Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The Independent Consultant will work closely with different government agencies including the CNREDD and FONAREDD and will consult a range of stakeholders including funding and implementing partners, as well as program beneficiaries. The results of the analysis will provide a clear picture of the REDD+ process implementation in DRC, including the strengths, the weaknesses, and will inform decision-makers in prioritizing the next steps of the process. Project Information: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s 152 million hectares of forest covers almost 70% of the country’s land area and represents 60% of the Congo Basin Forest. DRC is the second-largest tropical forest country in the world. This is equal to 7.6% of the world’s total tropical forest area. The country is committed to reducing forest loss across the country through the REDD+ mechanism (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, and including conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks). The country’s National REDD+ Framework Strategy was adopted in 2012, aiming to stabilize forest cover to 63.5% by 2030 and maintain it thereafter. The strategy, adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2012, is equivalent to a 56% reduction in projected emissions over the period 2013-2030 and a cumulative reduction of 3GtCO2e. The strategy has seven pillars guiding the interventions financed by the National REDD+ Fund (FONAREDD), namely agriculture, energy, forestry, land use planning, land tenure, governance, and demography. In its revised NDC, the DRC aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 21% (conditional at 19%, and unconditional at 2%). UNEP recently conducted a similar study with the recruitment of a consultant who assessed the REDD+ process in DRC in 2024. Moreover, a recent study by Hamerkop, funded by the WB diagnosed some of the MEDD agencies, among which those involved in the REDD+ process including the CNREDD and DIAF. Based on these two studies, the consultant will conduct a deeper analysis to fill the existing main gaps. 1. The REDD+ plus process has been launched in several jurisdictions including the haut-Uele and the Tshuapa province. However, these programs were led by different organizations including local and international NGOs. The main outcomes of their program implementation are unknown and the lessons learned, able the benefit the whole process, are still missing in the big picture. 2. Both reports highlighted above briefly describe the global funds mobilized by some financing partners. However, there is no clear information on how the resources have been affected and how they have been used. A more detailed picture will fill the gap in the current knowledge and identify the real need to support existing government agencies. 3. The REDD+ process is still based on an old national strategy that requires an update. This aspect is usually ignored and there is a need to assess its usefulness and the need to update it with the involvement of the required actors: National REDD+ Focal Point, CNREDD Coordinator, National Climate Focal Point, etc. The primary role of the Consultant is to consult with different stakeholders engaged in the REDD+ process in DRC. The consultant will conduct analysis on the following: a. Governance and Institutional Arrangements assessment: conduct a comprehensive mapping of stakeholders, their level of contribution to the process, the achievements of the process to date, the successes and the setbacks, the strengths and the weaknesses of the process, as well as priority actions needed to be undertaken by the government to review its vision of the process but also institutional coordination, decision-making, and accountability. b. Technical capabilities of the Government entities: review the current diagnostic and complete the analysis of national and subnational technical capacities for REDD+ implementation in all aspects (MRV, Safeguards, etc.). c. Financial flows and sustainability of funding mechanisms. d. Structured assessment of the progress against the National REDD+ Strategy objectives. e. Benefit-sharing arrangements: their transparency and equitability. f. Legal environment for REDD+ finance and carbon transactions. The Position holder will work closely with, and under the guidance of the UNEP REDD+ Implementation Advisor to DRC and will seek contributions from CN REDD, FONAREDD, UN-REDD focal points for the DRC, (UNEP, FAO and UNDP country teams, sectoral Ministries, mainly the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable development, and other REDD+ and Sustainable forest management technical assistance providers in the country (e.g. Ricardo, US Forest Service, JTAP, etc.) More specifically, under the supervision of UNEP UN-REDD Programme Coordinator for the Africa Region, the Consultant will conduct the following tasks: - Consult different actors engaged in the REDD+ process including government (CNREDD, - FONAREDD, ARMCA), technical assistance providers, NGOs, civil society, legal experts, private sector, academia. - Identify the gaps in the REDD+ process and provide guidance on ways to address them. - Assess the governance architecture of the REDD+ process, including the roles, coordination mechanisms, and effectiveness of key institutions (CNREDD, FONAREDD, sectoral ministries, provincial structures). - Review the functionality of inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms and stakeholder participation in decision-making - Analyse and identify the strengths, the weaknesses, the threats and opportunities of the process in DRC and suggest priority actions in reshaping the vision of the DRC government on the overall REDD+ process. - Conduct a comprehensive mapping of adopted and proposed REDD+ policies and how they align with policies in other sectors (mining, land-tenure, biodiversity conservation, agriculture, etc.), - Conduct a comprehensive mapping of the required standardized tools (Registry, SIS, TREES documents, etc.) for the REDD+ implementation process, their existence or level of development and implementation in DRC. - Conduct a mapping of all achievements of the REDD+ process in DRC up to the current implementation phase. - Assess the technical and human capacity available within key REDD+ institutions to implement core functions such as MRV, safeguards (SIS), registry management, and results-based payment systems. Identify capacity gaps and propose areas for targeted technical strengthening. - Assess the level of existing and potential synergies between existing initiatives under or in complement to UN-REDD programme (e.g. Restoration factory, Aim4Forest), as well as UNEP-led initiatives in the country (e.g. GEF, IKI project). - Assess the transparency and the effectiveness of REDD+ results-based payment schemes, carbon markets and other transactions under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. - Provide a detailed insight on lessons learned from existing projects and jurisdictional REDD+ initiatives (PRE and PiREDDs) - Evaluate the financial resources mobilized for REDD+ implementation to date, including domestic and international funding, FONAREDD operations, and access to results-based payments. Analyze the adequacy, efficiency, and transparency of financial management systems, as well as enabling conditions for private sector engagement. - Review progress of implementation of the National REDD+ Strategy, including achievements across its seven pillars (agriculture, energy, forestry, land use planning, land tenure, governance, and demography). Identify barriers to effective implementation and propose corrective actions. - Assess the design and implementation of benefit-sharing mechanisms under the REDD+ framework, including their fairness, inclusiveness, and effectiveness in reaching local communities and indigenous peoples. - Review the existing legal and regulatory frameworks relevant to REDD+, carbon rights, and access to climate finance: assess whether the current legislation enables transparent, equitable, and efficient participation in carbon markets and results-based finance. - Assess the status and functionality, as well as the perspectives for sustaining the Safeguards Information System (SIS), the NFMS, and other transparency tools such as the National REDD+ Registry. Evaluate how effectively these systems comply with international standards and contribute to the credibility of results-based finance.
Qualifications/special skills
Education: - An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) or higher degree, preferably in Environmental Science, Forestry, Climate Change, Geography, Sustainable Development, or related field, is required. - A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in the above-mentioned fields with an additional two (2) years of relevant experience can be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. Experience: - At least five (5) years of experience in project/ programme management activities, preferably in REDD+, climate change, forestry, or environmental management, or related field is required. - Thorough understanding of the political economy of the Eastern Africa region, especially of DRC, working with the different key Ministries involved in REDD+ is desirable. - Experience working with African governments is desirable. - Familiarity with international and national regulatory frameworks related to REDD+, carbon markets, such as the Paris Agreement, carbon market, nesting, Jurisdictional REDD+ is desirable. - Familiarity with REDD+ phases, standards, ART TREES, and/or Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU), and experience in coordinating multistakeholder initiatives is desirable. - Proven ability to work effectively in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary environment is desirable.
