Result of Service

The CCAC National Consultant for Kazakhstan will be responsible for providing support to the CCAC Focal Points at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and JSC Zhasyl Damu to support Kazakhstan’s SLCP agenda and to ensure that the CCAC-supported projects are completed within the timeline and in line with Kazakhstan’s needs and priorities. All deliverables are to be validated by the CCAC Secretariat.

Work Location

Astana, Kazakhstan

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) is a partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, and representatives of the private sector, the environmental community, and other members of civil society.   The CCAC is the only international initiative working on integrated climate and clean air solutions to reduce the rate of near-term warming. It focuses on fast action to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) including methane, black carbon, HFCs and tropospheric ozone. More information about the CCAC is here: www.ccacoalition.org  As of October 2023, the same team is providing secretariat services to the Global Methane Pledge. More information about the Global Methane Pledge is here: www.globalmethanepledge.org  The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) hosts the Secretariat at the Economy Division in Paris.  Kazakhstan joined the CCAC in 2023. Kazakhstan is a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge supporting the voluntary commitment to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. As a new State Partner, in 2024 Kazakhstan requested national planning support and a methane roadmap. The national planning process and resulting National SLCP Plan should inform Kazakhstan's 2025 revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). This work should also strengthen national capacity to develop an integrated SLCP and greenhouse gas integrated assessment. The National Methane Roadmap should leverage emerging data and techniques to enhance emissions inventories, identify compelling abatement strategies, and define methane related policies, programs, and funding streams for implementation. The CCAC is therefore seeking a National Consultant to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan and its subsidiary JSC Zhasyl Damu for national SLCP mitigation planning, policies and implementation and more specifically for the delivery of a National Short-lived Climate Pollutant (SLCP) Plan and a National Methane Roadmap. S/he will work in close collaboration with the CCAC Secretariat team to coordinate the implementation of CCAC projects in Kazakhstan and will liaise with implementing partners to enhance awareness on SLCPs. The CCAC supported projects include (the list can be extended): - KZ-24-002 - Kazakhstan - Develop a national SLCP plan to mainstream SLCP mitigation into existing policy and methane roadmap - KZ-24-003 - Kazakhstan - Enhancing capacity in SLCP Mitigation in Kazakhstan’s coal mining sector  - KZ-24-001T - Strengthening SLCP Mitigation Capacity in Kazakhstan Output expectations: 1) Overall expectations: - Contribute to participation and buy-in from across government to implement CCAC supported SLCP activities on expert and political levels. - Engage with civil society and relevant organizations (main emitters) in CCAC partner country. - Coordinate CCAC activities in Kazakhstan in collaboration with the CCAC Focal Points at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and JSC Zhasyl Damu. - Support CCAC Focal Point in coordinating national SLCP planning, policy and implementation efforts based on own expertise and available technical assistance project from CCAC and other development partners. 2) Coordination: Coordinate efforts and resources within CCAC projects: - KZ-24-002 - Kazakhstan - Develop a national SLCP plan to mainstream SLCP mitigation into existing policy and methane roadmap; - KZ-24-003 - Kazakhstan - Enhancing capacity in SLCP Mitigation in Kazakhstan’s coal mining sector; - KZ-24-001T - Strengthening SLCP Mitigation Capacity in Kazakhstan. - Support project implementers with effective coordination with relevant departments within the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, relevant government agencies, and all project partners, including NGOs. - Support organization of training activities, providing relevant contacts, assist with data gathering. 3) Technical expertise: - Support CCAC Focal Points on day-to-day basis with technical expertise in preparation of SLCPs and climate-related documents, etc. - Technical exercises might include feasibility checks of emission reduction potential, conducting scenario modeling on GHG projections, mapping climate financing options and simple financial modeling). - Prepare and ensure submission of realistic SLCP mitigation proposals to relevant funding mechanisms (e.g., Technical Expert Assistance, Country requests via the annual CCAC expression of interest process, other relevant national and international funding mechanisms etc.) - Drive formation of joint initiative between governmental agencies and organizations (Zhasyl Damu/Emissions Inventory, Kazhydromet/Weather&Climate, KazGarysh Sapary/Satellite, and other relevant partners) for national Earth Observatory for emissions tracking (Integrated satellite-based GHG emissions monitoring). - Collaborate with CCAC from across national government departments. - Identify new opportunities for engagement with the CCAC. - Other ad hoc outputs as agreed. 4) Country insights: - Deliver update of energy system model for inclusion of SLCPs (at least methane). - Develop scenarios and emissions projections for a country analysis and present it to the CCAC team. - Update monthly on new developments, important news and upcoming national events in the country. 5) Outreach: - Participate at high political level in SLCP relevant events and CCAC Hubs. - Present at CCAC online and in-person events and meetings (especially the relevant CCAC Hubs), especially to showcase country’s successes as well as to detail any challenges or requests for assistance. - Ensure Kazakhstan is an active CCAC State Partner and is leveraging benefits from the CCAC partnership (e.g., best practices shared, technical assistance, funding, bilateral partnerships, etc).

Qualifications/special skills

- Advanced university degree in engineering, technology, environment, or economics. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.  - A minimum of 6 years of relevant professional experience working in a field of climate change is required.  - Knowledge of climate change, climate-related development issues, and climate co-benefits is required.  - Demonstrated experience supporting decision makers with best available science and quantitative analytics is required. - Demonstrated experience in facilitating the preparation and implementation of NDCs and similar public policy frameworks is required. - Demonstrated proficiency with GHG projections models (TIMES, LEAP, etc.) is required. - Understanding and proficiency with wide range of models is desirable (macroeconomic, power sector, LULUCF, air quality, etc.) - Demonstrated experience developing project proposals and organizing training courses is desirable. Other skills The selected candidate must be able to: - Be proactive and highly organized - Write clearly and succinctly in English - Clear communication skills (written and oral presentations) - Interact diplomatically with governments and other stakeholders  - Work well under pressure and successfully manage multiple deadlines and competing demands  - Knowledge of the national policies in climate change mitigation and air pollution - A good understanding of short-lived climate pollutants, climate change and air pollution issues in Kazakhstan - Work with advanced formulas in Excel spreadsheet and GHG projections models is required.

Languages

- Fluency in English, Russian and Kazakh (written and spoken) is required. 

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

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.