- Introduction
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning, independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 220 people come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in more than 100 countries.
IISD, together with its partners the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), are implementing the Climate Adaptation and Protected Areas Initiative (CAPA), which seeks to promote natural solutions to strengthening climate resilience and protecting biodiversity in and around protected areas and critical landscapes in the Global South. The initiative’s intervention sites cover marine, coastal, and terrestrial ecosystems and landscapes in Belize, Fiji, and the Greater Virunga and Kavango-Zambezi landscapes in Africa.
This assignment will cover the Greater Virunga and Kavango-Zambezi landscapes in Africa.
- Assignment Background
The Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TCA), located at the confluence of five southern African countries—Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—is the largest terrestrial transboundary conservation area in the world, covering an area of 520,000 km2. It is a mixed land-use landscape with 20 national parks, 85 forest reserves, 22 conservancies, 11 sanctuaries, 103 Wildlife Management Areas, and 11 Game Management Areas. The Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL) is located in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, western Uganda, and parts of Rwanda. It is an area of exceptional biodiversity and endemism, includes several iconic protected areas, and covers some 58,617 km2. GVL contains at least 150 endemic vertebrate species and 246 endemic plant species.
These two landscapes are currently threatened by climate change, with impacts already felt at the community and biodiversity levels. Over the last three decades, the KAZA landscape has experienced a series of climatic extremes, including repeated droughts and dry spells, seasonal and flash floods, extreme temperatures, reduced length of rainy seasons, and increasingly variable precipitation levels, many of these with increased frequency, intensity, and magnitude. These impacts have often resulted in crop failure and increased vulnerability of communities, livestock, and wildlife due to reduced availability of water. The GVL has also experienced increased annual precipitation rates and temperatures, a high frequency of heat waves, and numerous incidents of flooding, landslides, hailstorms, and dry spells. During the dry season, most GVL households experience drought due to reduced water and water scarcity.
Through the CAPA Initiative, IISD and WWF will design and implement nature-based solutions (NbS) for adaptation in and around these two critical landscapes to increase the resilience of people and ecosystems to climate change and to better integrate climate adaptation considerations into the management of these spaces. For the design and implementation of these NbS interventions to be successful, they must be grounded in a solid understanding of the risks associated with climate change, biodiversity loss, gender, and conflict in each of the landscapes.
In this context, IISD and WWF are looking to hire a consultant/team of consultants (herein referred to as “Consultant”) to assess the current and future climate change, biodiversity, gender, conflict risks, and the vulnerabilities of protected areas and surrounding target communities in the KAZA TCA and GVL.
The assessment is intended to gather information on climate, biodiversity, gender, and conflict risks and serve as a dialogue to enable women, men, and underrepresented groups to better understand how they engage with existing governance structures and how participation and influence in decision-making can become more gender equitable. Data collected will be summarized in a final report, with specific analysis to inform the choice of NbS activities in the CAPA project in the KAZA TCA and GVL and socialize the need for more gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive participation and influence in natural resource and protected area management and adaptation planning.
In addition to the above, the information gathered through these assessments will inform the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Strategy for CAPA in the KAZA TCA and GVL and will also be used to provide baseline data for several outcomes and indicators in the project’s Performance Measurement Framework.
The assignment is expected to require roughly four months of effort between January and April 2024.
- Scope of Work
The CAPA integrated climate risk, ecosystem, gender equality, and conflict assessment will be undertaken using a combination of secondary research, key informant interviews, and participatory data collection methodologies involving women, men, and organizations from communities located in the selected sites in the KAZA TCA and GVL.
Under the guidance of the IISD and WWF team and following the agreed methodology, the Consultant will undertake the following tasks:
3.1. Desk-based review
Through a desk-based review, the Consultant will identify, collect, and compile relevant documents, secondary data, and information (historical and updated) on the landscape’s climate, biodiversity, gender, governance, and conflict contexts; identify relevant stakeholders; and provide a preliminary description of the climate and biodiversity hazards, intersectional vulnerabilities, and resulting risks to be assessed. To support this, IISD and WWF will organize a technical session to clarify the assessment needs and their proposed methodology, as well as share existing materials already collected, including assessment tools and a set of specific questions to consider in the assessment.
