Individual Consultant (Brazil – Pre-feasibility Study of carbon project)

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)FamilyCONTR Local Professional Level2025-03-03February 10, 2025Individual Consultancy Contract with UNHCR, Division of External Relations, Innovative Finance and Brazil Country Office
Duty station: Homebased
Duration: 3 March 2025 to 31 July 2025 (or later depending on completion of all deliverables)
Working arrangement: Part-time

Title of project: REP Fund – Brazil – Pre-feasibility Study of carbon project

Purpose of project:
The feasibility study aims to evaluate the technical, legal, and financial viability of implementing carbon-financed reforestation and clean energy projects in refugee-hosting regions of Brazil. It will ensure alignment with national climate policies, regulatory frameworks, and the REP Fund's objectives, fostering sustainable development and resilience in displacement contexts.


GENERAL BACKGROUND OF PROJECT OR ASSIGNMENT, OPERATIONAL CONTEXT:

Climate Action is one of the UN Secretary General’s key priorities and a focus area under UNHCR’s Strategic Directions 2022-2026. The far-reaching protection and displacement implications of climate change demand that UNHCR must adequately recognize and adapt our strategic positioning, internal processes, and operating posture in response to the climate crisis. We have a duty to the people we serve, along with an expectation from hosting states that UNHCR should deliver strong results by ensuring that near-term needs and further risk escalation linked to climate impacts are adequately considered and addressed.

UNHCR’s Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability operational response strategy contributes to the implementation of UNHCR’s Strategic Framework for Climate Action (SFCA). Mitigating the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on forcibly displaced people and their hosts, supporting their resilience by preserving and rehabilitating the natural environment in displacement settings, and minimizing the environmental footprint of humanitarian assistance, are imperative for UNHCR to fulfil its mandate.

UNCHR’s Strategic Framework for Climate Action (SFCA), adopted in 2021, sets out the global parameters for UNHCR’s cross-cutting and forward-looking engagement: through three pillars for action – law and policy, operations, and reducing UNHCR’s own environmental footprint – and through a collaborative, inclusive, evidence-based and innovative approach that is centred on protection and solutions for displaced and stateless people and their hosts.

Operationalization of the framework is underway at the country, regional and headquarters level. The following project is contributing to the overall goals in the SFCA, particularly Objective 2.1 “Preserve and rehabilitate the natural environment and mitigate environmental degradation in displacement settings.

In the context of this strategy, UNHCR’s actions are structured around two key approaches which are to, firstly, recognize forcibly displaced people, and their hosts, as agents of change, and secondly, strengthen their resilience and protect forcibly displaced people, and their hosts, from the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.

This is particularly important in the context of Brazil, which has seen an increasing number of natural disasters occurring in the past few years. Although drought is the most common of them, especially in the Northeast, floods have the most devastating effects, including loss of human life, damage to property and infrastructure, and destruction of crops and livestock, which can lead to homelessness and displacement.

According to the 2024 Report by the NRC’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, Brazil is the country with most internal displacements recorded in the Americas in 2023 - some 745,000 had to leave their homes due to natural disasters.

Climate change and environmental degradation such as deforestation, are critical problems in refugee situations. UNHCR estimates that 20-25 million trees are cut down in and around refugee settlements each year. Ninety percent of this deforestation is driven by the urgent need for cooking fuel. In northern Brazil, issues around construction material and logging are part of this mix perhaps to a higher degree than other displacement situations.

Historically, indigenous populations maintain deep relationships with their original territories. For many ethnic groups, the dichotomy between nature and culture, typical of Western thought, makes no sense. Humans and non-humans coexist daily. Men, women, animals, and plants share the same place. In this sense, environmental impacts directly affect the lives of these people. On the one hand, they make their livelihoods impossible, such as fishing and agriculture. On the other hand, they affect their own habitat, which implies a threat to the sociocultural reproduction of these ethnic groups. As a direct consequence of fires and exploitation of natural resources (such as ore and wood), many indigenous people are forced to leave their territories in search of better living conditions in urban centres.

