NICARAGUA : INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT TO SUPPORT PROJECT PORTFOLIO LINKED WITH NDC
INTRODUCTION TO GGGI
The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Project: Mobilizing Climate Finance and Private Investments for Low-Carbon Development in Nicaragua
- Duty Station: (Hybrid, remote and on-site work)
- Contract Duration: 01 May 2024 - 31 December 2024
- Number of Workdays Estimated (internal purpose only): 176
- Consultant Level: Level 2
- Total Fees: USD 11,440 (USD 65.00 / per day)
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Nicaragua relies on concessional international climate finance from development partners to finance its development and climate change objectives. However, the achievement of Nicaraguaโs NDC targets requires a substantial increase in the volume of public and private, national and international climate finance invested in the country. The significant investment and efforts required for Nicaragua to implement its development and climate change plans risks being hampered by the 2018 attempted coup, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Eta y Iota, which hit the country, almost simultaneously, after a prolonged period of high debt-financed public infrastructure investments, deteriorating the countryโs economic outlook, shifting priorities towards economic recovery, and reducing fiscal and policy space to pursue priority climate change initiatives. Although international climate finance offers some relief to the countryยดs growing debt to GDP ratio, the decreasing level of international aid and limited private sector participation in the countryโs development agenda undermines the long- term sustainability of this fiscal approach.
As a result of the limited fiscal space and decreasing ODA resources, the Government of Nicaragua is facing the necessity and challenge of increasing access to international climate finance and private sector contribution to the countryโs NDC targets, with two main barriers limiting progress:
- Barrier 1: Limited institutional, governance and planning capacity of the SCCP, MHCP, BCN and SIBOIF to integrate environmental, social and climate change considerations into financial planning and debt instruments.
- Barrier 2: Local financial institutionsโ limited capacity to integrate environmental, social and governance standards into their systems, processes and instruments hindering access to finance for low-carbon projects and enterprises.
The proposed Readiness grant tackles identified climate finance barriers supporting the Government of Nicaragua develop strategic frameworks to enhance access to international climate finance, and promote private sector investments in mitigation and adaptation plans by:
- Developing Nicaraguaยดs National Climate Finance Roadmap to plan, enable and guide the access and use of domestic and international climate finance.
- Supporting Nicaraguaโs capital marketยดs readiness assessment and advancing go-to-market activities for a sovereign green bond issuance and debt for climate swap transactions to raise affordable long-term finance earmarked to climate change adaptation and mitigation projects and programs.
- Greening Nicaraguaโs banking sector by providing technical assistance to regulators and local financial institutions to integrate environmental.
Hire a consultant to support the implementation of the GGGI GCF Readiness project in Nicaragua, regarding activities with the National Designated Authority NDA, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA). The Consultant will be responsible for the implementation of the activities assigned by MARENA and detailed in this TOR It includes support in the identification and management of environmental projects linked to Nationally Determined Contributions NDC, including the identification of financial resources, risk management and preparation to access climate financing.
The Consultant will ensure that all deliverables are of high quality and validated with government counterparts, in compliance with the NDAโs, GGGIโs and GCFโs policies and procedures.
OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
- Collaborate with NDA (MARENA in Spanish) and the institutions responsible for the formulation stage of environmental projects in the identification of resources necessary for project formulation.
- Support the monitoring and tracking of progress of different projects, identifying deviations, and recommending corrective measures as necessary, identifying and evaluating risks that may arise during the execution of projects.
- Advise on Institutional preparation according to the climate financing strategy, identifying, and evaluating the sources of climate financing available for Nicaragua.
- Analyze requests for climate financing from national and international entities.
- Manage the relationship with the financing entities during the execution of the project and perform other functions that are required by NDA, which are related to the operation of National and International Projects and Agreements.
DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE
- Reports from formulation sessions with MARENA and the responsible institutions.
- Documents identifying resources necessary for the formulation of environmental projects linked with NDC.
- Review and propose improvements to the monitoring and follow-up plans of the different projects.
- Periodic reports on the progress of projects, with analysis of results and recommendations to improve their effectiveness.
- Recommendations on corrective measures that resolve delays in the implementation of projects.
- Risk matrix for each project, identifying potential risks, their probability and impact.
- At the end of the assignment the consultant shall submit the Final Report which should reflect the outcome of all activities prepared by the consultant. The report should also give recommendations for further activities to be conducted to secure a long-term sustainable development of the measure.
EXPERTISE REQUIRED
- Graduate in bachelor's or engineering degrees related to economic, administrative sciences, environmental sciences, project management and administration, or other related disciplines.
- General professional experience of five (5) years.
- At least two (2) years of work experience in government or private institutions that execute projects financed with funds from multilateral or cooperation organizations. This includes specific demonstrable experience in the formulation, implementation, monitoring and/or management of climate change projects.
- Skills in applying tools and techniques for the evaluation of environmental projects.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to work autonomously and in a team.
- Knowledge and use of computer tools at the user level of Microsoft Office, Excel, Power BI, among others.
- Knowledge of the English language is desirable.
- Excellent writing skills and clear transmission of ideas.
*Note 1) The consultant will report to the Project Manager and the Nicaragua GCF NDA Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA in Spanish).
*Note 2) During the first week of assignment the consultant will define the reporting arrangements of the consultancy, in consultation with the NDA and the Project Manager.
*Note 3) The consultant may be required by either the NDA or Project Manager to work within the premises of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, for the days of the consultancy.
Child protection โ GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGIโs Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.