Specifically, the Consultant will:
- Thoroughly review IISD and WWF’s specific data and information needs from the assessment and proposed methodologies, including the draft key questions to be answered (see Annex A).
- Review existing climate risk and GESI assessment reports and data available for the target landscapes, as well as the preliminary gap analysis undertaken by WWF, and develop a summary report mapping available data against identified needs and identifying data gaps.
- Based on the findings and summary report, the Consultant will develop a proposed data collection plan with a timeline and sampling strategy and provide details of the proposed methodology to be used in the assessment to fill the identified gaps. This will include reviewing and adapting the proposed WWF’s risk assessment methodologies (Climate Crowd, ROAM, Climate change vulnerability methodology for protected area); IISD’s Integrated Climate Risk, Ecosystem, Gender Equality and Conflict Assessment for CAPA Project Sites methodology; and the Consultant’s own proposed methodology where applicable.
- 3.2 Undertake the Integrated Climate Risk, Ecosystem, Gender Equality, and Conflict Assessment
Following the agreed methodology, the Consultant will undertake field-based data collection to fill identified gaps in 3.1 and determine observed and future climatic changes and hazards, as well as the consequences of these changes on assets, people, and ecosystems in the target sites. The assessment will explore six key areas—climate context, biodiversity/ecosystems context, gender and social context, governance context, conflict context—and adaptation potential to provide a holistic understanding of each landscape.
The climate and biodiversity portions of the assessment will explore observed and future climatic changes and hazards in each landscape, as well as the consequences of these changes on assets, people, and ecosystems. To ensure that the designed NbS are gender-responsive, the assessment must also explore differences between and among women, men, girls, and boys in terms of their vulnerabilities to climate risk and biodiversity loss and will seek to understand the gender and social differences in adaptation needs and capacities of these groups. To do this, the assessment will employ an intersectional approach, where data on gender and other identity-based characteristics (such as age, Indigeneity, and levels of disability) that can inform and influence the vulnerabilities and capacities of these groups will be collected and analyzed. This will help to determine who the underrepresented groups are within the landscapes. In terms of the conflict context, the assessment will examine existing and potential conflict dynamics within the two landscapes and integrate this analysis into the design and implementation of interventions to ensure that they are conflict-sensitive; that is, that these activities do not create or exacerbate tensions, grievances, or conflicts, but rather that they promote and enhance peace, dialogue, and cooperation.
The Consultant will employ a variety of participatory approaches to gather data during this phase, including focus group discussions (FGDs) with women, men, and underrepresented group members living in or near protected areas targeted by the CAPA Initiative in KAZA and GVL in separate FGDs as appropriate. Additional FGDs can be held with other underrepresented group members (e.g., youth, persons living with disabilities, Indigenous groups, etc.) if it is deemed culturally appropriate to do so. In addition to FGDs, the Consultant will also include key informant interviews (KIIs) with women, men, and underrepresented group leaders, as well as protected area managers. These may include:
- community leaders in the study area who are representatives of community-based organizations engaged in conservation or natural resource management activities, such as women’s groups, Indigenous groups, or resource user groups;
- representatives from conservation and development organizations active in the project area; and
- protected area managers and/or local government representatives with responsibilities in the study area, particularly those focused on conservation, natural resource management, and climate change.
The KIIs will be used to fill any remaining gaps in the information gathered through participatory and desk-based research, as well as to validate the information collected. Sampling strategies will be discussed with IISD and WWF GESI and monitoring, evaluation, and learning experts. Annex A lays out the assessment questions to be answered during this participatory research exercise.
Note: Prior to undertaking the field-based data collection, the Consultant, with support and guidance from WWF local teams, will obtain the necessary permission and consent from the local authorities, as well as from the communities to be assessed.
3.2.1 Analyze the information gathered and produce robust assessment outcomes and recommendations.
Based on the information gathered from both the desk-based research and participatory research, the Consultant will.
- Identify the main climate hazards affecting the CAPA sites and related levels of vulnerability of and impacts on the communities, including their livelihoods and key ecosystems in each landscape’s targeted protected areas.
