Consultant- Climate Risk Assessments

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is a membership organisation, consisting of the world’s 191 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, acting through more than 160,000 local branches or offices and with 14 million community-based volunteers. They are supported by the IFRC Secretariat, which works to support, coordinate and represent the action of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies worldwide. Together, the members and their Secretariat are known as the “IFRC network”.

Each Red Cross and Red Crescent Society is an independent national organisation dedicated to saving lives, promoting community health, safety resilience and well-being, and building inclusive societies. As auxiliaries to the public authorities in the humanitarian field, National Societies support their authorities to reduce risks, protect human dignity, delivery assistance and improve the lives of vulnerable people, while always acting in conformity with the Fundamental Principles. Their unparalleled local presence, combined with the IFRC Secretariat’s role in global coordination and response, brokering knowledge, strengthening capacities, mobilising resources and representation, form the world’s largest and most effective humanitarian network.

The IFRC Network is diverse and inclusive. It is uniquely placed to deliver life-saving services before, during and after disasters, and health emergencies, perilous migration journeys and other crises, and to deliver the long-term programming that is critical to building sustainable community resilience, adapt to climate change and promote public health.

The IFRC Network is neutral, impartial, and independent. It is a trusted partner both in emergency response and in individual, community and institutional resilience, and it is a leader in the anticipation, prevention, and response to disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The Caribbean is one of the world’s most vulnerable to climate change. Increasing temperatures are fuelling the intensity of storms and increasing the frequency of heat waves. Rising sea levels are resulting in the coastal erosion which is exacerbated by unchecked coastal development. Along with environmental degradation, climate change is poised to have an enormous impact on the lives and livelihoods of much of the Caribbean.

Finding ways for the Caribbean to adapt to climate change and build resilience in the communities is vitally important. As a first step, there should be an understanding of the current and future climate change risks and impacts in the countries. A National Climate Risk Assessment provides the information that National Societies need to begin to help communities to adapt to climate change. It will also provide the information they need to begin to make their programmes climate smart. The consultancy will support two countries to develop national climate risk assessments.

Job Purpose

The purpose of the consultancy is to develop individual National Climate Risk Assessments for two countries.

A national climate risk assessment offers the basis for National Societies to take stock of the latest climate science, current climate-related risks, and vulnerabilities in-country, and future climate projections. It will help them to understand and assess how those risks are impacting vulnerable sectors, regions, and people, and how current risks may be impacted by climate change. The climate risk assessment will help identify priority sectors/regions/partners for new initiatives for locally led adaptation and related funding opportunities.

The assessment should build from existing government risk assessment initiatives, robust scientific publications, community risk assessments such as Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (eVCA), Community Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA), environmental screenings, etc., where available.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will develop, in consultation with the IFRC, a detailed work plan that will include undertaking at least the following tasks:

1. An inception workshop: Conduct one or several short workshops and/or meetings to familiarise the different departments from the National Society with the process (national climate risk assessment, climate-smart screening and related objectives, methodologies, scope etc) and identify participants for the climate working group.
2. Stakeholder Mapping: With support from the climate working group, conduct an initial internal and external stakeholder mapping in order for the National Society to engage key national and local partners and stakeholders in the national climate risk assessment (Step 1)
3. Desk research on the historical, current and projected climate risks for different sectors including health, agriculture/fisheries/forestry/food production/food security, transportation, infrastructure, etc.
4. Producing the national climate risk assessment in collaboration with the National Society
5. Coordinate the validation workshop with the National Society and external stakeholders, including a brainstorm on relevant adaptation options for the country.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Methodology

A proposal outlining general methodology (upon selection, methodology will be designed more specifically) should be submitted at the time of submission of the application in a response to this advertisement. A financial proposal should also be submitted.

The consultancy is based largely on a consultative process, secondary information produced in the region, considering efforts made by other actors, national systems and Red Cross-National Societies.

The consultant will maintain constant communication with the IFRC and update the IFRC on progress of work, as well as the difficulties that may arise.

Timelines:

Action Items

Timelines (suggested)

Comments

1. Concept Note for the design and approach of the consultancy

Within 14 days of signing contract

IFRC FP to approve in 7 working days

2. Finalised Concept Note and Work Plan

7 working days after comments on draft

It is expected that once the work plan is approved by the project team, set dates for the other listed deliverables would be identified.

Education

First degree in climate change/natural resource management/environmental management/ environmental engineering/disaster management

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of working experience in climate change, environment and other related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in leading humanitarian/development projects/programmes.
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative data collection and analysis
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Experience in project management.
• Experience working in the Caribbean.
• Previous experience with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Fluent in English
• Spanish (desired)

Competencies, Values and Comments

Selection Criteria
The Consultant is required to submit a technical and financial proposal which should include a detailed research methodology that proposes an action plan to achieve the Consultancy’s Objectives and Deliverables in accordance with these Terms of Reference.

Copyright: The results of any research will be considered the property of the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies. Information gathered cannot be disclosed wholly or partly by the consultant without the prior consent of the IFRC.