WEC Background:
The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support.
WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.
The NDC Partnership:
The NDC Partnership is a global coalition of countries and institutions collaborating to drive transformational climate action through sustainable development. In 2015, the world endorsed the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nations signal their commitments to the Paris Agreement through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - each country’s strategy to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience against the negative effects of a changing climate. The Partnership advances the goals of the Paris Agreement by bringing together nearly 200 countries and institutions in new ways to accelerate NDC implementation and enhance ambition over time. The Partnership’s work through 120 partners supporting almost 80 countries produces many examples of impact, lessons learned and ideas for the future. The Partnership is governed by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by two country representatives. The Partnership’s work is facilitated by a Support Unit based at World Resources Institute in Washington DC and the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. UNOPS supports the NDC Partnership and its Support Unit through the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC).
Country Context
In June 2023, Kazakhstan submitted their First NDC to the UNFCCC Secretariat. The country’s NDC conveys their commitment to contribute to the global efforts to limit the rise in global average temperature to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Our NDC sets an unconditional target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15% below 1990 levels by 2030 and a conditional target of 25% below 1990 levels by 2030, subject to the provision of international support.
Kazakhstan became a member of the NDC Partnership in May 2023 and submitted a request for support list (RSL) in November 2023, requesting support for two climate change specialists, and 9 other wide-ranging request items, from MRV to capacity building, GHG inventory to regional water resource protection. The RSL reflects the country's ambition and commitment to enhance its climate action and align it with its long-term development goals.
As part of Kazakhstan’s effort to implement their NDC, NAP, and LT-LEDS, the government has requested for an Senior Climate Change Policy Adviser (hereinafter referred as “Adviser”) to support the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR) for:
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Supporting day-to-day operations related to technical assistance for based on NDC, NAP, and LT-LEDS extending any other support needed by MENR to coordinate with development partners. identifying further needs for Technical Assistance for priority based on NDC, NAP, and LT-LEDS
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Overseeing the coordination, tracking, and monitoring of the support provided by development partners on the above points; and populating and regularly updating Kazakhstan’s monitoring/reporting tool for climate finance.
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Supporting the coordination of the development and preparation of projects and concepts for potential funding by donors
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Identifying new opportunities for technical assistance and other types of support that will enhance the government’s enabling frameworks and capacities for coordinating the implementation of the country’s NDCs;
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Extending any other advisory support needed by MENR to coordinate development partners on NDC related matters.
Facilitation Model
The Adviser will be embedded in the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources (MENR). As the leading entity of the national climate agenda, MENR coordinates activities related to the fulfillment of climate commitments, including the NDC.
* This is a Home-based position, meaning the incumbent will be expected to work from government offices in Kazakhstan and not work from a UNOPS office nor from home. Additionally, the incumbent will need to take their own laptop, equipped with all the relevant software, to government facilities.