Prolonged - I.P. "ONIPM" Vacancy Announcement - climate change impacts and vulnerabilities consultants

PUBLIC INSTITUTION “ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OFFICE”, PROJECT MANAGEMENT UNIT OF THE SECOND BIENNIAL TRANSPARENCY REPORT AND SIXTH NATIONAL COMMUNICATION UNDER THE UNFCCC

  VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Position Information

Project Title:

Job Title (part-time positions):

Duration of employment (part-time):

“Moldova: Enabling Activities for the Preparation of Combined Second Biennial Transparency Report and Sixth National Communication (BTR2/NC6) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)”

Position I: National Consultants, with responsibilities for compiling and reporting information on ‘Current and projected climate trends and hazards, observed and potential impacts of climate change, information on approaches, methodologies and tools, and associated uncertainties and challenges, in relation to projected climate trends and hazards, potential impacts of climate change and vulnerabilities at sectoral level’, including: (1) Climate Analyst(s), (2) Energy; (3) Transport; (4) Agriculture; (5) Forestry; (6) Health.

Position II: National Consultants, with responsibilities for compiling and reporting information on ‘Loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, taking into account projected changes in climate-related risks, vulnerabilities, adaptive capacities and exposure’

1 September 2025 – 31 March 2026, with possibility of extension until 30 June 2026

II. Background 

The project aims to support the Republic of Moldova (RoM) to prepare and submit its Combined Second Biennial Transparency Report and Sixth National Communication (BTR2/NC6) that complies with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Paris Agreement (PA) reporting requirements while responding to national development goals.

Under the UNEP/GEF Project “Moldova: Enabling Activities for the Preparation of Combined Second Biennial Transparency Report and Sixth National Communication (BTR2/NC6) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)”, Moldova will receive support to prepare its BTR2/NC6 report and submit it to the UNFCCC by December 2026, in compliance with UNFCCC and PA reporting requirements and in alignment to national development goals, with built-in flexibility provided in light of its capacities. Moreover, the country will be supported to undertake a self-assessment and stocktaking exercise for preparation of the project proposal for the subsequent BTR development. 

Thus, the two expected outputs under the BTR2/NC6 project are as following:

Output 1: BTR2/NC6 report prepared and submitted to UNFCCC by December 2026.

Output 2: Self-assessment and stocktaking exercise for preparation of the project proposal for subsequent BTR3 under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement completed.

The content of deliverables produced under the first output must follow the Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines (MPGs) for the transparency framework for action and support referred to in Article 13 of the Paris Agreement (FCCC/PA/CMA/2018/3/Add.2). Moreover, as adopted at COP 26 in Decision 5/CMA.3, the following will be observed: (i) outlines for the BTR & National Inventory Document (NID); (ii) the Common Reporting Tables (CRT) for reporting GHG Inventory and the Common Tabular Formats (CTF) for reporting the NDC progress, financial, technology development and transfer and capacity-building support provided and mobilized, as well as support needed and received (FCCC/PA/CMA/2021/10/Add.2). The BTR2/NC6 project will build on findings and recommendations from the technical expert review of the BTR1 and expert review of previous NCs and BURs.

The combined BTR2/NC6 Report is expected to include the following content:

·        National inventory report of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases; 

·        Information necessary to track progress made in implementing and achieving nationally determined contributions under Article 4 of the Paris Agreement;

·        Information related to climate change impacts and adaptation under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement;

·        Information on financial, technology development and transfer and capacity-building support needed and received under Articles 9–11 of the Paris Agreement;

·        Other relevant information, including: Research and Systematic Observation; Education, Training and Public Awareness; and Gender Mainstreaming into the Climate Policies;

·        Publication and submission of report, and other project execution support.

III. Organizational Context

The project is executed by the BTR2/NC6 Project Management Unit (PMU) established by the Public Institution “Environmental Projects National Implementation Office” (P.I. “EPNIO”) of the Ministry of Environment (MoEN), on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, and in consultation with the UNEP.

As national executing agency, the PMU established by the P.I. “EPNIO” is primarily responsible for the planning and management of the project activities, accounting, reporting, monitoring and evaluation of the project. 

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the National Project Manager (NPM) and that of the Vulnerability Assessment, Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Measures Thematic Working Group Coordinator, the incumbents will provide technical knowhow for capacity assessment and for developing:

·        Chapter 3: ‘Information related to climate change impacts and adaptation under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement’ of the combined BTR2/NC6 of the Republic of Moldova under the UNFCCC.