The need for wood as building material or for cooking fuel could result in environmental degradation such as soil erosion, landslides, and desertification, which threaten safe living conditions and livelihoods for forcibly displaced and their hosts alike. Environmental degradation also heightens the risk of conflict between refugees and hosts. We have seen this more pronounced in the border areas where access to land is more precarious

To mitigate these negative impacts and improve protection outcomes, UNHCR will continue to strengthen existing environmental programming. Against this backdrop that UNHCR has launched the Refugee Environmental Protection (REP) Fund to invest in impactful reforestation and clean cooking programs in climate-vulnerable refugee situations around the world.

The Fund would aim to plant tens of millions more trees and enable hundreds of thousands of refugees and their hosts to access clean cooking solutions over the next decade. In doing so it will link refugees and host communities to the global carbon markets, empowering them to become part of the global movement to combat climate change. UNHCR Brazil is willing to develop a similar reforestation program in the region of Roraima that may be included into the REP Fund.

The state of Roraima, the main entry point for refugees and migrants from Venezuela, is particularly subject to the effects of environmental hazards. According to the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, in Roraima there has been a 122% increase in the annual average area impacted by deforestation between 2019 and 2021, making the area more likely to suffer from desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops and increased greenhouse gases. Furthermore, the state suffers from illegal mining that causes environmental and social damage to the indigenous communities. Roraima is also home to over 7,940 indigenous peoples from Venezuela who face compounded challenges to access their rights, including collective rights, and local integration opportunities adapted to their socio-cultural needs.

Against this background, UNHCR Brazil is prioritizing environmental actions to reduce the long-lasting impacts of climate change on natural resources that directly affect displaced and host communities. These programs also aim to raise environmental awareness among refugee and host communities and mitigate UNHCR operations’ ecological footprint.

The geographic focus is Roraima where refugees heavily rely on the assistance provided by the State, UNHCR and other actors, in the framework of the federal humanitarian response “Operation Welcome”.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES:

UNHCR seeks to help address these complex issues by creating an innovative and sustainable financing mechanism to invest in strengthening and scaling up UNHCR reforestation programs in climate-vulnerable refugee-hosting communities in northern Brazil.

Prior to the start of this consultancy a consultation with communities on the interest for the project will be done in accordance with Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 which is an International Labour Organization Convention, also known as ILO Convention 169, or C169.

The carbon impact of these programs would be registered and verified (e.g., via Gold Standard) to generate large-scale refugee-generated carbon credits. The sale of these credits would go to the communities, allowing it to re-invest in new reforestation and livelihoods programs, making the Fund more financially and operationally sustainable over time and offsetting the costs to host refugees. The Fund’s environmental programs would in addition generate green jobs for refugees and host communities in places where they can be employed.

This request for proposals seeks to identify the Individual Consultant to conduct feasibility studies for carbon credit-financed reforestation projects in high-priority sites in the state of Roraima in 2025. The targeted communities are inside the indigenous lands of São Marcos. The selected Individual Consultant will investigate the feasibility of such programs in the 2-3 key locations/sites provided hereafter, and recommend project designs:

São Marcos

Homologated by the Brazilian government by Decree 312, of October 30, 1991, the São Marcos Indigenous Land is in the municipalities of Boa Vista and Pacaraima, in the state of Roraima. With an area of 654,000 hectares, the Macuxi, Taurepang and Wapichana indigenous peoples live there, totalling around 18,210 individuals. Due to the Venezuelan crisis, indigenous people from Venezuela also moved to the region. Currently, approximately 3,422 indigenous people belonging to the Pemon ethno-linguistic group (Caribbean linguistic family), such as the Taurepang, Arekuna and Kamarakoto, live in the communities of their relatives: Sakau Mota, Tarau Paru, Bananal, and Sorocaima I.

