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
Namibia, as a signatory to the UNFCCC, has published its Second update of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in April 2023. The NDC sets a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the business-as-usual sink potential by 2030 under the Paris Agreement. The updated NDC outlines actions to reduce emissions across key sectors, including energy, transport, industry, forestry, and land use, and adaptation measures in agriculture, water, infrastructure, ecosystems, and livelihoods.
The strategy aims for a total mitigation potential of 11.902 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO₂e) by reducing emissions by 7.669 Mt CO₂e and increasing removals by 4.213 Mt CO₂e. The estimated implementation cost is nearly USD 9052 million. The energy sector has the second-highest mitigation potential (3.613 Mt CO₂e) after AFOLU (7.986 Mt CO₂e), contributing 30% and 67% of the national mitigation potential in 2030, respectively. Namibia aims to boost renewable energy penetration with an estimated cost of USD 7678 million, requiring foreign funding and development cooperation aid.
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and the Ministry Mines and Energy (MME) face capacity gaps hindering NDC implementation. Namibia imports 60-70% of its electricity needs, rising to 90% during peak times, with 65% from South Africa (predominantly coal-fired). Namibia aims for 80% self-sufficiency in electricity production and 70% renewable energy in the electricity mix by 2030, requiring dispatchable supply options to manage wind and solar PV intermittencies.
The MET, through the Climate Subdivision, seeks an energy expert to support the energy sector's NDC implementation, support the update and enhance NDC 3.0, support the development of LT- LEDS, and project pipeline development in the energy sector.