Chapter 3 provides information related to climate change impacts and adaptation under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement as appropriate. The information provided under this chapter could facilitate, among other things, recognition of the adaptation efforts of developing country Parties.

Information to be provided in this chapter includes but is not limited to:

·        National circumstances, institutional arrangements and legal frameworks related to adaptation;

·        Impacts, risks and vulnerabilities, as appropriate;

·        Adaptation priorities and barriers;

·        Adaptation strategies, policies, plans, goals and actions to integrate adaptation into national policies and strategies;

·        Progress on implementation of adaptation;

·        Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation actions and processes;

·        Information related to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with climate change impacts;

·        Cooperation, good practices, experience and lessons learned;

·        Any other information related to climate change impacts and adaptation under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement;

·        Specific flexibility provisions applied;

·        Information on areas of improvement in relation to reporting

The above proposed scope of work is categorized into the following six main deliverables:

1.3.1. The section on national circumstances, institutional arrangements and legal frameworks related to adaptation compiled, including:

-        Information on national circumstances relevant to its adaptation actions, including biogeophysical characteristics, demographics, economy, infrastructure and information on adaptive capacity;

-        Information on institutional arrangements and governance, including for assessing impacts, addressing climate change at the sectoral level, decision-making, planning, coordination, addressing cross-cutting issues, adjusting priorities and activities, consultation, participation, implementation, data governance, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting;

-        Information on legal and policy frameworks and regulations.

1.3.2. The section on impacts, risks and vulnerabilities compiled, including:

-        Information on current and projected climate trends and hazards;

-        Information on observed and potential impacts of climate change, including sectoral, economic, social and/or environmental vulnerabilities;

-        Information on approaches, methodologies and tools used, and associated uncertainties and challenges;

-        Conduct vulnerability assessments for priority sectors identified;

-        Technical capacity building, including participation of project staff and national consultants in regional/international workshops and trainings on climate modelling and data analysis to enhance the country's capacity to conduct vulnerability/adaptation and loss and damage assessments to strengthen climate change adaptation planning, as appropriate.

1.3.3. The section on adaptation priorities and barriers; adaptation strategies, policies, plans, goals and actions to integrate adaptation into national policies and strategies; on progress on implementation of adaptation actions; and on monitoring and evaluation of adaptation actions and processes, compiled, including:

-        Compile information on the country’s vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change, the progress on implementation of adaptation actions and processes for priority sectors identified;

-        Provide information on domestic adaptation priorities, adaptation challenges, gaps, and barriers to adaptation, as applicable;

-        Compile, as applicable, information on efforts to integrate climate change into development efforts, plans, policies, and programming, including related capacity-building activities;

-        Compile information on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of adaptation actions and processes, including: achievements, impacts, resilience, review, effectiveness and results; approaches and systems used, and their outputs; assessment of and indicators for: how adaptation increased resilience and reduced impacts; when adaptation is not sufficient to avert impacts; how effective implemented adaptation measures are; implementation, in particular on: transparency of planning and implementation; how support programmes meet specific vulnerabilities and adaptation needs; how adaptation actions influence other development goals; good practices, experience and lessons learned from policy and regulatory changes, actions and coordination mechanisms.

-        Provide information related to the effectiveness and sustainability of adaptation actions, as appropriate, including on: ownership, stakeholder engagement, alignment of adaptation actions with national and subnational policies, and replicability; the results of adaptation actions and the sustainability of those results.

1.3.4. The section information related to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with climate change impacts compiled, including:

-        Compile information related to observed and potential climate change impacts, including those related to extreme weather events and slow onset events, drawing upon the best available science;

-        Provide information on activities related to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change;

-        Compile information on institutional arrangements to facilitate the implementation of the activities related to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with climate change impacts.

1.3.5. The section information related to cooperation, good practice, experience and lessons learned, including consideration with a gender lens perspective, compiled:

-        Describe the efforts to share information, good practices, experience and lessons learned, including as they relate to: science, planning and policies relevant to adaptation; policy innovation and pilot and demonstration projects; integration of adaptation actions into planning at different levels; cooperation to share information and to strengthen science, institutions and adaptation; area, scale and types of cooperation and good practices; improving durability and effectiveness of adaptation actions; helping developing countries to identify effective adaptation practices, needs, priorities, and challenges and gaps in a way that is consistent with encouraging good practices;

-        Compile information on strengthening scientific research and knowledge related to: climate, including research and systematic observation and early warning systems, to inform climate services and decision-making; vulnerability and adaptation; monitoring and evaluation.

