Consultancy related to the stocktaking and the development of a roadmap for the Water-Energy-Food –Ecosystem Nexus policy support in African countries[1]

United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD)

Home-based/Remote


[1] Excluding North African countries. 

1. Background

The UN Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD), under the Division for SDGs of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) contributes to building, exchanging and facilitating the use of knowledge in support evidence-based policymaking to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. UNOSD specialises on mapping, assessing and improving exchange of knowledge resources, providing advice to Member States and the broader policy communities on sharing and applying such resources, and conducting research and capacity development. As a part of its capacity strengthening and knowledge sharing plans, UNOSD’s objective is to explore the waterenergy interlinkages, in the context of advancing SDG 6 and 7, encompassing implications on food and ecosystems in line with SDGs 2 and 15, as well as other goals. UNOSD, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), UNESCO and other regional partners, will organize a policy dialogue or workshop on Mainstreaming and Implementing the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus (hereinafter referred to as “WEFE” Nexus) for Sustainable Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in the February of 2025. The results of this ToR will be presented at the event. 

Water and energy are closely interlinked and interdependent. 90 percent of power generation is waterintensive and about 8 percent of energy is used for pumping, treating and transporting to the various consumers. Water is especially important and used in large volumes in generating electricity, whether through energy production (hydroelectric power), heat exchange (steam systems), or for cooling (nuclear). In addition, waste streams such as urban wastewater and saline drainage water also offer energy generation opportunities. Water is required for fossil fuel extraction and production of biofuels. Energy, for example, is required for desalination. Despite the strong interlinkages, the synergy between the water and energy sectors has not been well managed and fully exploited in several countries to support sustainable development.[1] 

To accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda, water and energy are key enablers for localized sustainable development. SDG 6 aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. This cannot be achieved without energy and the infrastructure necessary to provide such services. In addition, it is equally important to achieve SDG 7, which aims at ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Thus, SDG 7 cannot be achieved without essential water resources necessary to generate energy and meet rising demand, especially in line with recent policy commitments in the region related to green hydrogen. 

One in two countries still lacks effective frameworks for sustainable water management. A lack of crosssector coordination over water use, between agriculture, industry, energy production, and household supply, threatens the achievement of several SDGs, including those on food, energy, and life on land.

With increasing demands for water and energy in developing countries, particularly those in Africa, it is important to understand their interlinkages between as well as potential WEFE nexus options that effectively contribute to meeting the water and energy demands. Africa and developing parts of Asia are the regions with the highest number of people without access to electricity[2]. Hydropower is the backbone of Africa’s electricity supply, providing 40% of power in the African region4. However, almost 90% of potential remains untapped, the largest proportion of unexploited capacity in the world.

Agriculture is an important sector in these regions and a key source of water demand. For example, agriculture accounted for 80% of water withdrawals in Africa (excluding North African countries). As countries in Africa region gain increased access to electricity, it will be important to put in place policies to ensure that it does not result in inefficient water consumption in countries that are already facing water stress. Water stress, competing demands for water and energy resources will also grow in light of climate change. Ecosystems within Africa and productive sectors such as agriculture are highly vulnerable to the intensifying effects of climate change, thus requiring a broader Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus approach. Indeed, some countries have already collaborated with UN DESA and ECA to develop tools and capacities for policy coherence, institutional and intersectoral coordination, and integrated climate, land, energy and water systems (CLEWs) modelling for implementation of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.[3]

This ToR will focus on assessing regional stocktaking for SDG 6, SDG 7 as well as SDG 2 and SDG 15 targets and indicators including cross-sectoral mainstreaming and to assess gaps between urban-rural progress, including success stories to co-benefits with a WEFE nexus through ODA proposals and projects for scale up. The consultancy will map inter-ministerial coordination bodies, public governance mandates in line with the nexus, and existing barriers challenges and solutions from the region. The objective of the consultancy is to thus map the current state of play and develop a baseline strategy for future policy responses and capacity development to mainstream and implement water and energy nexus to accelerate progress, including through policy action and climate finance, especially in vulnerable urban and rural areas according to data received. 

The results of this consultancy will be presented at a final event in tentatively in February 2025 in Addis Ababa with regional, national and local representatives, private sector and international organizations, with approximately 60 officials and practitioners in water, energy and agriculture sectors from African countries. The objectives of the workshop are: 1) capacity strengthening of governmental institutions and relevant stakeholders in the African region to effectively manage the WEFE nexus and interlinkages with other SDGs for sustainable development to facilitate national implementation of the 2030 Agenda; 2) enhanced knowledge management and best practice sharing on the WEFE nexus and inter-linkages with other SDGs; and 3) wider advocacy and outreach in the areas of energy and water and their interlinkages. 

The present terms of reference (TOR) are therefore detailing the task of stocktaking and the development of a roadmap for the WEFE Nexus policy support and research in African countries (excluding North African countries) related to inter-governmental coordination, national to local implementation barriers. The consultant will also assist in event coordination, preparing and implementing this activity before, during and after the holding of the workshop itself. 

2. Duties and Responsibilities

To implement the above-mentioned activities, UNOSD is recruiting an international consultant with the necessary expertise and experience to stocktake and develop the roadmap for the WEFE Nexus policy support and research in African countries related to inter-governmental coordination, national to local implementation barriers. The consultant will report and work under the guidance of and in close collaboration with the UNOSD Head of Office and the Sustainable Development Officer, in coordination with inter-agency focal points engaged in the process from partner agencies such as UNESCO and the Opportunities and Issues Based Coalition 4 (OIBC4) on Fostering climate action, resilience and food systems in Africa and co-convened by ECA, FAO, UNEP and UNDP.  

