General
Description of assignment title: Carbon Markets and Climate Finance Analyst
Assignment country: South Africa
Expected start date: 07/15/2024
Sustainable Development Goal: 13. Climate action
Volunteer category: International UN Volunteer Specialist
Host entity: UNDP
Type: Onsite
Duration: 24 months
(with possibility of extension)
Number of assignments: 1
Duty stations: Pretoria
Details
Mission and objectives
As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience. UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.
Context
The Africa Sustainable Finance Hub (ASFH) implements various strategic interventions that seeks solutions to assist governments and partners in addressing financing gaps, and counter challenges threatening achievement of sustainable development. In doing so, ASFH aims to strengthen the SDG financing ecosystems at regional and country levels in order to help unlock public and private capital to accelerate achievement of SDG targets and the AU Agenda 2063 across the African region. Accordingly, the ASFH engages different actors in the financing for sustainable development landscape and promotes an array of financial resources as guided by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), including innovative financing instruments such as carbon markets, to increase financing available to support Africa region recover from the pandemic and build back better over the long-term. At AFSH, we strive to provide services that are based on deep understanding and the best available knowledge of instruments and processes. Our work involves quantitative and qualitative analysis, contributing to relevant research reports, desk analysis on climate change mitigation-related topics, and organizing and implementing expert workshops. This position is in the Carbon Markets and Climate Finance Unit which supports the development of regulatory guidelines, standards and policies relevant to greenhouse gas estimations, mitigation actions and the technical assessments of projects and programme of activities submissions and entity competence. The Unit provides substantive and technical input and advice to the UNDP Country Office Network and acts as a liaison between collaborating partners while overseeing the implementation of partnership programmes.
Task description
Under the LEAD, Carbon Markets and Climate Finance, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Research analysis
- Conduct thorough analysis of existing national and global policies and regulations on carbon markets and climate finance, prepare reports, white papers, policy briefs, and presentations, as well as communicating research findings, best practices, and policy recommendations to diverse audiences;
- Collaborate with ministries, departments, public institutions and the private sector to analyze their current strategies, identify opportunities for decarbonization, and provide advisory services on implementing net-zero strategies, carbon pricing mechanisms, and optimizing CO2 in their value chain through existing policy and regulatory requirements;
- Knowledge product development
- Project manage and coordinate the dissemination of our knowledge products through various channels, including online platforms, trainings, workshops, and media outlets, to reach targeted audiences and maximize impact;
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to gather input, feedback, and data for knowledge product development, ensuring relevance, accuracy, and usability of the final outputs;
- Assist in developing a new knowledge launch which integrates investor relations with comprehensive climate finance reporting;
- Technical Support
- Support governments in translating international climate agreements into national targets, policies and governance arrangements;
- Work with regional civil society to raise awareness and knowledge about climate finance, its impacts and the implications of the global discussion for the region;
- Provide state of the art advice on renewable energy options and associated technologies, climate related insurance as relevant to loss and damage, as well as policy approaches to the just transition and climate justice;
- Develop a bottom-up strategic roadmap for clean energy in the region facilitating private sector participation in clean energy transition pledges to accelerate the transition in the region;
- Contribute to the needs assessment, identify suitable partnerships, and lead stakeholder mapping, in addition to participation in workshops, and contributing to the development of a strategic roadmaps and reports;
- Monitor developments from major climate change-relevant institutions online (e.g., the UNFCCC), summarize key takeaways, and ensure information is communicated internally in a timely fashion;
- Draft communications materials such as external webpage content, Intranet news updates, publications, slide decks, or blog posts as needed;
- Support climate change policy-related grant administration such as compiling progress reports, tracking and review of project results, responding to information requests, coordinating project activities, and following procurement procedures, among other areas as needed.
- Administrative and Budget
- Organize preparations for AFSH meetings and events on climate policy, including meeting scheduling, meeting agenda and room preparations, note taking, providing on-site support and receiving guests, and following up with notes and action items;
- Manage files, reports, and assets for the Unit’s climate policy team in online collaboration and information storage platforms (e.g., SharePoint and Microsoft Teams);
- Efficiently execute a variety of routine administrative and operational tasks, including procurement, human resources procedures, contracting and budgeting support, among others.
Eligibility criteria
Age: 18 – 80
Nationality
Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.
Requirements
Required experience
3 years of experience in Climate Change or Sustainability advisory or similar;
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- Motivation to be part of a forward-thinking climate consultancy team;
- Interest in working with and contributing to a team that combines over 4 years of experience in impact-orientated climate policy consulting;
- Familiar with critical thinking and sustained interest in systematic analysis;
- Interest in digitalized transformation and evolving knowledge products through advancements from information processing and AI technologies;
- Carbon management and strategy experience;
- Experience undertaking GHG accounting including GHG Protocol and Carbon Reporting: Scope 1, 2 & 3 GHG Accounting+ Reporting;
- Experience of target setting approaches and best practice, including development and lodging of science-based targets initiatives;
- Experience delivering assurance/ verification of environmental information and reporting;
- Experience developing and implementing carbon/energy reduction programmes;
- Experience with concepts such as natural capital and net-biodiversity gain;
- Knowledge of (a) public sector management, (b) International trade law and policy (c) capacity building (d) stakeholder relations;
- Excellent command of English;
- Working knowledge of another language particularly French or Spanish would be advantageous.
Area(s) of expertise
Economics and finance, Energy and environment , Legal affairs
Driving license
Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required
French, Level: Fluent, Required
Required education level
Master degree or equivalent in Environmental Sustainability, Law, international relations, Trade Policy and Education or related fields.
A Project Management Certificate would be advantageous.
Competencies and values
Achieve Results; Think Innovatively; Learn Continuously; Adapt with Agility; Act with Determination; Engage and Partner; Enable Diversity and Inclusion.
Other information
Living conditions and remarks
The World Bank classifies South Africa as an upper-middle-income economy, one of only eight such countries in Africa. Yet the country is currently ranked just 109th out of 191 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). South Africa is a developing country
The country is diverse in all possible aspects, from language to religion, owing to the many, many ethnicities unified in this nation. In South Africa, you can find some of the most “westernized”, wealthy, and progressive facets of the African continent, but also some of its most dire problems. The Economy of South Africa is the third largest in Africa and the most industrialized, technologically advanced, and diversified economy in Africa overall. South Africa re-mains a dual economy with one of the highest and most persistent inequality rates in the world, with a consumption expenditure Gini coefficient of 0.67 in 2018. High inequality is perpetuated by a legacy of exclusion and the nature of economic growth, which is not pro-poor and does not generate sufficient jobs. The South African economy was already in a weak position when it entered the pandemic after a decade of low growth, expanding only by an average 1% percent between 2012 and 2021, leading to a contraction of income per capita of 5.6% during this period. Longstanding structural constraints, such as electricity shortages, continue to be binding. South Africa experiences regular power outages known as “load-shedding.” According the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) Travel Advisory: for South Africa, security situation in South Africa demands constant vigilance. Health hazards are HIV – throughout the country; malaria – mainly in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Kwazulu-Natal provinces
UN Volunteers is entitled to the below benefits:
- A Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): $2328.7 per month;
- A once off entry lumpsum of $4000 at the start of the assignment;
- Medical insurance; Life cover, and annual leave;
- Access to all learning platforms;
- A once off exit lumpsum of $225 for each month served at the end of the assignment.
Inclusivity statement
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy
More Information
- Job City South Africa
