Deadline: 6-Dec-21
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) to identify and support the implementation of a mix of regulatory and market-based interventions that conservation authorities can implement, such as enhancement of revenue collection and retention, and development of a tourism product offering that can be developed for commercialisation.
The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme, with financial support from the European Commission and the Governments of Germany, Switzerland,Norway and Flanders.
This global initiative is envisioned to transform the way in which biodiversity finance is mobilized allowing for greater resources to be enacted as required within the Aichi Targets defined in the CBD’s Strategic Plan (2011 – 2020).
Over the past nine years, the UNDP Global BIOFIN team together with 40 countries have been involved in developing and piloting the BIOFIN methodology which is continuously refined through national, regional, and global learning.
In South Africa, the BIOFIN programme is implemented at a national level by the UNDP in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE). South Africa initiated its BIOFIN programme in 2015 and has met several envisioned goals including the undertaking of a Policy and Institutional Review (PIR), Financial Needs Assessment (FNA), Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER) and Biodiversity Financial Plan (BFP).
Within the Biodiversity Finance Plan, 16 financial solutions were identified as being instruments that could be developed or refined to increase financial flows earmarked for biodiversity protection. As part of Phase II implementation, eight priority finance solutions have been identified for implementation.
It will also include motivation for valuing ecosystem services that protected areas provide to motivate for more public expenditure allocation. Conservation authorities will be able to generate more revenue through improved regulatory governance and implementing of revenue raising activities.
Objectives
The overall objective of the study is to prepare the Development of a Sustainable Financing Strategy & Resource Mobilization Plan for 5 identified Management Authorities. To achieve this, the following will be done:
- Establish a firm baseline of historic and current income and expenditure levels, undertake an analysis, and make future projections for the respective MAs (Internal Expenditure Review); (using the GEF financial score card tool as a standard template that can be adapted as appropriate)
- Train at least 10 stakeholders in implementing the finance scorecard and identify optimal finance mechanisms for protected areas
- Assess financial requirement and facilitate financial gap analysis to achieve biodiversity and nature-based economy targets (Finance Gap Analysis).
- Analyze operation models, identify gaps and areas of improvement to ensure efficient use of resources.
- Produce a sustainable finance strategy for each of the four identified Management Authorities. The strategies should include (but not be limited to) ways to optimize and diversify revenue streams (with a suite of precise and realistic income generating activities), resource mobilisation and improve cost efficiencies.
- Develop a finance plan for each Management Authority including detailed action plans to implement it Develop an advocacy plan with a focus on engaging key role players such as National Treasury.
Goals
The ultimate goals of this assignment are to:
- Improve the financial sustainability of the 5 Protected Area Management Authorities by optimizing and diversifying revenue streams and by improving cost efficiencies.
- Develop a plan that the Protected Area Management Authorities can use to retain the revenue generated; and
- Optimise revenue generation and management efforts for the Protected Area Management Authorities.
- Identify new mechanisms for sourcing revenue for the Protected Area Management Authorities to fulfil their respective conservation and ecotourism management goals.
- Propose enabling mechanisms (governance, institutional and legal) that can enhance own revenue generation
Eligibility Criteria
- The response to the Terms of Reference should indicate the extent to which the team fulfils the required skills and competencies. The selection of the team will be aimed at maximizing the overall qualities in the following areas:
- Environmental Legislation,
- Environment/Natural Resource Management,
- Biodiversity Studies,
- Finance
- Nature based tourism
- Business development
- The successful consultant will be required to have expertise in the fields of sustainable finance strategies in biodiversity and conservation. The following requirements are necessary:
- Academic qualifications: The successful firm/company should present a team comprising:
- At least one member of the team possessing an advanced university degree (Master’s or Doctorate) in field of environmental finance, Business Administration in combination with an additional 10+ years of qualifying experience.
- At least one member of the team possessing an advanced university degree in either economics, environment/natural resource management, biodiversity studies, finance, or a closely related field of study/discipline, in combination with an additional 8+ years of qualifying experience.
- Experience: The following criteria are essential:
- Team leader must have at least 10 years professional expertise working at local and international level and be able to bring in similar experiences from other developing country contexts on development and application of sustainable finance strategies for the biodiversity and conservation sector, application of revenue generating environmental fiscal or monetary tools and, the implementation of environment/biodiversity/finance projects.
- At least one member of the team must have at least 8-10 years national experience preferably in business development, fundraising and application of revenue generating environmental fiscal or monetary tools.
- The team must have a minimum of cumulative 10 years of professional experience and demonstrated experience in engaging with a wide range of stakeholders including Management Authorities and Protected Area landowners in South Africa.
- Exposure to and an understanding of environmental issues or biodiversity.
- Knowledge of Protected Area systems and related policy and legislation
- Record of accomplishment and knowledge in the fields of environmental economics conservation management and related biodiversity planning/management practices and project management is essential.
- Sound understanding of key computer software packages (MS Office Suite; Prezi)
- Proven ability to work in a team and independently while delivering efficiently on high quality and accurate deliverables within agreed timeframes.
- A very strong knowledge and understanding of South Africa’s governmental and provincial dynamics is essential.
- Additional functional competencies of the team will also be advantageous:
- Ability and willingness to take initiative and remain flexible
- Experience working with UN and/or Government entities.
- Exceptionally effective communication, report writing and presentation skills.
- Socio-cultural competence
- Good conflict management skills
- Efficient, partner-and client-focused working methods.
- Interdisciplinary thinking is highly encouraged.
- English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language and local languages is an advantage.
- Academic qualifications: The successful firm/company should present a team comprising:
For more information, visit https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=86025