| Description |
ECONOMIC VALUATION OF CLIMATE RISKS IN THE TOURISM SECTOR AND DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES
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| Location : |
Male', MALDIVES |
| Application Deadline : |
27-Oct-13 |
| Type of Contract : |
Individual Contract |
| Post Level : |
International Consultant |
Languages Required :
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English |
| Duration of Initial Contract : |
Expected duration of work is a total of 60 work days within 4 months |
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Background
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Apart from the significantly large contribution of the tourism sector to the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the sector is also one of the most important providers of employment in the country. The tourism sector also maintains critical economic linkages with remote and highly dispersed inhabited islands, and is linked to a diverse range of value chains and opportunities related to agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, construction, transport, communication, energy, water and waste management.
The tourism sector’s vulnerability to climate change lie in the fact climate change undermines the resilience, viability and profitability of the industry as well as its value-chains both directly and indirectly. Major climate hazards to which tourism resorts in the Maldives are exposed regularly include windstorms, heavy rainfall, extreme temperatures and draught, sea swells and storm surges. Of these, the risks associated with swell waves, heavy rainfall and windstorms are believed to be the most serious, due to their high frequency occurrence and great potential for physical destruction and erosion. The combined effect of storm surges and tides, or storm tides, are perceived as especially destructive to the tourist resorts. The rising ocean water temperature, acidification and coral bleaching is expected to have a serious impact on snorkeling and diving – the two main tourist activities in Maldives.
In response to this nationally prioritized challenge, the government of Maldives, in partnership with UNDP, has developed the project tilted “Increasing Climate Change Resilience of Maldives through Adaptation in the Tourism Sector” (TAP) that is currently under implementation and financed from the GEF/LDCF.
Goals and Objectives of TAP
The overall goal of the TAP is to support Maldives to become climate resilient by integrating adaptation measures in development policies, plans, programs, projects and actions, while the overall objective of the project is to increase the adaptive capacity of the tourism sector in Maldives to respond to the impacts of climate change and invest in appropriate, no-regrets adaptation measures.
Expected outcomes of TAP
The goals and objectives of the project would be achieved through the delivery of the following three Outcomes.
- Strengthened adaptive capacity of the tourism sector to reduce risks to climate-induced economic losses;
- Reduced vulnerability of at least 10 tourism operations and 10 tourism-associated communities to the adverse effects of climate change;
- Transfer of climate risk financing solutions to public and private sector tourism institutions.
Specific goals, objectives and outcomes are described in the Project Document and in the Project Inception Report. These reports, and other project related information can be accessed at www.tourism.gov.mv
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Duties and Responsibilities
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Objectives of this consultancy
The primary objective of the consultancy is to ascertain the economic impact of climate change on the tourism industry as well as the costs and benefits associated with different adaptation related practices in managing anticipated climate risks.
Scope of Work
The consultant is expected to undertake a review of existing information sources and data to:
- Based on existing studies (reports on climate risks to the tourism sector will be shared with the consultant), with the perspective of the private sector (short term), conduct a back-of-the envelop economic valuation of the costs and benefits of alternative adaptation options to address climate risks to the Tourism sector of Maldives. This valuation exercise should take into account relevant hard and soft infrastructure related investments in the industry. The valuation should be done on short term benefits to the private sector of possible adaptation measures, for the climate change risks expected for 2020, 2050 and 2100;
- Based on existing studies, with the perspective of public sector (long term), conduct a back-of-the envelop economic valuation of the costs and benefits of alternative adaptation options to address climate risks to the tourism sector of Maldives. This valuation exercise should take into account relevant hard and soft infrastructure adaptation measures needed to maximize the long term revenue potential of the natural capital of Maldives as well as impacts on communities dependent on the tourism sector. The valuation should be done on long term benefits to the public sector of possible adaptation measures, for the climate change risks expected for 2020, 2050 and 2100;
- Based on an assessment of potential adaptation options and associated costs/benefits, propose a precautionary approach to manage expected climate risks and identify the likely associated economic costs of maintaining the tourism products and management practices of the industry and its dependent communities;
- Assess the effectiveness and short comings of existing policy and legislative instruments (with an economic perspective) that are relevant to promote or increase climate change resilience of the tourism sector; and
- Identify alternative policy and legal incentives and disincentives for the tourism sector to reduce expected vulnerabilities of the tourism sector and its associated value chains to the climate risks.