- Identify the important areas for biodiversity and for restoration/rehabilitation, with consideration of the current and future impacts of climate change. It is worth noting that another study using the ROAM methodology will be done in the same period by other consultants in KAZA. The Consultant is asked to ensure synergies between the results of the ROAM process and this current study to address any gaps. However, ROAM will not be undertaken in the GVL, and identification of the restoration areas will rely on the results of this current study.
- Propose all relevant adaptation solutions based on the vulnerability and risk assessment that will support the resilience of communities and biodiversity in the targeted site, including NbS, that bring adaptation benefits and support adaptation activities.
- Review the proposed NbS activities in the project and provide adjustments and recommendations where applicable that could support communities in adapting to climate change, including measures to maintain the long-term ecosystem services provided by these NbS.
- Provide suggestions for activities or strategies that the project can employ to address the identified GESI and conflict issues in order to increase resilience to climate change and biodiversity loss (particularly for women and underrepresented groups) and promote greater GESI and conflict sensitivity.
3.3 Validation of Findings
Once the participatory research and desk-based research are concluded and the initial findings analysed, the Consultant will host in-person workshops in each landscape with key stakeholders from the communities and protected area management to validate the findings from the assessments. Preliminary findings will also be shared with IISD and WWF for feedback.
3.4 Reporting
Once all feedback is received, the Consultant will summarize the findings in a final report, using the report template and assessment questions provided by IISD and WWF, describing the existing conditions in both landscapes, outlining how conditions might evolve in the future, and describing the key GESI and conflict issues at the sites. This report must also highlight the important areas for biodiversity and for restoration/rehabilitation, the key NbS activities that could support communities in adapting to climate change, and measures to maintain the long-term ecosystem services provided by these NbS. In addition, the report should outline activities or strategies that the project can employ to address the identified GESI and conflict issues based on feedback from the validation workshops. With guidance and support from IISD and WWF, the Consultant will also use the findings from the assessment to develop the climate risk profiles for GVL and KAZA TCA.
The Consultant is expected to submit all raw data obtained from the research, including KIIs, workshop reports, registration forms, and sampling lists, to IISD.
4 Assessment Sites
The assessment will be undertaken in the CAPA project sites within the KAZA and GVL landscapes. In KAZA, the project will be implemented in four of the five KAZA countries, namely, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, and in Uganda for GVL.
- In Angola, project implementation will focus on the Kwando River basin within the Luengue Luiana National Park, with specific sites for implementation being Jamba, Luyana, Likuwa and Minonge.
- In Namibia, the project will focus on Bwabwata National Park located between Kavango east and the Zambezi Region, with specific targets being the Kyaramacan association led by the Khwe people who are the majority.
- In Zambia, the project will target two national parks, Sioma Ngwezi and Mosi Oa Tunya, and the lower West Zambezi Game Management Area in Sesheke and Sioma Districts. The project will also have sites in Kazungula, Kalomo,and Nkeyema districts which cover the Mulobezi Sichifulo and Mufunta Game Management Area
- In Zimbabwe, the project will focus on the community conservation areas around the Hwange National Parks in the Tsholotsho or Hwange districts, and the communal areas around the Chizarira National Park in Binga rural district in Zambezi River catchment.
- In Uganda, the project will focus on three national parks: Rwenzori National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Please note that the target communities for the data collection will be selected through the adapted IISD multi-criteria community prioritization tool. The main part of the on-the-ground data collection will take place in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda sites.
5 Deliverables
1. Summary report from secondary data analysis
– Based on the review of existing climate risk and GESI assessment reports and data available for the target landscapes, as well as the preliminary gap analysis undertaken by WWF.
Due date
February 5, 2024
Payment %
15%
2. Inception report
– Outline the primary data collection plan, tools, methodology, proposed sampling strategy, and timeline.
Due date
February 12, 2024
Payment
25%
3. Draft report
– Includes primary and secondary data analysis, a summary of desktop analysis results addressing the gaps and community consultations, including KIIs and FGD summaries.
