UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.
Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working. BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.
In order to avoid an irreversible climate crisis, we need to halve global emissions by 2030, and have carbon-neutral economies by 2050. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions – or climate change mitigation – is essential to fulfilling commitments to the Paris Agreement and limiting global mean temperature increase to 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels. All sectors, including energy, transportation, industry, forests, and land-use/agriculture must make a meaningful contribution towards achieving carbon neutrality. UNDP, as the largest implementer of climate change support within the UN system, plays a critical role by supporting countries in their emission reduction plans. With a commitment to providing long-term development support, our mitigation portfolio currently comprises of over 280 projects and programmes in over 110 countries. Together with our partners, UNDP supports countries to take ambitious climate action, advance Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and use a wide range of strategies and approaches across energy, forestry and land-use/agriculture sectors.
UNDP’s approach to forests aligns with the SDG 15 and contributes to UNDP’s ‘signature solution’ on environment and nature-based solutions for development. Deforestation and forest degradation accounts for more than 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Further, stabilization of global temperatures cannot be achieved without reducing emissions from the forest sector. UNDP’s Climate and Forests team supports countries to conserve and sustainably manage forests and ensure sustainable and equitable development paths that lead towards carbon neutrality. UNDP Climate and Forests manages a portfolio of national and jurisdictional projects and provides technical assistance to countries and stakeholders ensuring alignment with the UNFCCC agreements, enhancing forest and land-use components of NDCs, and ensuring social inclusion, notably through mainstreaming gender equality and promoting the rights of indigenous peoples and forest communities. The objectives of UNDP’s Climate & Forests work are i) to support countries develop policies and instruments for sustainability in the land, forest & climate interface, in line with UNFCCC requirements and safeguards and to advance the Paris Agreement (notably articles 5 and 6); ii) to support countries access, combine, implement and monitor finance for their REDD+ actions and results, including international, market, and private-sector sources; and, iii) to promote partnerships and disseminate knowledge to better advance the forest solutions to the climate crisis. UNDP is currently active in the three major tropical forest areas (Amazonia, Congo and Southeast Asia) and in 20 countries.
UNDP’s Climate and Forests team is spread globally, with management based in Geneva. Duty stations for the global team include Bangkok, Panama, Nairobi. The team supports UNDP’s country offices and partners in their region. Support to UNDP country offices is coordinated closely with the Regional Bureaus through the regional hubs.
The team works closely with other parts of the Natural Capital and Environment team, particularly the UNDP-GEF team, the Green Commodities Programme (GCP), and the New York Declaration of Forest global platfor). It also works closely with the Climate team within the GPN (particularly with regards to NDC support). The team can support Climate and Forest initiatives of the regions and country offices and provide quality assurance on a full cost-recovery basis.
Regional Technical Advisors and Specialists (RTAs/RTSs) have regular contact with UNDP Country Offices and national counterparts throughout the project cycle for UNDP programmes and projects related to Climate and Forests. Where BPPS issues a Delegation of Authority (or similar) to the Country Office, the RTAs/RTSs are responsible for quality assurance and provides specialized technical services. In all cases, the RTAs/RTSs makes recommendations to the UNDP Resident Representative on necessary courses of action in response to changes in the country context and new programme and resource mobilization opportunities.
Under the supervision of the Senior Regional Technical Advisor and the leadership of the Principal Technical Advisor, this Regional Technical Specialist will help position UNDP as a world leader in the provision of technical advisory services related to the contribution of forests to ambitious climate change targets.
As a member of the UNDP Climate and Forests team, the Regional Technical Specialist will be located in Nairobi, Kenya, will contribute to the overall success of the team, engage effectively with team members, support the delivery of the UNDP global project, and contribute to the overall portfolio as needed.