Climate change presents the single biggest threat to sustainable development and is already causing widespread, unprecedented impacts that disproportionately burden the poorest, marginalized and most vulnerable. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicates that urgent and transformative action is necessary to keep global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees or below, adapt to global threats, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries unanimously agreed to work toward global goals that would limit global average temperature rise.

A key principle in the Paris Agreement is that no country should backslide on its intentions, which were put forward in climate action plans known as “Nationally Determined Contributions”, or NDCs. All countries are expected to submit increasingly ambitious NDCs every five years, often described as a “ratchet mechanism”. A first opportunity to do so is in 2020. Achieving the Paris Agreement’s goals will require an emissions peak as soon as possible, followed by sharp reductions in GHG emissions. Therefore, many see high ambition in 2020 as fundamental to get on track to 1.5oC and counter a worrying trend of rising emissions.



UNDP is well-positioned to support countries on these efforts, with a long track record of supporting NDC processes globally, which has led to insights on critical bottlenecks, key success factors, emerging trends and anticipated support needs. In 2014, UNDP and UNFCCC jointly launched a series of regional technical dialogues that provided a neutral space for countries to share experiences on NDCs and build trust. In all, 22 dialogues have been held, attracting 2200+ participants from 150 countries. UNDP also assisted 43 countries to submit intended NDCs in 2015 and now supports 63 countries to strengthen core elements of NDC architecture, such as gender-responsive institutional coordination, whole-of-government approaches, strengthened transparency systems, and mainstreaming of NDC targets. These efforts are underpinned by a $3.2BN grant-financed portfolio of climate action in 142 countries.



In response, UNDP announced its Climate Promise landmark initiative to leverage its extensive climate portfolio and scale up urgently-needed support for NDC enhancement in 100 countries, working in close collaboration with UN system partners (e.g. UNEP, FAO, UNICEF), IRENA, the NDC Partnership, the Green Climate Fund, and other strategic partners. An integrated approach will be used that harnesses the wide-ranging expertise of UNDP’s Global Policy Network to strengthen climate solutions with perspectives from governance, health, water, gender equality, women’s and youth empowerment, disaster risk reduction, and inclusive growth, among others.



UNDP service lines in the framework of Climate Promise include the following:



1: Build Political Will & Societal Ownership at National/Sub-National Levels;



2: Review, Align & Update/Enhance Current NDC Targets, Policies & Measures;



3: Incorporate Additional Sectors &/or GHGs;



4: Assess Costs & Investment Opportunities;



5: Monitor Progress & Strengthen Transparency.



Given the above, UNDP Country Office in Azerbaijan is recruiting a consultant to facilitate and coordinate implementation of the UNDP Climate Promise in Azerbaijan. The consultant will work under overall guidance of the Resident Representative, the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative in collaboration with the relevant environmental team.



After being static from 2014 to 2016, global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose to historic highs in 2018 according to the IEA 2019 Global Energy and CO2 Status Report, driven by higher energy consumption.