Expertise: Environmental Management
Expertise Group: Biological Sciences & Ecology
Consultant Source: International
TOR Keywords: environment specialist; environmental management
Objective and Purpose of the Assignment
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will engage consultants following the ADB Procurement Policy (2017,
as amended from time to time) and its associated project administration instructions and/or staff
instructions. ADB will lead the identification, evaluation, and selection of the technical assistance
(TA) consultants. This Terms of Reference (TOR) refers to the consulting service under Output 3, using
individual consultantsâ recruitment. - ADB will supervise and monitor the consultantsâ output to be delivered. The output will be reviewed
by both the executing agency and ADB, and the consultants will incorporate comments and suggestions
before finalizing the deliverables. - There are three outputs under the TA: (i) sector regulatory capacity developed; (ii)
Dushanbevodokanal management effectiveness improved; and (iii) Dushanbevodokanalâs climate adaptive
capacity increased. A multidisciplinary team of international and national experts will be recruited to
develop and implement TA activities under Output 3. Output 1 is sector regulatory capacity developed and
Output 2 is Dushanbevodokanal management effectiveness improved. - Output 3: Dushanbevodokanalâs climate adaptive capacity increased. The outputâs objective is to build
resilience at DVK and ensure that WSS investments adequately address climate change and disaster risks.
The TA will undertake a systems-level resilience analysis of DVK, develop risk-based investment planning
and processes, and embed climate actions into corporate and operational documents. The TA team, in close
coordination with DVK, will collect data, hold consultations, develop climate models, assess climate
change impact and vulnerability, identify risk mitigation measures, prepare reports and presentations,
and organize training workshops to increase awareness of climate change risks and disaster risk
management. Based on these assessments, the TA will support the feasibility and preliminary design of a
Type 2B adaptation project. - International and national consultants will conduct systems-level climate resilience analysis,
stakeholder consultations, identification of priority projects, and carry out the feasibility study
covering concept design, in addition to required ADB due diligence with respect to economic, financial,
environment safeguards, social safeguards, gender, social development, climate change and procurement.
The consultants will also prepare draft documents for ADBâs RRP including related sector assessment,
problem tree, cost estimates, and timeline. The team leader will be responsible for overall coordination
of the team of consultants, overall quality of documentation prepared, and liaison with the client and
other consultants. In collaboration with the DVK engineering team, the consultants will prepare
strategic procurement planning, draft procurement plan, preliminary design incorporating climate
proofing measures with bill of quantities, cost estimates and proposed packaging of all civil works,
goods and consultancy services completed in all respect and accepted by the DVK and ADB. The
deliverables will be a joint responsibility of the implementing agency, and international and national
consultants. - The consultants will be responsible for completing feasibility study and ensuring compliance with ADB
and government requirements. The feasibility study will involve conceptual and preliminary design for a
priority project based on the climate change risk assessment. It is essential that the work complements
the outputs of climate change experts, with the aim of enhancing DVKâs resilience at the system level.
Scope of Work
The specialist will have: a masterâs degree and/or equivalent qualification in environmental studies and
assessments;) at least 15 years national experience in undertaking environmental impact assessment
including (i) preparation of domestic EIA reports (preferably involved in preparing environmental impact
assessment according to international finance institutions requirements), (ii) experience in water
management and water supply and sanitation (WSS) projects including nature-based solution
implementation, and knowledge of current best-practice techniques; (iii) demonstrated ability to assess
a broad range of environmental attributes, including ecology, air, soil, noise, and water; (iv) recent
experience in preparing EIA and/or initial environmental examination (IEE) reports for ADB projects, and
familiarity with the sections of ADB’s SPS and its procedural requirements regarding environment and ADBâ
s Environmental Assessment Guidelines will be highly regarded; and (v) proficiency in spoken and
written English. The specialist will prepare the project (in coordination with the national environment
specialist); and in close coordination with the appointed national environment specialist and working
with the other transaction TA team members and ADB, the specialist will perform the assignment as
provided in Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output below.
Detailed Tasks and/or Expected Output
(i) Coordinate with the national consultant to facilitate a site visit all of the proposed project
sites, be familiar with the project area and gain an adequate understanding of the key environmental
issues and concerns.