Reforestation Sites to consider for feasibility:
- Sakau Mota (Pacaraima)
- Tarau Paru (Pacaraima)
- Bananal (Pacaraima)
- Sorocaima I (Pacaraima)

The Scope of Work of the consultancy does NOT include the registration and certification of the project.


PURSPOSE AND SCOPE OF ASSIGNMENT:

1. REQUIREMENTS
1.1. Project title or core requirement

Refugee Environmental Protection Fund Project Feasibility Study
The consultancy would be responsible for feasibility studies which will include an analysis of the following topics:

I. Identification and Classification of Opportunity
a. Identify the emission reduction opportunity, classify it within the technical scopes of carbon projects and identify applicable methodologies (MDL or VCS) to the feasibility study.

II. Technical and Legal Eligibility Analysis
a. Apply criteria for identifying the Baseline, evaluating Additionality, and quantifying emission reductions using the applicable methodology identified in Stage 1.
b. Provide a robust view of the project's technical feasibility, development risks, and estimate the carbon credits that could be generated.
c. Provides an analysis of the process of regularizing the carbon credit market in Brazil, involving parliamentary debates and the position of the Federal Government (especially the Ministry of the Environment).Document project additionality (i.e. validation that the project is not economically viable without carbon credit revenue, is not required by law, and will not result in double counting of carbon credits generated).
d. Assess whether the project is viable, taking into account the land availability, suitability of land for growing trees, land ownership or usufruct (in case of Indigenous lands demarcated by the government), with a clear elaboration of why or why not.

III. Financial Viability Analysis
a. Structure a project cash flow, considering investments (CAPEX), operating costs (OPEX), and other carbon project costs (e.g. Registry Account, Emission Fees, validation, MRV (measurement, reporting and verification), registration, etc.) to evaluate financial indicators and return on investment (NPV, IRR, Payback, etc.) over 25 years.
b. Estimate project outcomes and co-benefits, including environmental, social, protection, and economic benefits for refugee and host community beneficiaries; and CO2 impact (i.e. identifying a range of potential emission reduction scenarios).
c. Financial estimate of project economics over 25-year horizon, including detailed breakdown of expected carbon credits generated and associated carbon credit revenue.

IV. Recommendations
a. Conduct a desk review of carbon credit projects already developed and implemented in indigenous communities in Brazil to collect lessons learned in terms of the cultural impact (positive and negative) and risks of community conflict;
b. Provide recommendations on next steps and project development strategies focusing on risk mitigation and maximizing financial results.
c. Recommend implementation design parameters, including potential scale of the project, recommended tree-planting species mix, an analysis of drivers of deforestation and recommended mitigation measures.
d. Recommend legal guidelines to be signed with local authorities and local partners to ensure that tree protection is implemented.
e. Map key risks (implementation, operation and maintenance, legal, political, cultural and community conflicts) and related mitigation measures.
f. Any other recommendations for implementation (e.g. based on the consultations held with Indigenous peoples living in the communities selected according to their protocol, when applicable.), considering the National Policy for Territorial and Environmental Management of Indigenous Lands - PNGATI guidelines.
g. Map existing or potential project implementation partners.
h. Map applicable local, national, and international regulations, including for registering and monetizing carbon credits.
i. Overview of legal arrangements necessary for project implementation and carbon credit ownership and certification (e.g. registration and/or approvals required from the government, carbon certifiers, etc).
j. Overview of similar and/or associated projects being conducted within neighbouring areas and/or geographies.

Key questions to address on the above-mentioned topics include:

1. Costs:
a. Which activities need to be done between inception and permanent carbon sequestration. That would typically include but is not limited to: planning, raising seedlings, site preparation, planting, weed control, thinning/pruning, fire protection, theft/vandalism control, quality control, inventories.
b. How many full-time equivalent days per performance unit (hectare, seedling etc.) are expected? How do these estimates vary across the lifecycle of the project (i.e. planting in the first few years vs. monitoring and protection thereafter)?
c. What is the minimum living wage per day?
d. Which activities are expected to require cash payments? Are there legal limitations on the types of workers that can be employed to support these projects?
e. What costs for material are expected per activity (for example, sand, soil, seeds, tools, fuel, fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide)?

