International Consultant / Climate Change/GEF Expert

Azerbaijan is a fast developing, oil and gas oriented economy. Azerbaijan’s annual GHG emissions were 68.6 mln tCO_2e/year in 2005 with the energy sector (i.e. combustion of oil&gas) accounting for the largest share of domestic emissions, more than 50% or 35.8 mln tCO₂. National annual consumption of oil and gas is now at about 5.2 mln toe, with the residential and transport sectors together accounting for over 90% of end-use. Azerbaijan’s energy intensity (0.71toe/US$) is twice as high as the world’s average (0.3 toe/US$) and nearly 4 times above the level of energy intensity in OECD countries (0.18 toe/US$). There exists, therefore, a significant potential to increase efficiency of oil&gas use and reduce the country’s GHG emissions.

Having reached the peak of the currently available oil and gas production, Azerbaijan needs to establish a viable medium and long term strategy for managing and utilizing its energy resources. One important component of such strategy is the utilization of the available renewable energy resources and improving the energy intensity of the economy in order to achieve reduction of the use of gas and oil internally, through replacement of the oil and gas used for generation of electricity by energy savings and increased renewable energy production. 

For details on the project background, please, look to the ToR attached.

The objective of the PPG is to develop a full-sized project that aims to reduce carbon emissions in the end-use sector in Azerbaijan, taking into account the supply and demand sides of the market and working closely with national and local authorities, end-users and other parties.

The end result of assignment will be completed Request for CEO Endorsement and Project Document for the UNDP-GEF FSP “Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) for low-carbon end-use sectors in Azerbaijan”.

The task of the International Consultant will be to ensure that essential steps in the process of scoping the UNDP-GEF FSP “Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) for low-carbon end-use sectors in Azerbaijan” and development of the relevant Project Document to be submitted for CEO Endorsement are undertaken in line with respective GEF guidance.  

To this end, the International Consultant will be responsible for mobilizing and leading the team of national and international experts for planning and effectively undertaking the required surveys and preparatory field work, establishing dialogue and a working relationship with stakeholders (funding partners, national counterparts and local communities), and the timely delivery of the agreed documents.

Under the overall guidance of UNDP Head of Environment & Energy, UNDP CO and in coordination with the national consultants and as informed by guidance from the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor, the International Consultant/Climate Change/GEF Expert (acting in his/her individual capacity) will be tasked with the following duties and responsibilities:

• Activity one: Baseline data collection and information gap analysis for preliminary assessment of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions for low-carbon end-use sectors in Azerbaijan;
• Activity two: Institutional capacity assessment, regulatory and legal context in terms of promotion of low-carbon end-use sectors in Azerbaijan;
• Activity three: Stakeholder Engagement and Ownership/Endorsement;
• Activity four: Scoping of pilot Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) in energy end-use sectors;
• Activity five: Project Scoping and Definition.

 For details on each activity, please, look at the ToR attached.

 The international consultant will:

• Define the full-sized project scope and logical framework based on the results of baseline analysis and approved PIF;
• Identify list of priority barriers to low-carbon policies in end-use sectors;
• Define a set of viable outcomes, outputs and activities that constitute the most effective response to the identified barriers to promoting application of low-carbon end-use policies design and practices;
• Prepare justified and confirmed choice of pilot NAMAs and the GEF-supported demonstration projects;
• Define scope of activities for promoting low-carbon end-use policies in end-use sectors and of domestic markets for energy efficient products/materials;
• Evaluate social, economic and financial sustainability of proposed project activities;
• Conduct cost-effectiveness analysis to identify the most effective project alternative;
• Conduct detailed incremental cost analysis to justify GEF intervention for FSP.
• Prepare financing plan for the FSP project;
• Evaluate costing of expected project outcomes and outputs, co-financing sources and co-financing commitments in compliance with the GEF incrementality principle;
• Prepare description of local, national and global environmental benefits;
• Prepre project M&E plan, including a set of CC indicators (tons CO₂eq avoided, adoption of standards and codes, kWh or TOE of energy saved in new construction per sq. meter) to track the project’s progress and effectiveness, baseline and target values on indicators;
• Prepare a logical framework with indicators for the FSP implementation plan;
• Identify learning and replication strategy;
• Prepare “Tracking Tools” constituting the necessary component of the full-size project document submittal;
• Revise the elaborated FSP scoping to address the comments/suggestions made by GEFSec, STAP and other reviewers.

At the end of assignment, the consultant will finalize and submit to UNDP the Request for CEO Endorsement/Approval document and Project Document for the UNDP-GEF FSP “Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) for low-carbon end-use sectors in Azerbaijan”.

Education:

• Advanced university degree (MSc) in environmental or natural sciences, preferably with exposure to climate change, energy efficiency or related field.

Experience:

• At least ten (10) years of working experience in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy;
• Experience with preparation and supporting implementation of GEF-funded climate change mitigation projects;
• Experience with carbon market and climate finance schemes and mechanisms (such as CDM, JI, NAMAs)
• Academic background in energy/environment or related field;
• Practical experience with design and assessment of investment projects involving low-carbon technologies;
• Practical experience in financial and economic analysis and incremental cost analysis in accordance with requirements and based on criteria applied by the GEF;
• Previous experience of working in CIS countries for climate change mitigation and/or low-carbon technologies will be an asset.

 Language:

•  Proficiency in English, excellent analytical and drafting skills; knowledge of written and spoken Azeri or Russian is an advantage.