Terms of References  

Department: SAR Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (SSACD)  
Appointment Type: Short Term Consultant 
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal 
Term Duration: 100 days 
Required Language: English and Nepali 
Start Date: July 20, 2023 
End Date: June 30, 2024 

Description  

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group (WBG) provides a  unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The WBG is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit  www.worldbank.org. 

The WBG sees tackling climate change as critical to the pursuit of its mission. The Climate Change Action  Plan 2021–2025 aims to advance the climate change aspects of the WBG’s Green, Resilient, and Inclusive  Development (GRID) approach, which pursues poverty eradication and shared prosperity with a  sustainability lens. The new Action Plan represents a shift from efforts to “green” projects, to greening entire economies, and from focusing on inputs, to focusing on impacts. It focuses on (i) integrating climate and development; (ii) identifying and prioritizing action on the largest mitigation and adaptation opportunities;  and (iii) using those to drive our climate finance and leverage private capital in ways that deliver the most  results.  

Regional Context: South Asia  

The South Asia Region (SAR) has the largest concentration of poor people of any region, home to 2 billion  people, with over 1 billion living under $2/day. It has had high growth of 6 percent average annual rate in the last 20 years, despite its poverty, conflict, and instability. The WBG is and will continue to be a key development partner in SAR. The SAR strategy is based on three pillars promoting growth, enhancing social inclusion, and strengthening climate/environment. 

South Asia is home to some of the world's countries most vulnerable to climate change and disasters. In the past decade alone, nearly 700 million people-- half of the Region's population-were affected by one or more climate-related disasters. Now, changing weather patterns are expected to impact over 800 million people by 2050 directly and will continue to burden South Asian countries’ economies. Between 2000 and  2017, disasters caused by natural hazards in the Region caused damages worth $149.27 billion. New  World Bank Group South Asia Climate Roadmap aims to help the region move towards opportunities and solutions that can deliver ambitious policies and climate-resilient actions. 

WORLD BANK GLOBAL PRACTICES (GPs) & CROSS-CUTTING SOLUTIONS AREAS: 

Agriculture; Energy & Extractives; Environment & Natural Resources; Social; Urban, Rural & Resilience; Transport & Digital Development; Water. The 5 CCSAs are Climate Change; Fragility, Conflict & Violence;  Gender; Infrastructure, PPPs & Guarantees; Knowledge Management. The new operating model is part of a broader internal reform aimed at delivering the best of the World Bank Group to our clients so that together we can achieve the twin goals of (1) ending extreme poverty by 2030, and (2) promoting shared prosperity for the bottom 40% of the population in every developing country. 

THE URBAN, RESILIENCE AND LAND GLOBAL PRACTICE (GPURL): 

GPURL covers a wide gamut: (i) developing green, inclusive and resilient cities; (ii) enhancing urban and rural development through supporting and managing the urban-rural transition, assisting local development through developing land tenure, management and information systems; and (iii) assisting in disaster risk management through issues of risk assessment, risk reduction (including flood management, urban drainage, coastal management, and retrofitting of infrastructure), disaster preparedness (including hydromet services, early warning systems, and civil defense), risk financing (including CAT-DDO), and resilient reconstruction (including post-disaster damage and loss assessment). A key responsibility of the  GP is to provide professional expertise and operational support to other GPs to deliver sustainable development results that ensure that any adverse impacts of WBG interventions are limited and mitigated. 

The South Asia Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Unit (SSACD) is the decentralized GPURL  unit responsible for managing the climate change and disaster risk management portfolio in South Asia,  comprising of India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The team comprises about 35 technical professionals who work on enabling SAR countries to shift towards a climate-resilient,  low-carbon and equitable development pathway. The unit is also leading in the preparation of the multi sectoral country Climate Change and Development Reports (CCDRs). SSACD is the responsible unit for supporting SAR teams in achieving the climate co-benefits (CCB) targets which are counted as the portion of project financing that delivers either mitigation or adaptation benefits to project beneficiaries and mainstreaming Paris Alignment in World Bank operations across several sectors.  

Integrating climate and development is a pillar of the WBG’s Climate Change Action Plan 2021– 2025 (CCAP). As part of the CCAP and the 2018 MDBs’ Joint Declaration, the WB has committed to aligning its operations with the Paris Agreement. This commitment applies to all financing operations approved by the  WB Board starting from July 1, 2023. The Paris Agreement aims to “strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty”. To achieve its objective, the Paris Agreement includes, in Article 2.1(c), “making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development”1. The SSACD is a key partner in mainstreaming PA in WB operations in South Asia. 