The Consultant will be responsible for the following duties and outputs:

Objective: Stocktaking of regional SDG 6-7 progress and public governance state of play to develop a roadmap for needs-based research and policy support on a just transition and net-zero economy in the context of the WEFE nexus for member states with a focus on priority themes through data collected from desk research, inter-agency coordination meetings and evaluations.   

Key activities, theme of the activity, and expected outcomes (total 50 days): 

  1. Collaborate key UN agencies and partners including through the OIBC4 attending online meetings and providing updates
  2. Roadmap based on survey and desk research  Survey of member states to inform roadmap (19 days)

Develop policy support and capacity strengthening roadmap of activities according to a survey of expressed needs and priority areas conducted among member states to identify priority water-energy nexus such as green hydrogen transition, including policy briefs, webinars and targeted research 

Conduct desk research and analysis (25 days) 

-Mapping of public policy progress, barriers and capacities to effectively realize the WEFE nexus including interministerial mandates in target countries

-Mapping of success stories, including groundbreaking or indigenous solutions providing progress on the ground, to scale up through potential follow up projects or proposals  -Mapping of climate finance commitments to SDG 6-7 and potential for progress in linking WEFE with climate finance/NDC 3.0 in regional countries 

  • Presentation of research results publication and final workshop reporting (5 days)

Present resultant research publication during planned policy dialogue or workshop in February (tentative) 2025 

Write substantive summary and policy synthesis from the workshop, which will include:

  • A summary of each session with a synthesis of presentations and discussion outcomes. – An overall synthesis of proceedings, outcomes, conclusions and recommendations.
    • The draft Report should be submitted no later than 15 working days following Workshop and be in a format ready for on-line distribution, including a table of content and all substantiating annexes such as a bibliography, edited session reports (if useful to the overall report), list of participants, final agenda, etc.
  • Contract Report (1 day)
    • Write a report on contract activities, evaluating the achievement of objectives and used methodology, and make recommendations as needed for the organising and delivering of similar activities in the future.
    • The Contract Report should be delivered no later than 5 working days after the completion of all other deliverables of this TOR.

3. Outputs and Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for the following duties, outputs, and deliverables:

• Output 1: Preliminary research survey to inform publication – to be implemented by November 30

The survey of key member states will inform the development of a roadmap and cover the following expressed i) needs and priority areas, ii) public policy progress, iii) barriers iv) capacity gaps v) inclusion of WEFE nexus in NDC 3.0, vi) existence of climate finance projects linked to WEFE nexus, and vii) success stories among target member states regarding water-energyfood-ecosystems nexus with a focus on tangible results in addressing priorities and needs regarding the nexus   

• Output 2: Development of first draft of publication including survey results of output 1 and desk research – by December 15 for first round of comments

The first draft of the publication will involve i) mapping inter-ministerial mandates on WEFE and ii) public programs of note to address the nexus, and iii) technological success stories compiled into a clearinghouse, including groundbreaking or indigenous solutions focused on practical results to scale up through potential follow up projects or proposals, and iv) Mapping of climate finance commitments to SDG 6-7 among a sample group of countries and potential for progress in linking WEFE with climate finance/NDC 3.0 in regional countries and further climate finance

Output 3: Second draft of publication to be delivered by January 20 2025 for UNOSD and wider expert comments for finalization.
• Output 4: Publication presentation and workshop report by 28 February 2025 

Based on feedback received, final draft of publication to be presented at dialogue or workshop meeting in Addis in February 2025 

Output 5: Contract report – Final feedback report on consultancy by 28 February 2024  *The substantive and contract report are subject to change and revision as requested by the officer in charge. 

4. Qualifications

The Consultant should: (1) have a Masters’ degree in civil and energy engineering, sustainable development, economics, public administration, natural resources management or another closely related field or work experience providing equivalent qualifications; (2) a good understanding of knowledge and capacity needs and gaps in the region, advancing sustainable water, energy, food and ecosystem agenda; (3) possess at least 10 years of experience in working with sustainable development with emphasis on capacity building programs; (4) be very well connected to regional institutions, policy research think tanks and networks engaged in implementing sustainable water and energy agenda; and (5) have strong interpersonal and communication skills with fluent oral and written command of English required.

5. Duration

The consultant will be engaged for a total of 50 workdays over the calendar period.

6. Location and Assignment

The consultant will perform the work assignments in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from x to x February 2025 For the remaining work days, the assignments will be completed home-based. 

7. Travel

UNOSD will assume travel costs as per UN rules and regulations (economy-class roundtrip airtickets and DSA). The consultant shall depart xxx and arrive in Addis Ababa on xxx and depart Addis Ababa on xxx. 

No.ItemUS$
1Airfare XXX
2DSA XXX
3Terminal expenses $252
 Total 

8. Fee and Payment Schedule

Lumpsum payment, depending on experience, will be made upon satisfactory completion of deliverables reviewed by Sustainable Development Officer and approved by the Head of Office.

9. Project Manager

The consultant will work under the overall guidance of UNOSD under the direct supervision of the Sustainable Development Officer responsible. 

10. Applications

Please send your CV or PHP with a cover letter directly to unosd@un.org until CEB EST Wednesday, 6 November 2024.


[1] UN DESA (2024) https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6#progress_and_info

[2] Tracking SDG 7 | Progress Towards Sustainable Energy (esmap.org)  4 Excluding North African countries 

[3] https://www.un.org/en/waterenergynetwork/page/modellingandmethodologies  


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

DEGREE REQUIRED

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