(ii) Develop a work plan and coordinate with the appointed national environment specialist and other
specialists, e.g., climate change specialists, so relevant data from these other specialists are
assessed and incorporated in the IEE
(iii) Provide inputs to the design of public consultations and community engagements, to ensure that
consultations include relevant questions on the environment and natural resource use, and ensure these
are documented in the IEE.
(iv) Work closely with the national environment specialist to:
a. define the data that needs to be collected to properly describe the existing environmental
characteristics of the project area;
b. identify the sampling methods, frequency, and coverage required for water, soil, air, and noise
quality, flora, fauna, and other key environmental attributes, to develop adequate baselines for
comparison against potential impacts; and
c. agree on division of tasks for data collection and analysis.
Note: It is the responsibility of the TrTA international and national environment specialists to address
gaps between the domestic and SPS requirements, and ensure that sufficient baseline data is obtained to
enable competent impact assessment. This also requires the environment specialists to critically
evaluate the assessment and overall environment safeguard due diligence to see whether supplemental
information or sampling is necessitated, given its particular relevance in the context of project
impacts.
(v) provide technical inputs and guidance on required field work, data collection, and analyses, as
necessary and realistic within the time available, to address any major information gaps or shortcomings
in the domestic EIA.
(vi) Identify any key environmental attributes for which there are major data deficiencies in the
domestic EIA and which the specialist cannot reasonably undertake, but which may be of particular
importance in the context of the current project.
(vii) Identify associated / existing facilities as well as define the zone of project influence (i.e.
the area to be covered by the impact assessment) and the scope of sensitive receptors to be documented
and included in the due diligence.
(viii) Based on the consultant teamâs collective findings, establish a âzone of potential environmental
impactsâ for the projectâs area of influence, and key sensitive receptors within this zone of potential
impacts.
(ix) Identify alternative project scenarios (e.g. âno projectâ) and their potential impacts, and whether
changes in project design could increase the environmental benefits.
(x) Develop mitigation measures to address the potential impacts identified. These are anticipated to
include generic measures across the project sites as well as site-specific measures tailored to local
conditions.
(xi) Review the written inputs of the national environment specialist.
(xii) Deliverable 1. In full compliance with the SPS requirements and in line with domestic environment
safeguard reports, prepare the IEE. The IEE will include an (i) executive summary; (ii) introduction;
(iii) policy, legal and administrative framework; (iv) description of the project and subprojects; (v)
description of the environment (baseline data); (vi) anticipated environmental impacts and mitigation
measures; (vii) analysis of alternatives; (viii) information disclosure, consultation, and
participation; (ix) grievance redress mechanism; (x) conclusions and recommendation; an environmental
management plan (EMP), as Appendix 1 of the IEE. The specialist is expected to develop sub-sections as
required.
Note: The section on anticipated environmental impacts and mitigation measures will, for each variable
addressed (air, water, noise, etc.), present a systematic description of sampling methods, effort, and
locations; the specific national or global standards defined for the project; the potential impacts; the
proposed mitigation; and any residual impacts remaining, and the significance of these. The EMP will
describe the mitigation measures, a monitoring program, training activities, responsible agencies,
institutional arrangements, implementation schedule and costs, and a GRM. The GRM will be developed
jointly with the resettlement and social development specialists. The EMP environmental monitoring
program will comprise two reporting schedule, responsible persons and agencies, and a cost for the
entire EMP.
(xiii) Deliverable 2. Provide written inputs to the environmental components of the required ADB reports
(inception, interim, draft final, and final reports, and contributions to the draft RRP, PAM, and loan
covenants), submit them to the team leader, and update them with comments received from ADB. This
includes inputs to the PowerPoint presentation of the EIA findings, EMP and monitoring requirements
(xiv) The specialist will also undertake any other necessary work assigned by the team leader.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
The specialist will have: a masterâs degree and/or equivalent qualification in environmental studies and
assessments; at least 15 years national experience in undertaking environmental impact assessment
Minimum General Experience: 15 Years
Minimum Specific Experience (relevant to assignment): 10 Years
