Back Expert in Projections and mitigation actions for Argentinau2019s Transparency Framework on GHG Inventories and Mitigation Project, Panama City, Panama

Posting Title: Expert in Projections and mitigation actions for Argentina's Transparency Framework on GHG Inventories and Mitigation Project

Department/Office: United Nations Environment Programme

Duty Station: PANAMA CITY

Posting Period: 16 March 2021 - 23 March 2021

Job Opening Number: 21-United Nations Environment Programme-151966-Consultant

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Result of Service

CBIT's most important contribution will be to strengthen Argentina's reporting capacities so as to adequately comply with the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework through the new reporting format under the Paris Agreement: the Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR). In order to carry out the activities of Argentina's CBIT project, it requires the hiring of an Expert in Projections and mitigation actions.

Ultimate Result of the Service:

• The technical capacities of Argentina to project GHG emissions are improved and ensured.
• Technical assistance is provided to the project team on issues related to mitigation and emission projection.
• The GHG emissions projection scenarios are enhanced
• A GHG emission projection system is in place.

The consultant will carry out the following activities:

• Update, improve and systematize the projection spreadsheets used for the development of the 2nd Argentina NDC to guarantee a periodical reporting for the BTR;
• Review previous national reports as well as other countries experiences with emission projection to identify possibilities of improvements and lessons learnt for Argentina;
• Review developed countries BTRs to assess their projections reporting in order possibilities of improvements and lessons learnt for Argentina;
• Provide technical support and supervise the GHG emission projection system programming;
• Research and analyze emissions drivers, correlations and cause-effect linkages as well as historical emissions, and trends in the different sectors of the GHG inventory to develop indicators and GHG emission projections;
• Develop projection methodologies and models, considering the historical emissions, economic projections and drivers;
• Perform a sensitivity analysis of the projection, identification of key variables and assessment and reporting of results;
• Generate a template proposal to facilitate GHG emission projection reporting based on the UNFCCC decisions related to BTRs;
• Develop the technical basis for a GHG emission projection system;
• Develop an Archive System for the Climate Change Information System that is compatible and consistent with the National GHG Inventory System;
• Develop (Quality Assurance / Quality Control ) QA/QC procedures and guidelines both for the National GHG Inventory System and the GHG emission projection System;
• Provide technical support and supervise that the activities related to the study to develop of a Carbon budget consistent with the National GHG Inventory System and the long-term strategies (LTS) draft;
• Provide technical support on emission projections for the activities related to the LTS process and guarantee the consistency with the National GHG Inventory System;
• Provide technical support in the improvement of subnational GHG projection capacities;
• Assist the Climate Change Mitigation Coordinator in the preparation of technical content for the National Climate Change Cabinet work meetings;
• Attend periodic meetings related to GHG emission projections with relevant stakeholders (bilaterally or with more than one actor as required) through the National Climate Change Cabinet (NCCC);
• Provide technical support for the preparation of communication and dissemination materials linked with the GHG Emission Projection System.

It is expected that following documents are delivered as a result of the consultancy:

• Analysis report including identification of possible improvements and lessons learnt to develop Argentina's GHG emissions projection System;
• Middle-term report with the analysis of emissions drivers, correlations and cause-effect linkages as well as historical emissions, and its trends for different sectors of the GHG inventory including proposal of indicators;
• Middle-term report with the identified drivers, projected scenarios, and sensitivity analysis of GHG emission;
• Final report including updated scenarios, methodological procedures, assumptions and key parameters along with the respective spread sheets and documents from the GHG Emission Projection System;
• Final report including detailed QA/QC procedures and guidelines both for the National GHG Inventory System and the GHG emission projection System;
• Final report including the structure and systematization of an enhanced an Archive System for the Climate Change Information System;
• Communication and information materials; Power Point presentations (or other formats), and communication pieces related to the GHG Emission Projection System.

Work Location

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Expected duration

12 Months

Duties and

Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 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 UNEP Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The Argentine Republic ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994 (Law No. 24,295), the Kyoto Protocol in September 2001 (Law No. 25,438) and the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol in May 2015 (Law No. 27,137). As a signatory of the UNFCCC, the country undertook obligations including the report of the national greenhouse gases inventories, national programs with mitigation and adaptation actions against climate change and any other relevant information regarding to the fulfilment of the objective of the UNFCCC. As part of the country's undertaken obligations, Argentina submitted its First National Communication in July 1997, and a revised communication in October 1999. The Second National Communication was submitted in December 2007 and the Third National Communication and the First Biennial Updated Report (BUR) were both submitted in December 2015. The Second BUR was submitted in August of 2017 and the Third BUR was presented to the UNFCCC in November 2019.