2. Carbon stock protection:
a. Describe the most common threats to the tree crop after planting.
b. Describe locally proven, best practice examples of tree protection. Provide testimonials, pictures and geodata for such practices.
c. Estimate of the extent of the risk of the tree crop to reach the biomass needed for the carbon sequestration targeted by the project.

3. Environmental and social impact and compliance:
a. Describe the social and environmental impact of the activities using the World Bank Social and Environmental Standard as a benchmark with due consideration to the national environmental standards. This should include but is not limited to:
i. Impact on food security
ii. Impact on neighbouring communities such as employment opportunities (e.g. cash for work)
iii. Impact on land tenure rights as well as land-use without formal land titles
iv. Impact on water
v. Impact on soil fertility
vi. Impact on biodiversity
vii. Impact on indigenous cultures
viii. Impact on community relations
ix. Impacts on kinship and political organizations
x. Impact on SGBV and health outcomes as a result of reduced firewood collection and usage

4. Selected tree planting sites:
a. Provide polygons of areas that are controlled by communities that can be guided by UNHCR staff regarding tree planting and tree protection in the long term. If possible, include data on landowners, tenants.
b. Provide polygons or points of existing forests in the area including data on: tree species, age, number of trees per hectare.
c. Provide a set of photos giving a fair representation of the land-use.
d. Provide data on current size of population and link them to meaningful maps
e. Provide data on current land-use and link them to meaningful maps
f. Which trees shall be planted under the reforestation projects financed by the REP? Provide tree species and site-specific data to project future tree growth and carbon sequestration.
g. Provide recommendation and guidance for the ownership of the carbon certificates.

5. Additional legal questions:
a. For each type of ownership identified under the point "location", clarify:
b. Who is the owner of the carbon stock in the light of the subject of the Nationally Determined Contribution?
c. Who is the owner of the carbon stock in the light of the Gold Standard certification scheme?
d. Who is the owner of the carbon stock in the light of general national property rights?
e. Specify which party in the envisaged project framework will have the legal obligation to protect the carbon stock

6. Potential implementing partners
a. Is it preferable to work with a governmental partner or with a private partner?
b. If a governmental partner is preferred, why, and which ministr(y/ies) or agenc(y/ies) would be preferred to partner with?
c. Does the governmental partner need an incentive to work with the REP Fund (including consideration of any prior project experiences in neighboring geographies)?
d. If a private partner is preferred, why, and which company(ies) would be preferred to partner with?
e. What would be the role of the indigenous organisations of the Indigenous Land (councils and associations) and the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples, and how are responsibilities and competences distributed? What kind of authorization is required for future projects?
f. Which business model does the identified private partner have? Which incentive might a private partner need to work with the REP Fund?
g. Has the implementing partner previously worked on relevant related projects that generated carbon credits? What other partners did they work with to register and monetize carbon credits?

7. Carbon accounting
a. What are the parameters used for the carbon credit calculation, including justification for their use?


DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINE:

The project is expected to take [4-5] months and will comprise the following phases of work:

A. Planning and Inception
The consultancy would establish and refine the methodology and data collection methods in consultation with UNHCR. A first step of the consultancy would be to confirm and adjust the proposed list of sites to be studied in consultation with UNHCR focal points in each community and to agree with UNHCR on a proposed workplan for conducting the feasibility studies. The expected scope of work would be:

• Confirmation and adjustment (if needed) of proposed list of sites to be studied
• Compilation and preliminary review of documents
• Mapping of stakeholders
• Consultations with communities and other key stakeholders
• Designing and agreeing on the study tools
• Recruitment and Training of enumerators
• Pre-testing of data collection tools
• Revision of the study work plan
• Preparation and submission of the Draft Inception Report
• Preparation and submission of the Final Inception Report
• Preparation and confirmation with UNHCR of the structure of the Project Feasibility Assessment Reports, including assessment criteria
• Kick-off workshop and scheduling of appointments with key Stakeholders