COUNTRY CONTEXT: NEPAL  

Nepal is highly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters and faces both extreme and slow-onset  climate-related hazards. Nepal’s climate vulnerabilities emerge from an interaction of climatic factors involving its fragile mountainous topography and ecosystems, monsoon-driven hydrology, unplanned settlements, lack of resilient infrastructure, and an economy that has sustained several shocks in the recent past (Gorkha earthquake 2015, floods in 2017, landslides, and the COVID-19). Approximately 80  percent of Nepal’s population is at risk from natural and climate-induced hazards, and Nepal ranks as the  10th most affected country in the world according to the Climate Risk Index. Vulnerable communities,  particularly those living in poverty, in remote areas, and working in subsistence agriculture, are at highest risk. Earthquakes and flood risk are the most damaging natural hazards to date, while floods and landslides were the most frequent hazards over the past 40 years. Mountains are warming faster than the plains triggering the melting of ice and permafrost and an increase in the risk of landslides. Incidences of dry spells, droughts, forest fires, heatwaves, flash floods, and disease outbreaks are increasing along with slow onset risk. 

Nepal is committed to addressing climate change. The government submitted a more ambitious Nationally  Determined Contribution (NDC) in late 2020 with a vision to achieve socioeconomic prosperity by building  a climate-resilient society. In October 2021, Nepal further raised its ambition and submitted a Long-Term  Strategy (LTS) that aims to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2045. Nepal recognizes that adaptation is  a priority and has published its National Adaptation Plan, which aims to boost adaptive capacity and  resilience by setting out strategic goals for 2050. Effective devolution of climate resilience and adaptation  responsibilities to provincial and local governments in Nepal is of critical importance and would require  streamlining the institutional set-up with adequate financing and technical staffing, and extensive capacity  building to implement climate-risk-informed development. 

Duties and Accountabilities  

The SSACD team is seeking a dynamic and experienced Climate Change Consultant (STC) to help deliver its mandate on climate mainstreaming.  

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to: 

• Provide analytical and advisory support to all Global Practices (GPs) in Nepal to fulfil corporate  climate commitments, which include Climate and Disaster Risk Screening, CCB, GHG Accounting,  and Paris Alignment.  
• Independently undertake CCB and PA assessments based on the joint MDB Climate Finance  Methodology, MDB Assessment Framework for Paris Alignment and Sectoral guidance notes for  benchmarking purposes, and systematically analyze the alignment of these with the assessments from Co-Benefits Team.  
• Prepare comments and inputs on draft project documents with the help integrate meaningful adaptation and mitigation activities, including the design of Climate Indicators and preparation of the Climate Change Technical Annex. 
• Support the management and reporting CCB Bi-Weekly updates to the Country Management Unit  (CMU) for Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Maldives, extracting information from the CCB database and  liaising with climate change specialists from other countries. 
• Participate in internal training and capacity development activities to enhance knowledge of the  WB operations, climate change commitment, Climate & DRM screening, CCB, Paris Alignment, etc. 
• Support other activities related to climate change mainstreaming as needed, including reviewing, and providing comments and inputs into TORs, analytics, and technical reports, as well as providing  technical and operational support to other WB climate and DRM operations supporting NDC and  LTS implementation in Nepal and other trust fund operations. 
• Prepare data visualizations, talking points, briefings, and presentations on relevant topics and  interpretation of documents. 

Selection Criteria: 

• A Masters’ level degree, or equivalent post-bachelor qualification in engineering, climate change,  economics, environmental science, policy, or other relevant areas. 
• At least five years of relevant professional experience with demonstrated experience in research  or applied work on climate change adaptation and/or mitigation and sustainable development  analytical themes is highly desirable, preferably within the realm of international development.
• Familiarity with the institutional and policy landscape for climate change in Nepal is preferred (including NDC, LTS, etc), as well as a good knowledge base on multi-hazard risk assessment, adaptation and mitigation interventions, climate finance landscape, and the UNFCCC process.  
• Strong quantitative and geospatial data analysis capacity and publication track record in issues  related to climate change are highly desirable. 
• Strong interpersonal, networking, and social skills, proven team orientation, and ability to work  across unit and department boundaries and cultures with ease. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, including the ability to write quickly and  concisely on a variety of topics in a well-structured manner. Proficiency and native fluency in Nepali  are required. 
• Well-organized, self-motivated, highly efficient, and dependable individual, with a demonstrated  ability to manage multiple priorities, work under tight deadlines, and operate effectively in  situations of high demands and pressure. 

Behavioral Competencies:  

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively and proactively with internal and  external clients in a multicultural and virtual environment 
• Strong team player with a collaborative and hands-on approach 
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders with varying needs and commitments 
• Comfortable with client and partner interactions and interest in building relationships 
• Positive attitude and dedication to excellence and professionalism 

Contract Duration, and Reporting Line:  

The candidate will be offered an initial contract of 100 days from July 20, 2023, to June 30, 2024, and the contract days can be extended within the Fiscal Year subject to satisfactory performance. The selected candidate will report to Iguniwari Thomas Ekeu-wei, Climate Change Specialist and Climate Change Focal  Point for Nepal and collaborate strongly with the SSACD team and other sector colleagues in Nepal and  regionally. 

** Please note the that the TOR is an indicative list of outputs which are subject to change based on the  needs of the program and the team **