industrialization policies and strategies to foster innovative climate action, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and harness synergies between green industrialization, climate action, and trade frameworks. Work LocationHYBRID Expected duration6 Duties and ResponsibilitiesBACKGROUND Green industrialization as defined by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization is a form of industrialization that promotes sustainable patterns of production and consumption, including the efficient use of productive resources and energy, low-carbon and low-waste, non-polluting, and produces outputs that are responsibly and sustainably managed throughout their lifecycle. The concept of green industrialization is aligned with the attainment of sustainability through three core transformations namely; the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources; an increase in resource efficiency resulting in the use of raw material or energy processes to produce more resilient and growth-enhancing structures; and fueling the transition to circular economies. Thus, green industrialization focuses on transforming industrial processes to become more resource-efficient, environmentally friendly, and resilient to climate change. The concept of green growth is closely aligned to green industrialization and aims to promote economic growth and development while ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources and minimizing negative environmental impacts. It provides a pathway that seeks to achieve growth targets and development objectives in a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient manner. Within this linkage, green growth provides the overarching framework for achieving green industrialization. It involves developing green infrastructure and promoting renewable energy use. Principally, green industrialization and green growth initiatives can be anchored on agriculture value chains, the exploitation of critical energy transition minerals, the development of renewable energy technologies, the utilization of carbon credit markets; and to leveraging the circular economy for accelerating climate action, reducing poverty and inequality. The key drivers to Southern Africa’s green industrial base include sound industrial policies that are calibrated to facilitate green industrialization. Southern African member States are currently preoccupied with the creation of conditions supportive of green industrialization as a direct response to climate change and the green industrialization imperative. The pursuit of green growth and green industrialization in Southern Africa is anchored on policies and strategies informed by both national development objectives and relevant international trends. In order to build momentum towards a harmonized approach to green industrialization in Southern Africa with a view to taking advantage of the trade opportunities under the Tripartite Free Trade Area and the African Continental Free Trade Area, a need to align and harmonize industrialization policies and strategies across national boundaries is imperative. Furthermore, developing green regional value chains in Southern Africa through special economic zones requires the harmonization of national and regional green industrialization strategies leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the commitments by SADC and COMESA. As part of the implementation of the UNDA 17th Tranche project on Innovative Climate Action to Accelerate Green and Inclusive Industrialization in the Southern Africa Region being rolled out in collaboration with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) sub regional office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) seeks to recruit a consultant to undertake a study on profiling green industrialization in Southern Africa focusing on the experiences of six countries – Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The study will elaborate the policies and strategies, the challenges, and attendant opportunities in green industrialization. The overall project objective is to strengthen the capacity of the six countries to develop and implement innovative green industrialization policies and strategies that foster inclusive and sustainable industrialization. The study should document best practices and draw lessons for policy and strategy adaptation in the pursuit of green industrialization, effectively harnessing synergies with climate action and trade policy frameworks and mobilizing the needed financial resources. Furthermore, it should identify sectors and regional value chains could help jumpstart green industrialization and propose a framework to anchor the process. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Under the general supervision of the Chief of Inclusive Industrialization Section, ECA SRO-SA and the direct supervision of the Economic Affairs Officer, and the overall guidance of the Director SRO-SA, the consultant will undertake a study on green industrialization in Southern Africa focusing on the experiences of six countries - Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The consultant will work with SRO-SA and the focal points in the six study countries and other stakeholders to: • Review and profile the status of green industrialization (inclusive and sustainable industrialization) initiatives, structural transformation, climate action frameworks (including NDCs), and trade in key green industrial value chains in Southern Africa focusing on the experiences of six countries and conduct a thorough evaluation of policies, strategies, legal, regulatory and institutional mechanisms to support green industrialization and green growth, • Review relevant regional and international inclusive and sustainable industrialization and transformation policies, strategies, and frameworks and outline how these have been/or could be domesticated in the study countries, identify the minimum conditions for successful green industrialization in the six countries and the elaborate the mechanisms for adaptation, • Isolate best practices in supporting green industrialization, including through South-South trade, from within Southern Africa and outside the region (Africa-wide and world-wide) and propose mechanisms for adaptation and domestication in the study countries, • Review the different mechanisms for financing green industrialization initiatives and programmes, considering opportunities to link green industrialization and climate action, and propose strategies appropriate for the member States in the face of constrained access to international financial resources, • Evaluate the role of regional strategic and policy framework alignment in leveraging regional digitalization initiatives to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and enhance the region’s green industrial base; • Outline mechanisms to support green industrialization through investments in reliable and efficient energy infrastructure, including transmission and distribution networks, to support regional renewable energy integration, • Propose mechanisms for technology transfer, green skills development and technology diffusion, including among MSMEs, to support green industrialization and green growth, • Articulate, based on best practices, frameworks to effectively implement the green industrialization policies and strategies to foster innovative climate action, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and harness synergies between green industrialization, climate action, and trade frameworks, • Propose a regional cooperation and coordination framework to promote green industrialization support cross border value chains development and the just energy transition and • Present the findings and recommendations of the study to review meetings at national level for validation. As part of her/his assignment the consultant will regularly share findings and information, and participate in coordination meetings with experts in charge of preparing other regional studies on renewable energy, MSMEs and circular economy, and technology upgrading as part of the UNDA 17th Tranche project on Innovative Climate Action to Accelerate Green and Inclusive Industrialization in the Southern Africa Region. These exchanges and meetings will aim to avoid duplication and maximize synergies between the consultant’s work and that of the other three regional experts. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or Equivalent) in either development policy analysis, industrial development, economics, or development economics IS REQUIRED. A first-level University Degree in combination with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree. A PhD will be an added Advantage. At least 5 years’ professional experience in any of the following: environmental policy analysis, industrial policy development, regional integration, international development, and economic development with extensive knowledge and understanding of industrialization in Southern Africa including in any of the six project countries IS REQUIRED. Proven experience in advising government and/or development partners on sustainable development policy, industrialization or environmental policy at a senior level IS REQUIRED. Sound knowledge and understanding of the green industrialization, regional integration and sustainable development and sound knowledge of the Agenda 2030, SDGs and SADC and COMESA industrialization policies. Excellent reporting analysis, research, and writing skills IS REQUIRED. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy assignment, fluency in English IS REQUIRED. Knowledge of the other is an advantage. Knowledge of another UN Language is an advantage. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.