1.3.6. Chapter 3 ‘Information related to climate change impacts and adaptation under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement’ of BTR2/NC6 Report compiled and validated:

-        Compile Chapter 3 ‘Information related to climate change impacts and adaptation under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement’ for inclusion into the BTR2/NC6 Report;

-        Organize a national workshop to present the obtained results on climate change impacts and adaptation, to all interested partners and relevant stakeholders, policy makers, decision makers and with participation of the representatives of civil society and environmental NGOs.

IV. Key Tasks / Results Expected 

Key Tasks: 

·        To perform above-mentioned activities under supervising of the Vulnerability Assessment, Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Measures Thematic Working Group Coordinator and report in all aspects of program implementation;

·        To carry out all necessary studies, assessments and implement the above-mentioned activities according to the project document, and as outlined in the personal TOR;

·        To provide in electronic format required materials and information to the Vulnerability Assessment, Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Measures Thematic Working Group Coordinator according to the personal TOR;

·        To contribute to training activities organized during project development;

·        To participate with a presentation in the national workshop, to present the sectorial results of the vulnerability assessments, climate change impacts and adaptation measures in the Republic of Moldova; 

·        To contribute proactively in the preparation of the final reports on completion of climate change risk assessments, development of vulnerability indices for most probable climate risks and extremes, in depth impact assessments undertaken and adaptation measures identified the at the national and sectoral level.

Key Deliverables: 

·        Chapter 3: ‘Information related to climate change impacts and adaptation under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement’ of the BTR1 of the Republic of Moldova under the UNFCCC;

·        Contribution to the developing pf the List of Acronyms, Abbreviations and Units, Executive Summary and Bibliography of the BTR1 of the RoM to the UNFCCC.

V. Recruitment Qualifications 

Education: 

Master’s Degree in climatology, hydrology, geography, physics, energy, agriculture, forestry, biology, or another relevant field. Additional trainings and certifications in project related activities would be an advantage.

Experience: 

·        At least 2 years of professional experience in technical activities related to climate change analysis and assessing climate change risks, impacts and adaptation measures on national and sectorial levels;  

·        At least 1 year of demonstrated experience in projects with similar tasks (e.g., elaboration of national communications);

·        Professional working experience in analysis and use of data sets using various statistical tools and instruments demonstrated by previous assignments;

·        Strong analytical and report writing skills demonstrated by previous assignments;

·        Strong communication and teamwork skills demonstrated by previous assignments.

Language Requirements:

Excellent oral and written communication skills in Romanian are required. Good communication skills in English would be an advantage.

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1.       Technical proposal (please indicate the position and sector for which the incumbent is applying) explaining why the candidate is most suitable for the work, including information on previous similar assignments;

2.       Financial proposal (in USD), specifying a fee per day;

3.       CV, including past experience in similar projects.

Financial proposal

The Financial Proposal shall specify a daily lump-sum fee (indicating if it is negotiable). Payments will be made quarterly, based on the actual number of days worked, subject to the submission and approval by the Vulnerability Assessment, Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Measures Thematic Working Group Coordinator, as well as by the National Project Manager (NPM), of activity reports around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables specified in the TORs. 

While submitting the Financial Proposal it is to be noted that the project “Moldova: Enabling Activities for the Preparation of Combined Second Biennial Transparency Report and Sixth National Communication (BTR2/NC6) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)” is included into the List of ongoing technical assistance projects covered by international treaties for the application of income tax exemptions, excise duties, customs duties, duties for customs procedures, taxes for goods which, in the process of use, cause environmental pollution, and the application exemption from VAT with the right of deduction for the goods and services intended for them, in accordance with the stipulations of the Government Decision No. 246 of 08.04.2010 on the application of the zero VAT rate to deliveries of goods, services performed on the territory of the country and the granting of fiscal and customs facilities for ongoing technical and investment assistance projects, which fall under the scope of international treaties to which the Republic of Moldova is a party.

Documents should be submitted by email on cancelaria@onipm.gov.md, no later than Tuesday, 15 August 2025, by 5:00 PM. Only those shortlisted will be contacted.