Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Tonga's economy, communities, and public finances depend substantially on natural capital, including terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, and the services they provide. These assets support livelihoods, food and water security, tourism, fisheries, disaster-risk reduction, climate resilience, and broader economic and social wellbeing. However, many of these contributions are not systematically reflected in economic analysis, public investment planning, fiscal decision-making, or climate-finance strategies. The Government of Tonga therefore wishes to strengthen the recognition of natural capital in national economic, fiscal, climate, and investment decision-making and to identify practical opportunities to mobilize finance for its protection, restoration, and sustainable use. The work will also inform the Natural Capital component of Tonga's National Climate Finance Strategy.

GGGI is supporting the Government of Tonga through Phase 2 of the Low Emission Climate Resilient Development Programme, financed by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs. GGGI intends to engage an individual consultant to undertake a rapid Natural Capital Finance Diagnostic and prepare a practical Strategic Roadmap for Tonga. The assignment is a Phase 1 diagnostic and readiness exercise. It will identify priority natural capital assets, assess the available evidence and institutional readiness, examine their strategic economic and fiscal relevance, screen credible financing opportunities, and recommend a sequenced programme of further action. It is not intended to produce comprehensive national natural capital accounts, undertake primary ecological surveys or exhaustive ecosystem valuation, design, or issue financial instruments, or establish new environmental markets.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective of the assignment is to provide the Government of Tonga with an evidence-based assessment of how priority natural capital assets can be better recognized, protected and incorporated into economic, fiscal, investment and climate-finance decision-making, and to identify practical priorities for subsequent Government action and investment.

The Consultant will lead the complete assignment and will be accountable for the methodology, stakeholder engagement, analysis, integration of any approved specialist inputs, and the quality and timely delivery of all outputs.

Specific Objectives

• Develop a practical analytical and prioritization framework, drawing primarily on the UN System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA), including SEEA Ecosystem Accounting, and adapting it to Tonga's policy needs, capacity, and data environment.

• Identify 5-8 priority natural capital asset or ecosystem categories of greatest significance to Tonga's economy, public finances, climate resilience, livelihoods, and sustainable development.

• Assess existing evidence, datasets, data systems, policies, institutional mandates, initiatives, and coordination arrangements relevant to the priority of natural capital areas.

• Assess at a strategic level the economic, social, resilience and fiscal significance of the priority of natural capital areas and the risks associated with their degradation or loss.

• Identify and screen credible opportunities for financing the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of Tonga's priority natural capital.

• Identify institutional, legal, governance, community rights, gender equality and social inclusion, safeguard, and accountability considerations relevant to future natural capital action and financing.

• Prepare an integrated Natural Capital Finance Diagnostic, prioritized Strategic Roadmap, Natural Capital Chapter for Tonga's National Climate Finance Strategy, and shortlist of priority initiatives for further development.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant shall undertake the following interrelated workstreams. The analysis should be iterative: early evidence and consultations will inform the natural capital priorities, which will then provide the basis for the finance opportunity assessment and integrated roadmap.

Deliverable 1: Inception and Analytical Framework

• Review the assignment with GGGI and designated Government counterparts and confirm the key policy and decision-making questions, information requirements, stakeholders, deliverable specifications, mission schedule, and workplan.

• Establish transparent criteria for prioritizing natural capital, considering economic and social importance, contribution to livelihoods and resilience, ecological significance, vulnerability and degradation, Government policy relevance, fiscal implications, data readiness, and scope for improved management or investment.

• Prepare an initial information inventory, consultation plan and evidence-quality framework and identify material constraints, assumptions, and analytical gaps.

Deliverable 2: Natural Capital Stock Take and Prioritization

• Review relevant Government strategies, policies and datasets and credible studies produced by research organizations, communities, civil society, the private sector, and development partners.

• Consider relevant terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine natural capital, and the ecosystem services that support economic activity, employment, livelihoods, food and water security, tourism, fisheries, infrastructure protection, adaptation, and disaster-risk reduction.

• Prepare a Natural Capital Prioritization Matrix identifying 5-8 priority asset or ecosystem categories, their principal services and beneficiaries, key dependencies and risks, evidence of quality, and rationale for prioritization.

• Clearly distinguish documented evidence from indicative analysis, stakeholder views, and assumptions.

• Map relevant datasets, data custodians, collection frequency, reporting arrangements, indicators, and major gaps for the priority of natural capital areas.

• Assess opportunities to improve inter-agency coordination, data sharing, quality assurance, and the use of natural capital evidence in planning, budgeting, and investment decisions.

• Assess the feasibility and policy value of progressively developing selected environmental-economic or ecosystem accounts, using SEEA as the primary reference framework.

• Recommend only those accounts or information improvements that would provide sufficient decision-making value to justify further investment; the Consultant is not expected to compile full SEEA accounts.

Deliverable 3: Natural Capital Finance Opportunity Assessment

• Assess the economic significance of Tonga’s priority natural capital assets and the risks associated with environmental degradation, climate change, and disasters.

