Climate change presents the single biggest threat to sustainable development and is already having an unprecedented impact and is disproportionately burdening the poorest, marginalized and most vulnerable. Addressing climate change is one the key global challenges and priorities for UNDP. Working in over 170 countries and territories, UNDP is uniquely placed to work with all sectors of society to help mobilize the institutions and resources required to support countries implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the context of the Paris Agreement

Under the Paris Agreement, all countries are expected to submit increasingly ambitious NDCs (or national climate targets) every five years. The first opportunity to do so is in 2020. Launched in 2019, the Climate Promise is UNDP’s commitment to support at least 100 countries to enhance their NDCs by 2020, by working with countries to make their NDCs more technically robust and include new ways that governments can step up their climate actions, as well as finance these bold goals. Through the Climate Promise, UNDP will support countries in integrating gender equality considerations within the next generation of NDCs. UNDP study showed that during the initial discussion, only 40% of countries made at least one reference to gender equality or women’s empowerment in their I/NDCs. However, in 2016, more than 50% of countries surveyed said they intend to incorporate gender equality in their revised plans showcasing the national commitment towards strengthening the integration of gender in enhanced NDCs processes.

Addressing gender equality and women’s empowerment is a key aspect of UNDP’s approach to achieving its core strategic vision. Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment are seen as goals in their own right and are also central to the achievement of UNDP’s development mandate. UNDP is guided in its work by its Gender Equality Strategy (2018-2021) which details how UNDP works towards gender equality in each of the goals set out in the UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021.

In this regard, building on its previous support to better integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment into national climate targets, the UNDP RBAP Climate Promise team is supporting countries in Asia Pacific to strengthen the integration of gender in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) planning and implementation process through UNDP’s five service lines including;

 Build Political Will & Societal Ownership at National/Sub-National Levels;
Review, Align & Update/Enhance Current NDC Targets, Policies & Measures;
Incorporate Additional Sectors &/or GHGs;
Assess Costs & Investment Opportunities;
Monitor Progress & Strengthen Transparency.
Additionally, a specific three-pronged approach will also be utilized to strengthen climate solutions through a gender lens and will include supporting countries in;

Strengthening coordination mechanisms between and among gender, climate/environment and line ministries, developing institutional capacities at the horizontal and vertical levels on climate change and gender.
Integrating gender within the planning stages prior to implementation
Strengthening climate change policies through a gender lens
Given above, UNDP RBAP is recruiting an international consultant to conceptualize and lead a virtual regional forum on gender equality and climate action nexus to accelerate the implementation of the enhanced NDCs. The regional forum will involve 2 plenary sessions and 3 parallel sessions spread across three days, expecting up to 150 participants.