Due date
March 29, 2024
Payment
25%
4. In-person validation workshops in both landscapes
Due date
April 15, 2024
Payment
10%
5. Final report
– Should describe the existing conditions (climate, biodiversity, community, gender and social, governance, conflict contexts) in both landscapes, outlining how conditions might evolve in the future, as well as the key GESI and conflict issues at the sites.
– Should include recommendations for the CAPA Initiative on activities or strategies to address the identified GESI issues.
– Should identify important areas for biodiversity and restoration/rehabilitation, with consideration of the current and future impacts of climate change.
– Should identify all relevant adaptation solutions and provide recommendations on the key NbS that could support communities to adapt to climate change and biodiversity loss, including measures to maintain the long-term services provided by these NbS in the CAPA-targeted sites.
Due date
April 25, 2024
Payment
25%
6. Climate risk profiles for GVL and KAZA
Due date
April 25, 2024
- Reporting and Work Arrangement
The Consultant will be contracted by IISD and will work closely with WWF offices and IISD.
WWF Africa and IISD will:
- Oversee and support the Consultant in their work, providing clear direction.
- Agree with the Consultant on the methodology and tools to be used for their work, as well as the priority questions to be answered.
- Facilitate contact between the Consultant and relevant groups in the landscape.
- Identify and convene relevant participants for any relevant workshops.
- Facilitate contact between the Consultant and relevant government departments, partner organizations, and other external stakeholders.
- Sign off on the Consultant’s work and provide overall quality assurance of the process.
- Timeline
This assignment will be spread over a period of not more than 4 months from the date of the contract, with final deliverables expected by April 25, 2024. The Consultant will be expected to respond to other related requirements falling within the purview of the work, which may arise within reasonable scale and consistent with the objective.
- Qualifications
The preferred Consultant should be self-driven and innovative, possessing the following qualifications:
Education (Essential)
- University degree or higher academic credentials in natural resources or conservation management, climate, environment, or other related subject.
- In addition, the Consultant or consultant team should possess additional qualifications or training in gender studies, community-based adaptation planning, rural and/or socio-economic development studies, conflict studies, or another related area.
Knowledge and Experience (Essential)
- Experience in conducting climate vulnerability assessments and adaptation work around protected areas/parks, conservancies and their surrounding communities using appropriate models that address management effectiveness.
- A good understanding of Africa’s climate context, protected areas in a changing climate, and NbS for adaptation approaches.
- Experience working in KAZA TCA and GVL.
- Experience conducting gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive field-based research in rural communities on relevant topics (e.g., climate change adaptation, gender and social issues, biodiversity, and conservation).
- Experience conducting participatory gender and conflict analyses and hosting workshops.
- Experience interviewing diverse respondents on gender-related subject matter.
- Experience synthesizing (quantitative and qualitative) primary and secondary data.
- Experience writing reports for development organizations.
- Ability to design appropriate strategies to address local context issues (including language).
Skills (Essential)
- Climate vulnerability and risk analysis
- Gender data analysis, intersectional data analysis
- Participatory, field-based data collection
- Community-based workshop facilitation and interviewing capabilities
- Community-based adaptation planning
- Data synthesis and report writing
- Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office applications and data analysis software
- Excellent writing skills
Behavioural Competencies (Essential)
- Results-focused, able to work quickly and accurately to meet tight deadlines without compromising the quality of the results.
- Strong interpersonal skills, able to communicate effectively across different gender and social groups, be inclusive and positive.
- Able to work independently and collaborate with partner organizations and relevant experts as required.
Location: KAZA and GVL
Term: Short-term contractor
Duration of assignment: 4 months
Start date: As soon as possible.
Closing date: January 5, 2024
Application Procedure
All submissions must be in English.
Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. Please include:
- A statement of interest/technical proposal outlining how you would do the work (approach, methodology and proposed work plan).
- CV/resume (2 pages maximum). If the assignment will be undertaken by a team of consultants, submit a 2-page resume for the Lead Consultant and an additional page (table) listing the team members and their qualifications, field of expertise, and years of experience.
- Financial proposal (include a cost breakdown).
We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants’ advice on how best to accommodate their needs.
IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.
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