Expected Outputs and Deliverables
- Report of the economic costs and benefits of climate change impacts, and adaptation to the private sector of Maldives tourism industry;
- Report of the economics costs and benefits of climate change impacts, and adaptation to the public sector (government and communities);
- Policy brief on recommendations with an economic perspective, where possible, for appropriate public policy strategies and policies/regulations/incentives for the tourism sector to adapt to likely climate risks;
- A Final comprehensive report on the economic valuation of climate risks on the tourism sector in Maldives that captures conclusions and recommendations based on the previous three reports and scope of work of the consultancy.
Deliverables/Outputs
Report of the economic costs and benefits of climate change impacts, and adaptation to the private sector of Maldives tourism industry; (Estimated Duration to Complete) -20 days (Target Due Dates) -11th December 2013 (Review and Approvals Required(Indicate designation of person who will review output and confirm acceptance) - Project Manager and UNDP Program Analyst
Report of the economic costs and benefits of climate change impacts, and adaptation to the public sector (government and communities); (Estimated Duration to Complete) -10 days (Target Due Dates) -29th December 2013 ((Review and Approvals Required (Indicate designation of person who will review output and confirm acceptance) - Project Manager and UNDP Program Analyst
Policy brief on recommendations with an economics perspective, where possible, for appropriate public policy strategies and policies/regulations/incentives for the tourism sector to adapt to likely climate risks. (Estimated Duration to Complete) -20 days (Target Due Dates) -12th February 2014 Review and Approvals Required(Indicate designation of person who will review output and confirm acceptance) - Project Manager and UNDP Program Analyst
A Final comprehensive report on the economic valuation of climate risks on the tourism sector in Maldives that captures conclusions and recommendations based on the previous three reports and scope of work of the consultancy. (Estimated Duration to Complete) -10 days (Target Due Dates) – 2 March 2014 (Estimated Duration to Complete) -20 days (Target Due Dates) -12th February 2014 Review and Approvals Required(Indicate designation of person who will review output and confirm acceptance) - Project Manager and UNDP Program Analyst
Institutional Arrangement
- The consultant will work under direct supervision of the Project Manager in coordination with UNDP Program Analyst. Consultant shall report to the project manager and all reports shall be subjected to the approval of the project manager and UNDP program analyst;
- The consultant shall give, at a minimum, weekly email updates on the progress of all the deliverables to the Project Manager and should raise any issues faced by the contractor that might affect the delivery of the consultancy;
- The consultant is expected to liaise with the technical committee of the TAP project and officials of UNDP in the course of the consultancy in order to ensure reports produced are acceptable by them;
- The PMU will provide assistance in arranging meetings with stakeholders and travels.
Duration of the Work
The assignment lasts 60 work days commencing from the date of the contract
- The Expected duration of work is a total of 60 work days within 4 months. The Final report shall be produced no later than 10th March 2014;
- The Target start date for this consultancy is 10th November 2013;
- The estimated lead time for reviewable of outputs, and certify approval/acceptance of outputs is 3 working days.
Duty Station
The duty station for the consultancy is consultant’s location.Consultant will be required to report weekly via email to the project manager on the progress of the consultancy.
Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments
- The contractor should propose a Lump Sum Amount that is all inclusive:
- The term “All inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the consultant are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal.
Recommended Presentation of Offer
- Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP; For template please contact zeeniya.ahmed@undp.org or aminath.shooza@undp.org.
- Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
- Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. For Template please contact zeeniya.ahmed@undp.org or aminath.shooza@undp.org.
Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer
The following method will be used in selecting the best offer:
- Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%.
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Competencies
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Functional Competencies of key personnel of the firm:
- Proven analytical and inter-personal skills;
- Research and evaluation skills including ability to synthesize information;
- Excellent oral, and effective presentation and report-writing skills;
- Ability to work under with minimum supervision, while meeting deadlines;
- Excellent social and communication skills;
- Ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural settings;
- Excellent computers skills required
- Demonstrate strong research skills.
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
- Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
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Required Skills and Experience
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Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in science, social science, economics, development studies, or related subjects.
Experience:
- Minimum 10 years of international experience in the area of economics, in particular natural resource economics including experience in the Asian region;
- Familiarity and understanding of climate change and its implications on the economic sectors including relevant policy and legislative issues in multi-hazard countries in the region will be a great asset;
- In-depth knowledge of scientific, technical, institutional and legislative issues economics of climate change;
- Extensive experience on conducting economic valuation of climate risks in the economic sectors;
- Demonstrated ability and experience to conduct high-level discussions and negotiations in a productive manner with senior management, government officials, representatives of UN agencies, international organizations, civil society groups and experts in related fields;
- Previous experience in UNDP, UN and/or other international agencies is desirable;
- and experience of working in multi-cultural environment.
Language:
- Excellent language proficiency in English.
For additional information and other details please write to zeeniya.ahmed@undp.org.
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