In December 2015 during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21), the Paris Agreement (PA) was adopted; its article No. 2 established the objective of "holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels". In September 2016, Argentina ratified the Paris Agreement (Law No. 27,270), then in December 2019, the National Congress approved the National Law No. 27,520 on Global Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation. Finally, in December 2020, the country submitted its 2nd Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) which reflects its enhanced commitment to combat climate change and its effects. Argentina´s 2nd NDC outlines an absolute economy-wide reduction target of limiting its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 359 MtCO2e by 2030.

One of the most relevant challenges that the implementation of the Paris Agreement poses on countries is to count with strong Transparency Frameworks. Article No.13 of the PA establishes the need for Parties to implement national robust and transparent reporting and accounting systems to give clarity on action and support while providing clear information to stakeholders. As part of building and enhancing their Transparency Frameworks, Parties of the UNFCCC will progressively implement better tools and institutional practices, many of them not sufficiently developed in the countries. This is especially true for developing countries.

The UNFCCC Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) demands substantial and immediate progress in the countries' domestic Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems and strategic de-carbonization planning. This entails moving from often disintegrated and often different-methodological approaches in data management to an integrated and robust system. The success of the Paris Agreement hinges on enhanced transparency of action and support, as a critical foundation to making its bottom-up, country-led approach work, as well as building mutual trust and confidence amongst Parties.

The Global Environment Facility - Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (GEF-CBIT) will support the Argentinian government for four years, mainly in strengthening its ETF. This will happen by improving the accuracy, completeness and consistency of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventories, and increasing its capacities to domestically track and evaluate mitigation measures and related finance support received and provided, as well as generating the technical inputs needed for medium and long-term planning contributing to the improvement of climate-related decision-making in the country. In order to achieve this objective, Argentina's GEF-CBIT project, which was approved in July of 2019, is organized into three components:

• National and subnational GHG inventory System
• Domestic tracking of mitigation actions and support received
• Medium and long-term projections

In this sense, the Climate Change Unit of UNEP is recruiting an Expert in Projections and mitigation actions to strengthen Argentina's reporting capacities so as to adequately comply with the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework-ETF through the new reporting format under the Paris Agreement: the Biennial Transparency Reports (BTR). The incumbent will work from Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week, full-time in the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Buenos Aires city, Argentina, and he or she will be supervised by UNEP's Climate Change Coordinator of the Latin America and The Caribbean Office. He or she will work in close collaboration with the National Climate Change Directorate (NDCC) within the Secretariat of Environment, Sustainable Development and Innovation of Argentina's Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MAyDS).

Qualifications/special skills

Academic Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Engineering, Environmental sciences, Biology, or other university degree relevant to climate change, environment and national development. (required)

Experience: - A minimum of 10 years of professional experience of technical work in the areas of climate change mitigation and specially working with GHG Inventory and GHG emission projections with projects under public administration (required);

• Verifiable professional experience developing GHG Inventory using IPCC methodology (required);
• Demonstrates excellent understanding of tools used for the estimation of GHG emissions and captures (desirable);
• Demonstrates very good understanding of tools used for GHG emissions projections (desirable),
• Demonstrates excellent understanding of Argentina's national policy related to climate change with particular focus on GHG Inventory compiling, Mitigation, MRV of the Energy and AFOLU sector and its corresponding application to Argentina's context such as National Climate Change Action Plans (required);
• Experience working with and building partnerships with public sector both national and subnational (required).
• A minimum of 5 years of academic experience teaching climate change related classes (desirable).
• Demonstrates excellent understanding of the national and international climate change framework (desirable);
• Experience working with, and building partnerships with public and private sector both national and subnational (desirable);

Language: - The candidate must be native in Spanish and have a good level of writing, reading, and editing skills in English.

Skills: - Excellent knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches related to Climate Change specifically with the Energy and AFOLU sector as well as emissions drivers such as consumption patterns, efficiencies, economic development, correlations and trends, etc. (required);

• Excellent knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches on sustainable development; 2030 agenda into climate policies (desirable);
• Verifiable experience using IT tools such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Powerpoint) and related apps (required);
• Confident with numbers and equations, as well as drafting reports with procedures and results.
• Strong research and analytical skills;
• Relationship skills with public and private sector officials;
• Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems;
• Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Shows pride in work and in achievements;
• Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns;
• Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations;
• Comfortable with teamwork and cooperation with consultants of other specialties.
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work and uses time efficiently.
• Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently

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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