Job Posting: 24/Apr/2025
Closure Date: 22/May/2025, 5:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit: OCB - Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment
Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition: Consultant / PSA (Personal Services Agreement)
Grade Level: N/A
Primary Location: Italy-Rome
Duration: Up to 11 months
Post Number: N/A
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
- FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
- Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
- Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
- FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
- All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
- All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.
Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems,for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
The Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) works to ensure that countries and stakeholders respond to the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. OCB provides a cross organizational coordination role on issues related to climate change, biodiversity, and the environment, and is the focal point for major multilateral environmental agreements including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conferences (UNFCCC), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The Office also assists FAO Members in their responses towards the interlinked challenges of food security, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation including through facilitating access to climate and environmental financing (such as the GEF and the GCF). In addition, OCB hosts the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme, the Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture as well as FAO’s work on environmental safeguards.
The Climate Change Team (CCT) in OCB provides technical assistance, normative guidance and tools to build the institutional and technical capacity of FAO members to address climate change in agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU) sector, in line with the FAO climate strategy and action plan.
Reporting Lines
The Specialists will report to the Senior Natural Resources Officer in Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB).
Technical Focus
The Specialists will work in the Climate Change of OCB, supporting the organizing principle of “Better Environment”, linked to theProgramme Priority Area (PPA) on “climate change mitigating and adapted agrifood systems”, as well the organizing principle of “Better Life”, linked to the PPA on “scaling up investments”. The Specialists will bring technical expertise domestic and international carbon finance, voluntary carbon markets and the Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, in a view to support countries’ climate actions in the agriculture sector across all production systems and associated natural resources.
In particular, the purpose of this Call is to identify suitably qualified and experienced Specialists with experience in carbon finance, voluntary carbon market, market approaches under Article 6, carbon finance project development and Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for carbon markets.
Candidates may be invited to undertake assignments to a maximum of 11 months. The possibility of extension is subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the resources and needs of the Organization.
Tasks and responsibilities
Based on their competencies and expertise, each candidate will perform a selection of the following key functions:
Carbon finance – analysis, policy and regulatory framework
• Assess carbon finance flows – historical and prospective – to the agriculture sectors and food systems;
• Analyze carbon finance projects in the agriculture sectors and food systems to draw lessons for country engagement in future opportunities and further global and national carbon market and policy development;
• Review evolving carbon finance opportunities, standards and methodologies of relevance to the agriculture sectors, value chains and food systems;
• Assess potential of evolving voluntary carbon market to finance food systems transformation under climate change at global, regional, national levels and for different sub sectors;
• Assess developments under Article 6 negotiations and their implications for the carbon finance opportunities for the agriculture sectors and agrifood systems
• Support FAO’s engagement with Article 6 negotiations and related technical discussions, including through preparation of submissions or technical briefs in cooperation with the relevant technical divisions in FAO;
• Prepare country and regional analysis on current and proposed use of market and non-market approaches for the implementation of NDCs;
• Support climate finance access for developing countries, including the development of readiness and project templates related to the implementation of Article 6 and carbon finance projects;
• Prepare guidance materials to support countries in identifying and pursuing suitable carbon finance options in the agriculture sectors;
• Support countries in adapting their policy, legal and regulatory frameworks to take advantage of evolving carbon finance opportunities while safeguarding national interests, ensuring environmental integrity and the rights and needs of vulnerable groups;
• Support the development of FAO’s strategy and programmes support to member countries on capitalizing on carbon finance including relevant partnerships;
• Develop project proposals for external financing to expand FAO’s support to member countries on carbon finance - Develop content for dissemination and capacity building products (technical webinars, policy briefs, analysis).
• Identify and recommend potential projects and programmes on the voluntary carbon market for the Organization to engage;
• Support the stocktake of FAO projects and programmes to identify entry points for carbon finance at country, regional and global level;
• Prepare country and regional analysis report on capacity building needs on the implementation of institutional arrangements for Article 6;
• Develop a monitoring system to track Carbon Markets-related activities for both internal FAO and external market analysis.
Carbon finance – design and implementation
• Assess the possible implementation of carbon projects under the requirement of Article 6 at country and regional level;
• Support the development of a “How to Guide” to assess carbon market opportunities and access relevant opportunities benefitting relevant stakeholders in developing countries, in particular governments and Small and Medium Size Entreprises (SMEs);
• Assist FAO member countries interested to assess opportunities, requirements and eligibility to engage in carbon market projects; - support and strengthen capacities of countries in assessing relative merits of different carbon finance opportunities in light of country circumstances – biophysical, policy, and institutional/capacity;
• Support the origination, evaluation, and management of agriculture and food systems related carbon finance project pipelines where requested by member countries
• Carry out feasibility studies/assessments of specific carbon finance (project) opportunities
• Conduct financial and economic analysis of potential carbon projects to assess viability and appropriate financing models
• Support carbon finance project development, implementation and M&E;
• Support development and implementation of capacity building and readiness projects to implement Article 6.
Carbon markets – MRV
• Review and provide an overview of standards and methodologies in voluntary carbon markets and compliance markets or relevance to the agriculture sectors (crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries) and food systems;
• Review MRV requirements for different methodologies, standards and market segments and assess feasibility (for developing countries), complementarity with existing public data and information systems in different contexts;
• Assess cost of MRV (compliance) for specific carbon finance opportunities and contexts;
• Assess the applicability and pilot applications of innovative technologies in improving accuracy and/or reducing cost of MRV for carbon finance in the agriculture, in particular related to opportunities for small and medium producers and application in developing economies;
• Assess readiness of different agriculture sub sectors and production systems for carbon finance in view of MRV requirements and existing capacities, to identify early upscale opportunities as well as key priority areas for further development of methodologies and MRV protocols;
• Support development of methodologies for carbon finance in priority areas, especially for for application under Article 6;
• Provide technical guidance and capacity development support to countries and partners on MRV for carbon credits (under article 6 and the voluntary carbon market);
• Develop content for dissemination and capacity building products (technical webinars, policy briefs, analysis); - support and backstop South-South/peer to peer learning on MRV for carbon finance.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• University degree in Economics, Finance, Climate policy, Law, Environmental Engineering, and Agriculture, Environment, Forest Sciences, Remote Sensing, or related field;
• One to four years for PSA.SBS CAT C, two to four years for COF.REG CAT C, at least five years for COF/PSA CAT B and a minimum of ten years for COF/PSA CAT A of relevant experience in issues related to climate change, climate finance, carbon markets, carbon finance project implementation, and climate, environmental, forestry and agriculture policy analysis;
• Full proficiency/Working knowledge of English
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Knowledge of climate finance architecture, with a focus on carbon finance; ·
• Knowledge and working experience in the field of addressing climate change are essential ·
• Demonstrated experience in ensuring the transparency and accountability of carbon market programmes and carbon market operations is an asset ·
• Knowledge of UNFCCC negotiations and decisions, and climate change policy environment; ·
• Paris Agreement’s Article 6 implementation; ·
• Carbon finance-related project development and management; ·
• Climate policy research; ·
• CDM and Market mechanism design. ·
• Knowledge of the UN system ·
Selection Criteria
• Limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of French or Spanish or of Arabic, Chinese or Russian is an asset.
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
- Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
- Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
- For more information, visit the FAO employment website
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
HOW TO APPLY
• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp
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