Expert on Implementation of Payment for Ecosystem Services – Park Entry Fees

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), acting as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is providing assistance to the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in implementation of the GEF Medium Size Project (MSP) “Improving the financial sustainability of the Carpathian System of Protected Area”.

Recognizing the biological and economic importance of the Carpathians, all the seven range states (Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine) have taken measures to protect this eco-region. The Carpathian Network of Protected Areas (CNPA) is comprised of 285 protected areas that cover 31,978 km2. The current network of PAs in the Carpathian Mountains is 2 considered insufficient in scale, connectivity and management performance to prevent the irreversible 
loss of biodiversity in the Carpathian eco-region over the next decades.

There remains an unmet need to address the financial barrier and the associated capacities. The longterm solution to the financial problems confronting protected areas in the Romanian Carpathians lies in ensuring a steady stream of funding from diverse sources and effectively increasing the overall resource envelope. This must be coupled with reducing inefficiencies in current spending.

Under the overall guidance of UNDP Head of Energy and Environment and NFA Project manager, the project senior International Technical Advisor and the national coordinator, the consultant is expected to work together with the National Project Executing Agency (NFA), the main national stakeholder (Ministry of Environment and Forests), the National Association of Protected Areas Administration and the project team members, to follow-up on the fee entry policy and the study on Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) / Environment Compensation (EC) schemes/mechanisms and implement PES on entry fees at the level of two Protected Areas, selected following consultation with the project team and other national/local stakeholders.  Also, based on the existing initial scheme for PES mechanism on water users, a PES proper mechanism proposal will be developed and followed up on the implementation steps together with relevant partners/stakeholders.

• Prepare a work plan and elaborate progress reports, one for each selected PA
• Support NFA in selecting the two PA’s for implementing the entry fees collection systems
• Support the NFA, the PA Administrations Association and the selected PAs in the implementation of PES/EC mechanisms/schemes, by adapting the project outcomes/studies to the local circumstances and supporting the project team and the PA administration in the implementation onthe-ground of the entry fees (e.g., drafting synthesized cost-benefit analysis, selecting the proper type of entry fees collection system, applications for the necessary authorizations, participation in negotiations with actors to be involved in implementing the entry fees collection systems)
• Design, participate in negotiations and follow up in implementation the PES mechanism on 
  water users
• Permanent coordination with the project team to follow up on the public awareness and other 
  relevant events aiming at increasing awareness on the PA ecosystem services and the need to 
  implement the associated PES/EC mechanisms/schemes, including entry fees at the PA level
• Elaborate a final report on the effectiveness and efficiency of the entry fees implemented at the 
  PA level, with recommendation for further action

• Excellent knowledge of the Romanian and the EU environmental legislation (forests, water, soil and other natural resources) and the landscape planning 
• Experience in implementing environmental law; experience in park visitor management is desirable; solid background in the work with(in) PA/ administrations
• Very good understanding of the underlying principles and applicability of payment for 
  ecosystem services / environmental compensation schemes and mechanisms
• Previous working experience (similar assignments) in Romania and/or other EU/East European 
  countries

Education:

• University degree in public policies/administration, natural resource management, environment economics is required. Relevant postgraduate degree will be a plus.

Experience:

• At least 10 years of work experience with public policies on natural resource management sector in Romania, both on national and local level;
• At least 3 years involvement in the implementation of environmental policies and law in the biodiversity management in Romania, including PES/EC mechanisms/schemes.

Languages:

• The consultant must be fluent in written and oral communication in English and Romanian.