Result of Service

To produce the Mid Term Review report of the Managing Peatlands in Mongolia and Enhancing the Resilience of Pastoral Ecosystems and Livelihoods in Nomadic Herders project (GEF ID 10545).

Work Location

Home Based – United Kingdom

Expected duration

4 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.” Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP’s Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. UNEPs GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation Unit, under the Biodiversity and Land Branch, serves as the implementing agency for projects within the Biodiversity and Land Degradation Focal Areas funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Unit currently manages a portfolio of over 200 projects across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and West Asia, and Asia and the Pacific regions. The project titled Managing Peatlands in Mongolia and Enhancing the Resilience of Pastoral Ecosystems and Livelihoods of Nomadic Herders is co-executed by the Climate Change Research and Cooperation Center (CCRCC) of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) of Mongolia and the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR), with UNEP as the GEF implementing agency. The 4-year project (20222025; with extension till mid 2026) has a GEF-funded budget of US$3,758,000; co-financing of the project is US$20,500,000, CCRCC is responsible for the implementation of components 1 and 2 and the ICR for component 3.The project develops the capacity to enhance ecosystem services of peatlandsspecifically by reducing GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from degraded peatlands in Mongoliaand strengthens the capacity of Indigenous reindeer herders to reduce land degradation, improve ecosystem service provision, and increase community resilience. Project interventions are implemented in four target peatland areas in Mongolia (Darhadyn, Hurg-Huiten, Ugii Lake and Tsaganuur), as well as in taiga and tundra reindeer herding areas in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. This is achieved through the following three technical components: Component 1: Policy framework and institutional capacity for climate-friendly and resilient peatland management practices. Under Component 1, the project mobilises and supports Mongolia to develop a peatland-based GHG emission reduction plan across four main areas: conservation, agriculture, water management, and urban development/construction. It also develops a framework for reporting on peatland management (focusing on GHG reduction and land degradation neutrality (LDN)) to be approved and implemented by the Government. This is supported by a gap analysis of legislation and regulations related to peatland management, along with proposals for improving this regulatory framework. A national peatland inventory is finalised and detailed for the target areas, including a spatial inventory of peatland ecosystem services. These results are made available to sectoral and local authorities for integration into their plans, and stakeholder capacity to carry out peatland inventories is enhancedincluding their ability to monitor and report on LDN and GHG emission reduction due to peatland management. Finally, the project supports studies on the water balance model of peatlands and permafrost, which inform pilot adaptation plans for two catchments. Component 2: Integration of climate-smart peatland management solutions into practice. Under Component 2, the project integrates climate-smart, ecosystem-based solutions into target economic sectors. First, it supports the development of a coherent national framework for peatland ecosystem accounts, integrating economic and environmental data to express the value of peatland contributions to society in monetary terms. Second, sectoral management plans are updated to ensure that peatlands are incorporated into sectoral approaches and guidelines. Third, practical solutions for sustainable peatland management are piloted in the four target areas while simultaneously building stakeholder capacity and theoretical understanding. Finally, the project supports the generation, publication, and dissemination of lessons learned and outreach materials for various sectors. Component 3: Global knowledge base and capacity for herders contribution to sustainable landscape management. Under Component 3, the project documents and assesses traditional knowledge of reindeer herders community-based practices and models for enhancing ecosystem services, addressing land degradation, and improving human well-being. The component highlights similarities and differences between the two main types of herding practices: tundra and taiga reindeer husbandry. Additionally, the project strengthens the capacity of nomadic pastoralist communities to participate in rangeland management. It improves reindeer herders ability to address land degradation, ecosystem conservation, and resilience building within Arctic communities. The project also enhances the institutional capacity of nomadic pastoralist communities to engage in rangeland management and hold constructive dialogue with planners, decision-makers, government, industry, and other international stakeholders. Finally, the project shares its results with external experts, policymakers, scientists, and others across the region and beyond, providing stakeholders with opportunities to engage with and learn from outside experts. The expected results and Global Environmental Benefits (GEBs) of the project include:

• 12,000 ha of wetlands restored
• 8,000 ha of landscape under improved practices (excluding protected areas)
• 594,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent in mitigated GHG emissions (direct)
• At least 14,000 direct beneficiaries disaggregated by gender as a co-benefit of GEF investment The project builds on lessons learned and collaborates closely with ongoing and planned initiatives, including those of the Global Peatland Initiative (GPI). Cross-community exchanges at the global scale further facilitate the dissemination of good practices and lessons learned on herders contributions to sustainable landscape management, ensuring that the projects best practices are replicated globally. The Unit seeks to recruit a consultant to conduct the Mid Term Review (MTR) of the Managing Peatlands in Mongolia and Enhancing the Resilience of Pastoral Ecosystems and Livelihoods in Nomadic Herders . The Mid Term Review (MTR) is undertaken at operational completion of the project to assess project performance (in terms of relevance, effectiveness and efficiency) and determine outcomes and impacts (actual and potential) stemming from the project, including their sustainability. This consultancy post is located in UNEP / Ecosystems Division / GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation unit. The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Task Manager Ersin Esen (based in Geneva, Switzerland) and the overall guidance of the Portfolio Manager Johan Robinson of the GEF Biodiversity and Land Degradation Unit based in Nairobi. Specifically, the consultant will be required to complete the following tasks: Inception phase:
• Preliminary desk review and introductory interviews with project staff.
• Prepare the review framework in line with UNEP’s evaluation guidelines.
• Identify stakeholders.
• Develop the interview/questions matrix.
• Plan the review schedule.
• Prepare the Inception Report. Qualifications/special skills A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience in the required field may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• a minimum of 7 years of technical / evaluation experience is required, preferably including evaluating large, regional or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach is required.
• a good/broad understanding of land/peatland management, climate change mitigation and adaptation measures is desired -Hands-on experience in managing national and international natural resources projects, in particular concerning biodiversity, natural resources management, protected area management, environmental information, management, capacity building etc. is required. -Working experience in an international environment is required .i.e UNEP and GEF -Experience in the project target area in Mongolia is an asset Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required and working knowledge of another UN Language is desirable. I.e Spanish Additional Information Not available. No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS BANK ACCOUNTS.