Myanmar: Call for National Consultancy, Climate Change Landscape Analysis

Dec 14, 2020 | Mercy Corps
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Mercy Corps is a global team of humanitarians working together on the front lines of crisis, disaster, poverty and climate change to create a world where everyone can prosper.

Home to 60 percent of the world’s population, Asia is the planet’s most disaster-prone region. Eight of the ten countries in the world most-vulnerable to climate change are also in the region. Asia is characterized by layered and concurrent shocks and stresses and the average multi-hazard annual loss for the region is $675 billion, of which 60 per cent, is due to drought-related agricultural losses, particularly affecting rural economies. Accordingly, climate resilience is a critical strategic area of intervention for Mercy Corps in the Asia Region. We believe that climate change is not independent of resilience, and is a key driver of vulnerability for Asia compounding other markets, conflict and disaster related shocks and stresses

The Asia Regional Resilience Hub is one of three Mercy Corps’ Resilience Hubs globally dedicated to technical excellence and thought leadership in resilience. The 2021-2023 Asia Resilience strategy places climate change at the centre to build our leadership in this sector. We have developed a new Climate Change Unit within the Asia Regional Resilience Hub to deliver on regional strategy goals related to climate resilience.

The Asia Climate Change Unit is working with Myanmar to support development and implement a Climate Action Plan to help Myanmar articulate how a country can expand its climate change program and impact by harnessing their existing program expertise. The development will be a highly consultative, collaborative and co-lead process with country teams to synthesize country experience, highlight areas of excellence and impact, and develop materials that are determined to be necessary such as capacity statements, proposals and refined technical approaches. The Climate Action Plan will frame the country’s work strategically for both internal and external use.

The CAP process will comprehensively map the donor and technical actor landscape as well as synthesise existing assessments and reports on climate vulnerability to identify targeted strategic areas for Mercy Corps (MC) to support growth in climate change resilience programming. The CAP will result in a number of reporting outputs including context analysis of Myanmar, climate change concept outlines, and communications documents.

The MC Myanmar team is seeking a consultant to support the country team and the Mercy Corps Asia Regional Resilience Hub to review the climate change landscape for this process.

Purpose and Scope:

Mercy Corps is seeking a consultant to support an analysis of the current ‘landscape’ of climate change policy, programs and actors in Myanmar and provide recommendations on the priority areas of intervention and engagement in this sector for Mercy Corps. The consultant should undertake: 1) Donor/stakeholder analysis on climate change projects and initiatives implemented in Myanmar, which maps out current actors active in the climate change sector; 2) Review of policies and regulations, including national programs and policies, related to climate change in Myanmar; 3) Identify opportunities and role of Mercy Corps in the climate change sector based on historical experience and technical areas; 4) Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with relevant actors based on 1)-3); 4) Support development and advancement of country’s climate strategy and concepts.

The specific tasks of this consultancy will be defined in agreement with the selected consultant as a result of initial desk review however may include the following:

• A landscape analysis of climate change in Myanmar:

• Mapping stakeholders, including donors and other organizations, engaged in climate change programing and on-going, completed and planned programs on climate change in Myanmar through a desk review with inputs from Mercy Corps team.;
• Review of recommendations on types and quality of climate change interventions, gaps and barriers to successful implementation and actors that should be engaged;
• Mapping of key government actors and departments responsible for Climate Change policy and planning including the National Designated Authority (NDA) for the UNFCCC, and analysis of opportunities with these institutions;
• Analyze local/national legislations and policies related to climate change and environmental protections;
• Review of the governmental initiatives to comply and adhere the international conventions;
• Review of climate finance readiness - progress in accessing funds such as GCF, adaptation fund GEF etc.
• Overview of new and upcoming public policies, plans and climate change programs.

• Identify opportunities and role of Mercy Corps in the climate change sector based on historical experience and technical areas.

• Analysis of past and current Mercy Corps program analysis.
• Interviews with Mercy Corps staff, partners, and donors.

• Co-facilitate Climate Action Plan workshops to validate findings from situational analysis and map out strategic opportunities.
• Support Mercy Corps to identify potential partners and relevant actors that will help expand its climate portfolio by building on the technical expertise and focus areas of our work.
• Contribute to draft concept notes and communication materials to advance Mercy Corps’ approaches and programs on climate change.

Timeline:

10 days over the course of 1-2 months

Expected Deliverables:

The consultant will produce a concise Climate Change Adaptation landscape report covering:

• A report on the landscape analysis of climate change in Myanmar, as mentioned above.
• A summary of gaps, barriers and opportunities for climate change programs in Myanmar, with recommendations for Mercy Corps’ programming.
• (contribution to) Draft concept notes for 1-2 thematic areas.
• Folder with all research related report, documents.

Experience:

• MA/S or equivalent experience in fields related to climate resilience including environmental management, civil engineer, climate change adaptation, natural resource management, governance or related fields
• Minimum 5 years of experience in climate resilience program management, design, monitoring and evaluation, and/or research
• Strong technical understanding of resilience concepts covering climate change vulnerability and adaptation, climate smart agriculture and relationship to economic growth and business dynamics, particularly in the Myanmar context,
• Thorough understanding of climate change adaptation in relation to food security, agriculture, youth, urbanization, market systems development, health, and environmental programs required,
• Strong representation, networking and facilitation skills, with existing relationships with climate related donors and actors. Proven ability to synthesize and communicate complex subjects/topics effectively to multi-stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and non-formal methods.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with a diverse, geographically spread team. Demonstration of ability to work effectively in remote locations from project teams is a preferred.

Reports to: Jonathan Bartolozzi, in close coordination with the Regional Resilience Hub team.

How to apply

Interested applicants should carefully note the minimum qualifications and submit a CV along with a cover letter (one page max.) detailing relevant experience and a daily rate financial proposal to: mm-tenders@mercycorps.org by December 18, 2020, 5:00 PM.