Terminal Review Expert - Madagascar

To produce the Terminal Review report of the Conservation and improvement of ecosystem services for the Atsinanana region through agroecology and the promotion of sustainable energy production” and “GEF ID: 9793”.

Home Based

4 months

The United Nations Environment Programme 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." Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP's Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. UNEP's GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation Unit, under the Biodiversity and Land Branch, serves as the implementing agency for projects within the Biodiversity and Land Degradation Focal Areas funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Unit currently manages a portfolio of over 200 projects across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and West Asia and Asia and the Pacific regions. This project seeks to contribute to achieving the sustainable management of natural resources by optimizing sustainable land use management, biodiversity conservation, and access of local communities to renewable household energy security and climate change mitigation in the Atsinanana Region. To arrive at this goal, this project will undertake three synergistic sets of activities that are represented as components in the project. First, it will strengthen resource use governance at the landscape level by drafting and amending the regulatory framework for sustainable land and forest, and biodiversity management. This will create and enhance an enabling framework for the restoration, conservation, and management of environmental resources in Atsinanana. Second, the project will work with local communities to strengthen conservation actions by supporting the drafting and signing of conservation agreements. Through this process, and with support from this project, at least 500 hectares of High Conservation Value forests will be restored, as well as 4,800 hectares of production land will be brought under sustainable management. Over a 20-year period, potential avoided GHG emissions of 1,013,805 tons of CO2e resulting from changes in land uses. These changes include improved management through the implementation of SLM on 293,000 ha, conservation of at least 3,500 ha of globally significant biodiversity habitat, restoration of at least 500 ha of degraded land adjacent to or within identified High Conservation Value Forests, and improved management through the implementation of SLM in at least 4,800 ha of production landscapes. Within the same 20-year period, potential avoided GHG emissions of 624,000 tons of CO2e will be achieved through the production of electricity by bamboo gasification, and through the use of improved cookstoves. Third, cognizant of the important role played by energy demand in forest dynamics in Madagascar, this project will develop and implement a renewable energy development program for the Atsinanana Region. This program will include the installation of a bamboo gasification plant to produce renewable, affordable energy for local populations, and the introduction of energy efficient and improved cook stove into the project area. To ensure the sustainability of this program, there will be dedicated activities to train local populations on renewable energy technologies, as well as potentials for investing in the renewable energy value chains. Through public-private partnerships and the development of mechanisms for financing small and medium-sized industries interested in investing in the renewable energy value chain, the sustainability of these projects and systems will be enhanced. The Unit seeks to recruit a consultant to conduct the Terminal Review (TR) of the “Conservation and improvement of ecosystem services for the Atsinanana region through agroecology and the promotion of sustainable energy production” and “GEF ID: 9793” . The Terminal Review (TR) is undertaken at operational completion of the project to assess project performance (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency) and determine outcomes and impacts (actual and potential) stemming from the project, including their sustainability. The Review has two primary purposes: (i) to provide evidence of results to meet accountability requirements, and (ii) to promote operational improvement, learning and knowledge sharing through results and lessons learned among UNEP and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), United Nations Environment Programme World. The TR will assess project performance to date (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency) and determine the likelihood of the project achieving its intended outcomes and supporting their sustainability. This consultancy post is located in UNEP / Ecosystems Division / GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation unit. The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Task Manager Daniel Pouakouyou and the overall guidance of the Portfolio Manager of the GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation Unit based in Nairobi. Specifically, the consultant will be required to complete the following tasks: Inception phase:

• Preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff.
• Prepare the review framework in line with UNEP's evaluation guidelines.
• Identify stakeholders.
• Develop the interview/questions matrix.
• Plan the review schedule.
• Prepare the Inception Report. Data collection and analysis phase of the review, including:
• Conduct further desk review and in-depth interviews with project implementing and executing agencies, project partners and project stakeholders.
• Regularly report back to the Task Manager on progress and inform them of any possible problems or issues encountered. Reporting phase, including:
• Draft the Review Report, ensuring that the review report is complete, coherent and consistent with the Task Manager guidelines both in substance and style.
• Liaise with the Task Manager on comments received and finalize the Review Report, ensuring that comments are considered until approved by the Task Manager.
• Prepare a Response to Comments annex for the main report, listing those comments not accepted indicating the reason for the rejection; and Managing relations, including:
• Maintain a positive relationship with stakeholders, ensuring that the review process is as participatory as possible but at the same time maintains its independence.
• Communicate in a timely manner with the Task Manager on any issues requiring its attention and intervention. The consultant will prepare the following documents, in consultation and collaboration with the Project team: 1. Inception Report: containing an assessment of project, project stakeholder analysis, review framework and a tentative review schedule. 2. Preliminary Findings Note: typically, in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, the sharing of preliminary findings is intended to support the participation of the project team, act as a means to ensure all information sources have been accessed and provide an opportunity to verify emerging findings. 3. Draft and Final Review Report: containing an executive summary that can act as a stand-alone document; detailed analysis of the review findings organized by review criteria and supported with evidence; lessons learned and recommendations and an annotated ratings table.

An advanced university degree in environmental sciences, international development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required a minimum of 7 years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably including evaluating large, regional or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach; and a good/broad understanding of illegal wildlife trafficking and associated crimes is desired. A good/broad understanding of illegal wildlife trafficking and associated crime is desired. Hands-on experience in managing national and international natural resources projects, in particular concerning biodiversity, natural resources management, protected area management, environmental information, management, capacity building etc. is highly desirable.

• Experience in the project target area in Madagascar is an asset.
• Working knowledge of the UN system and specifically the work of UNEP is an added advantage.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English is a requirement and proficiency in French/knowledge of Malagasy language is desirable. Working knowledge of the UN system and specifically the work of UNEP is an added advantage.

Not available.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.