Carbon Markets Specialist

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

Organizational Setting

The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) is responsible for leading FAO’s efforts to achieve food security for all in the Asia-Pacific region. FAO’s three main goals are\: the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
Under the RAP regional priority on “Accelerating sustainable natural resources management for biodiversity conservation and climate action,” FAO aims to support Members to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and combat climate change in realizing more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems. With this priority FAO is implementing work programmes including actions to strengthen policy advice to Members for Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sectors engagement in 2030 Agenda processes to address climate change and foster multi-risk management. In connection with this work FAO-RAP has identified activities to support member countries to organize consultations and knowledge products for enhanced climate action and monitoring for the agriculture and land-use sectors under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement.

Part of this work includes supporting Member countries in mobilizing climate finance through effectively engaging in carbon markets, including markets under Article 6 of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement and voluntary carbon markets (VCMs). Some countries in the region are beginning to establish their arrangements for compliance markets and VCMs. Other countries are seeking to increase ambitious climate action through VCMs and would benefit from understanding the relationship between compliance markets and VCMs, as well as from support to identify opportunities associated with VCMs and related carbon pricing initiatives. Countries also need clarification on the relative costs and benefits of developing and monitoring Article 6 and VCM projects according to various methodologies in the AFOLU sectors. Past experience with compliance and voluntary markets such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) shows that countries that move early to understand the opportunities and challenges benefit most from the critical resources that these markets can provide.

FAO support to Member Countries includes a Technical Cooperation Programme entitled, “Strengthening capacity of policy makers to mobilize investment for resilient and low emission agrifood systems in Asia under Article 6 of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement” (TCP/RS/3903), in which Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam are participating. FAO support is also provided to India through a separate TCP.

To support the implementation of these project activities, FAO is seeking a motivated, dynamic consultant to serve as a Carbon Markets Specialist. The position can be home-based, but the project team will be based at the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok which occasional travel to the participating countries.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will report primarily to the FAO Lead Technical Officer (LTO) / Natural Resources Officer, Climate Change and Bioeconomy, with overall administrative supervision of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and FAO Representatives in participating countries, in close collaboration with project staff and operational partners at regional and country level.

Technical Focus

Climate change, adaptation, mitigation, agriculture and land use, carbon markets, carbon finance

Tasks and responsibilities

The consultant is expected to undertake the following specific tasks\:

• Conduct carbon market assessments
o Assess the opportunities and challenges associated with developing compliance and/or VCM projects targeting offsets from agricultural systems including\:
• Identify potential compliance and voluntary market mechanisms, standards and methodologies that may be applicable to each country.
• Identify the potential types of buyers, markets for compliance or voluntary market offsets/insets from rice cultivation and complimentary activities generated in each country.
• Prepare preliminary assessments of the viability of carbon market projects using the methodologies identified highlighting technical and financial challenges.
• Assess institutional arrangements governing the carbon market and identify gaps or issues that may hinder the development of viable carbon market projects.
• Highlight recommendations for project developers, development partners and government to facilitate the development of compliance or voluntary market offsets.
o Engage in consultations with focus groups of development partners and representatives from the government to refine and improve assessments (with support from FAO in organizing these as needed)
o Draft reports based on the findings and recommendations of the assessments and circulate for review.
o Finalize the reports based on any feedback received.
• Provide guidance on the development of carbon market projects
o Review and provide inputs and guidance on the development of compliance and/or VCM projects targeting offsets from agricultural systems.
• Provide technical review on carbon markets analyses and deliverables
o Provide technical review, feedback and comments on draft analyses and deliverables from RAP carbon market activities, to help improve and ensure the quality, accuracy and completeness of draft analyses and deliverables.
• Respond to country requests for support on issues related to carbon markets and carbon finance as required.
• Prepare knowledge products on carbon markets and carbon finance options in agriculture.
• Represent FAO and the project at national and regional level events as required.
• Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in agricultural science, finance and economics, land use management, agricultural economics, development economics, project management and business administration, or a related topic.
• At least five years of relevant experience in analysing and developing carbon market projects to address issues associated with food and agriculture systems and climate change.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance\: https\://fao.service-now.com/csp

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