***CLOSED*** Call for Expression of Interest for Consulting Firm Specializing in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Priority Areas Identified to Develop Toolkits – WBS #1.3.1

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a unique global platform established to respond to climate change by investing in low-emission and climate-resilient development. GCF was established to limit or reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developing countries, and to help vulnerable societies adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Given the urgency and seriousness of this challenge, the Fund is mandated to make an ambitious contribution to the united global response to climate change.

Belize, like many other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), is particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. The country’s low-lying coastline and sectoral vulnerabilities to climate risk coupled with limited access to national financial, technological, and technical resources to build the country’s resilience, led to a ranking of #9 on the Climate Change Vulnerability Index for the Latin American and Caribbean Region.  

Taking a proactive approach to building climate resilience, the Government of Belize has prioritized the capacity building of national institutions which can access climate finance and implement bankable projects and programmes. International funding agencies such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) offer support to developing countries who are working to achieve climate adaptation and mitigation in accordance with their Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement. GCF’s Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme supports country-driven initiatives by developing countries to strengthen their institutional capacities, governance mechanisms, and planning and programming frameworks towards a transformational long-term climate action agenda.  

The development of Belize is depending on mitigating changes that are beyond our control and adapting to those that are projected to affect our population in the short and long-term. To achieve the latter, Belize must address barriers that may limit implementation of interventions and their impacts. Some of these barriers include the non-existence of climate smart development plans for human settlements and infrastructure. With almost half of the population in urban areas (45%), and rural to urban migration increasing over the last decade, lack of urban planning has become evident, with its associated challenges.  

Standardized demographic features of human settlements need to be established to ensure that categorization and services are based on population size and demands. There is also limited recognition of the role of human settlements and urban land management in reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions, considering that urban areas generate approximately 80 percent of global energy and emit 50 to 60 per cent of the world’s GHG emissions.1 This Readiness will address key areas to improve human settlements and infrastructure to make them climate resilient, while building the capacity of regulatory agencies in the public and private sectors. It will also equip municipalities with resources to improve urban planning and monitoring. Barriers to an enabling environment will be addressed by improving the relevant frameworks to support resilient human settlement urban planning and improving coordination and collaboration between regulating and service providing agencies and institutions. Increasing knowledge sharing will improve public buy-in and awareness on the importance of climate impacts, mitigation and adaptation and their relationship to protecting investments in human settlements and infrastructures.  

2.1 Strengthen the Belize Association of Planners stakeholders (which may include executing entities, civil society organizations and private sector) in establishing adequate capacity, systems and networks to support the planning, programming and implementation of GCF-funded activities in the following five areas:     

a. Leadership to advocate for climate resilience settlements, infrastructures, and urban development policies.

b. Settlement planning and data information and management systems.

c. Financing and Resource Mobilization for climate resilience human settlements ad infrastructure

d. Communication and advocacy I Resilient Human Settlement and Infrastructures

e. Communication for media on vulnerabilities of Human Settlement and Infrastructures to Climate changes and best practices.

 

3.1 Development of response toolkits for mitigation and adaptation on priority areas. The toolkits will primarily target urban communities, local governments, community-based organizations, and other relevant stakeholders involved in climate change response in urban settings.

3.2 To provide actionable and practical guidance to help urban communities become more resilient and sustainable in the face of climate change. 

 

The successful firm must have: 

➢ At least 10 years’ experience engaging in stakeholder engagement exercise.

➢ Developed at least two (2) Stakeholder Engagement projects of similar content in the last 6 years. (2018-2023)

General and Specific experiences: 

➢ Proven experience in climate finance including analysing climate stakeholder engagement together with developing and implementing strategies for engagement in the GCF sector.

➢ Proven experience working on GCF-funded projects or projects related to climate change, demonstrating an understanding of the GCF’s objectives, requirements, and procedures.

➢ Experience in enhancing readiness for delivery of climate and development projects/programmes, multi-stakeholder engagement in policymaking and planning.

➢ Experience working in Belize, Central America, and the Caribbean.