• Review existing natural capital financing arrangements and identify viable financing opportunities and mechanisms for Tonga.

• Develop a Natural Capital Finance Opportunity Matrix to evaluate priorities financing options based on strategic, financial, institutional, and social criteria.

• Identify and classify priority, emerging and longer-term financing opportunities, with clear justification for each.

• Prepare 3-5 priority natural capital finance concepts, including financing approach, scale, partners, risks, and implementation requirements.

• Review institutional, policy, and governance arrangements and recommend roles and coordination mechanisms for priority actions.

• Assess customary rights, tenure, and access issues, and integrate gender equality and social inclusion considerations throughout the analysis.

Deliverable 4: Integrated Strategic Roadmap and Climate Finance Strategy chapter

• Prepare a Strategic Roadmap covering immediate actions (0-12 months), medium-term priorities (1-3 years), and longer-term priorities (beyond 3 years).

• For each recommended action, identify the rationale, proposed lead and supporting institutions, prerequisites, further analytical or capacity needs, indicative financing requirements, partners, sequencing, risks, and assumptions.

• Integrate the natural capital priorities, data and accounting recommendations, economic and fiscal assessment, governance and safeguard requirements, and financing opportunities into one coherent decision-making framework.

• Prepare the Natural Capital Chapter for Tonga's National Climate Finance Strategy, a concise implementation and investment summary, and an editable Government presentation.

Methodology and Coordination

The Consultant shall apply a pragmatic mixed-methods approach proportionate to the available budget and level of effort. This should combine a structured desk review, targeted stakeholder interviews, review of available spatial and ecosystem information, institutional and policy analysis, use of existing economic and ecosystem-service valuation evidence, comparative assessment of financing mechanisms, prioritization and readiness assessment, and stakeholder validation. International good practice should be adapted to Tonga's scale, capacity, customary and community context, and data environment rather than applied mechanically.

The Consultant will report to the GGGI Project Manager and work closely with GGGI's Climate Finance Expert and the Government's designated lead institution and focal point. Relevant counterparts are expected to include the Ministry of Finance, the Prime Minister's Office, the Department of Climate Change within MEIDECC, and ministries or agencies responsible for environment, fisheries, agriculture, tourism, statistics, planning, and public investment.

GGGI's Tonga-based staff will support Government coordination, stakeholder mapping, collection and organization of existing reports and datasets, maintenance of data and document request trackers, consultation and workshop logistics, structured factual follow-up using tools or templates prepared by the Consultant, consultation note-taking, local contextual advice, and follow-up with stakeholders between missions. They will also support participation records and other information required for GGGI's Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning requirements. The GGGI Project Manager will coordinate requests for local support.

The Consultant remains responsible for the analytical framework, quality and interpretation of evidence, technical and sensitive consultations, analysis, recommendations, integration of all inputs, substantive facilitation of the validation process, and preparation and revision of every deliverable. GGGI staff support does not transfer these responsibilities or make GGGI staff part of the Consultant's personnel.

Approved travel and accommodation for up to two missions, together with agreed workshop costs, will be financed separately by GGGI and are not included in the professional fee.

SCOPE BOUNDARIES

The assignment will use existing information and targeted consultations. It excludes primary ecological surveys; comprehensive national spatial mapping; compilation of full SEEA accounts; exhaustive original monetary valuation; detailed macroeconomic or debt-sustainability modelling; comprehensive legal due diligence or legislative drafting; detailed financial transaction structuring or negotiation; issuance of nature, biodiversity or carbon credits; and establishment of a national monitoring, reporting and verification system. The Consultant shall identify where such work may be warranted in a subsequent phase.

DELIVERABLES AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The assignment will have four consolidated deliverables over a contract period of up to four months. All deliverables shall be submitted in English and in editable Microsoft Office-compatible formats. Payments will be made following GGGI's written confirmation of satisfactory completion and acceptance of the relevant deliverable.

Deliverable	Indicative Timeline	Payment
Deliverable 1: Inception and Analytical Framework Refined methodology; prioritization and evidence-quality criteria; initial information and data inventory; stakeholder and consultation plan; detailed workplan and mission schedule; proposed use of GGGI Tonga staff support; and major constraints, assumptions, and information gaps.	Within 2 weeks of contract start	10% (USD 2,000)
Deliverable 2: Natural capital stock take and prioritization Desk-based stock take; Natural Capital Prioritization Matrix covering 5-8 priority asset or ecosystem categories; data and accounting-readiness assessment; institutional and policy assessment; strategic analysis of dependencies, economic and fiscal relevance, risks, and resilience benefits; and priority evidence and capacity gaps.	Within 7 weeks of contract start	30% (USD 6,000)
Deliverable 3: Natural capital finance opportunity assessment Natural Capital Finance Opportunity Matrix; screening and classification of potential mechanisms; indicative economic and fiscal implications; governance, integrity, community, safeguard and reputational considerations; approximately 3-5 priority opportunity concepts; draft sequenced roadmap; draft Natural Capital Chapter of the National Climate Finance Strategy; implementation matrix; and materials for stakeholder validation.	Within 11 weeks of contract start	30% (USD 6,000)
Deliverable 4: Integrated Strategic Roadmap and Climate Finance Strategy chapter Final revised and validated package incorporating consolidated comments; final implementation and investment roadmap; final priority opportunity concepts; concise executive summary; editable Government presentation; and relevant datasets, source register, non-confidential consultation summary, and analytical materials.	Within 16 weeks of contract start	30% (USD 6,000)

REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS

• The Consultant will report to the GGGI Project Manager and work in close coordination with GGGI's Climate Finance Expert and the designated Government focal point.

• The Consultant shall participate in inception, periodic progress and coordination meetings and shall alert GGGI promptly to material evidence gaps, delays, risks or proposed changes to the agreed methodology and mission schedule.

• The Consultant is accountable for the quality, coherence, and timely delivery of all outputs, including any work prepared by an approved subcontractor. Individual Consultant

• GGGI and designated Government counterparts will provide consolidated comments. The Consultant shall address the comments and submit revised outputs within 10 working days, or another period agreed in writing where the comments concern material new information.

• All reports shall be provided in editable Word format, matrices or models in editable Excel format, and presentations in editable PowerPoint format. Relevant source files and non-confidential supporting materials shall be supplied with the final deliverable.

• Confidential interview material shall not be attributed to or supplied as raw interview notes without the participant's consent. All information shall be managed in accordance with applicable confidentiality, data protection, research ethics, and safeguarding requirements.

• Payment will be made to the Consultant only. The Consultant is responsible for all payments due to approved subcontractors within the agreed professional fee.

EXPERTISE REQUIRED

The assignment requires a Senior Financial Economist who can integrate natural capital, environmental economics, public-finance, and nature-finance analysis into concise, practical recommendations for Government.

Mandatory

• Master's degree in environmental economics, economics, public finance, finance, natural-resource management, environmental science, public policy, development studies, or a closely related field.

• Minimum 8 years of relevant professional experience in natural capital, environmental economics, ecosystem services, environmental policy, public finance, climate or nature finance, sustainable development planning, or a closely related area.

• Demonstrated experience leading natural capital diagnostics, strategies, environmental-economic assessments, ecosystem-service assessments, nature-finance assessments, or comparable multidisciplinary assignments.

• Strong understanding of natural capital accounting frameworks, particularly SEEA and SEEA Ecosystem Accounting, and the ability to translate accounting concepts into proportionate, policy-relevant recommendations.

• Demonstrated understanding of public-finance and investment implications, including Government revenue and expenditure, fiscal risk, recurrent costs, public investment, and institutional accountability.

• Experience identifying and screening climate, biodiversity, conservation, blue, resilience or other nature-finance mechanisms against feasibility, scale, cost, integrity, safeguards, risk, and implementation of readiness. • Demonstrated ability to synthesize ecological, economic, institutional and stakeholder evidence, supervise specialist inputs, and distinguish robust findings from indicative estimates and assumptions.

• Experience assessing institutional mandates, data readiness, governance, community and customary rights, environmental and social safeguards, gender equality and social inclusion, and implementation of pathways.

• Demonstrated ability to lead stakeholder consultations and validation processes and to work constructively with Government, communities, civil society, technical experts, the private sector, and development partners.

• Excellent analytical, project-management, report-writing, facilitation, and presentation skills in English.

Highly Desirable

• Experience in Tonga, the Pacific or other Small Island Developing States.

• Experience linking natural capital evidence with national planning, budgeting, public investment, climate adaptation, disaster-risk reduction, or climate-finance strategies.

• Knowledge of coastal and marine ecosystems, fisheries, tourism, water, agriculture, or other sectors important to Pacific Island economies.

• Experience working with ministries of finance and planning, environment or climate institutions, development banks, donors, philanthropic organizations, or private investors.

• Established access to suitably qualified specialists who could provide limited complementary inputs if approved by GGGI. The Consultant must be able to work independently, manage a multidisciplinary evidence base and approved specialist inputs, and remain personally accountable for a coherent, decision-useful final product.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Interested consultants shall submit following documentation:

• Cover letter and curriculum vitae demonstrating how the Consultant meets the requirements.

• Names, roles, and curricula vitae of any specialist subcontractors proposed at the application stage.

Date to close is Korean Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Application, Cover Letter, and CV must be sent in English. A consortium may not be engaged for the individual consultant's assignment.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Duty Station: Remote, with travel to Nuku'alofa, Tonga, as agreed with GGGI
Contract Duration: Up to 4 months
Consultant Level: Level 5
Total Fees: USD 20,000

Child protection - GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGI's Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Child protection – GGGI is committed to child protection, irrespective of whether any specific area of work involves direct contact with children. GGGI’s Child Protection Policy is written in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.