B. Data Collection

The consultancy would be responsible for gathering the data for the feasibility studies, including an initial phase of desk research as well as field visits for more detailed data collection, in coordination with UNHCR focal points. The expected scope of work would be:
• In-depth review of literature
• Key informant interviews (KIIs)
• Household/Individual interviews
• Consultative meetings
• Focused group discussions
• Progress Reporting

C. Data Management and Report Compilation

The consultancy would be responsible for synthesizing the data collected and preparing the Final Project Feasibility Assessment Report on the carbon-financed reforestation projects assessed, including incorporating feedback from key stakeholders including UNHCR. The Final Project Feasibility Assessment Report should provide recommendations for implementation in each site.
The expected scope of work would be:
• Data analysis and Synthesis
• Preparation and submission of a draft [Project Feasibility Assessment Report/ Project brief for each site]
• Validation workshop
• Incorporation of comments
• Preparation and Submission of the Final assessment Report including Project Briefs and financial analysis for each sites.
• Report launch workshop
i. Develop a detailed Workplan and Timeline for all three Phases of the Project, be submitted to and agreed with UNHCR. This should be finalized within the first two weeks of the contract, though it may be adjusted and amended over to the course of the project as needed with agreement with UNHCR.
ii. Update UNHCR on Project activities and findings on a biweekly basis.
iii. Update the UNHCR Project Steering Committee to review the findings of the project and provide guidance on the planned activities for the subsequent Phase, as applicable.

All written communication with UNHCR shall be in English with a good knowledge of Portuguese (desirable Spanish).


CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS, SELECTION CRITERIA

- University degree required

Required/mandatory:
- Proven track record of feasibility assessment, and experience with assessing project development relating to carbon credit-financed reforestation projects, including an understanding of applicable legal and regulatory considerations, preferably in developing countries and/or in resource-poor, resource-constrained or humanitarian settings.
- Experience in displacement, conflict and fragile settings including experience in environmental management, conservation and restoration is highly desirable.
- Experience with indigenous peoples and indigenous territories.

The consultant and its personnel are also expected to meet the following requirements:

- Capacity to collate and analyse primary and secondary data relevant to the feasibility assessment and to draw conclusions and make recommendations accordingly.
- Expertise in the geographies under consideration, including language skills necessary to conduct primary and secondary research.
- Expertise in working with indigenous peoples.
- Capacity to assess partnerships with organisations in country and/or region of the studies.
- Expertise in project management.
- Travel will be required to the communities selected.

Please also provide the CVs of additional personnel assigned to working with UNHCR.

Travel:
The research will take place in 4 communities as detailed above. If during the consultancy process there are any force majeure factors limiting the feasibility of the study, UNHCR is committed to supporting the consultant with finding suitable solutions.

Travel will be required for the selected communities feasibility study team. The selected consultant will be required to have relevant language capabilities and/or arrange for translation services as needed.
Team members who are providing back-up support may not need to travel.

Content of the Technical Offer
A description of your professional background with evidence of your capacity to perform the services required, including:
• CVs of personnel/subcontractors to be involved in the feasibility study
• Anthropological skills and training may be required
• Experience working with indigenous peoples in Brazil is an asset
• Three references, with contact information
• Number of, experience in, and relevance and quality of, similar project successfully completed and/or currently ongoing. Descriptions of up to 5 examples of relevant previous projects, summarized in 1 page each or less.
• Proven track record of research, policy and feasibility development relating to carbon credit-financed reforestation and clean cooking
• Understanding of the main policy and financing approaches towards carbon credit-financed reforestation projects.

Minimum years of work experience (NOTE: candidates with less years of experience cannot be short-listed or recommended): 10 years

Language:
Required: English
Desirable: Portuguese

 

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This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Home-Based

Yes