Panama National Consultant: Support to Carbon Markets Strategy Development and Article 6 Implementation

Job description

Background
The NDC Partnership Action Fund supports developing countries in fast-tracking the implementation of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and bridging gaps in support. Climate Analytics has been selected to support the Government of Panama in developing operational guidelines for Article 6 participation and creating a comprehensive national carbon markets strategy.Panama has expressed interest to engage in Article 6 under the Paris Agreement. To do so, robust operational guidelines for the effective and transparent use of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement should be developed.  leveraging carbon markets to meet its climate objectives. In response to this the primary objective of this project is to develop sectoral guidelines for the use of carbon market mechanisms, integrate them into Panama's NDC, and create a national carbon markets strategy. This effort aims to enhance sectoral targets and facilitate participation in carbon market mechanisms, including the cooperative approaches under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.Through this 12-month project, we aim to support Panama in developing robust operational frameworks for carbon market participation while ensuring environmental integrity, transparency, and alignment with national climate goals. To achieve this, there is a need for national expertise to support data collection, stakeholder engagement, and facilitation of workshops and consultations. This consultancy aims to support country ownership and active participation in the carbon markets strategy development process by national stakeholders.
Objective of the Assignment
The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical and logistical support at the national level to the carbon markets strategy development process by working closely on-the-ground with national focal points to collect data, review documents, facilitate stakeholder engagement, and support the organization of consultations and workshops focused on carbon markets and Article 6 mechanisms.

Scope of Work
The National Consultant will work under the guidance of the national focal points and the Climate Analytics (CA) project team to deliver the following tasks:Data Collection: Collaborate with CA and national focal points to collect relevant data and information needed for sectoral analysis and carbon market assessments, including from ministries, government agencies, private sector entities, and other relevant national sources.Document Review: Review key national and international documents related to NDCs, carbon market mechanisms, Article 6 guidance, climate change strategies, and sectoral action plans. Provide feedback and identify gaps or areas for improvement.Facilitation of Ownership and Engagement: Support the national focal points in the carbon markets strategy development process to ensure it is owned and driven by national stakeholders, facilitating coordination between different sectors, ministries, and private sector actors.Organization of Consultations and Workshops: Support (logistical and technical) the planning, preparation, and organization of in-country missions, stakeholder consultations, technical workshops/training, and validation meetings. This includes developing agendas, preparing materials, booking venues, coordinating with participants, and facilitating sessions.Stakeholder Input and Review: Assist in gathering feedback from stakeholders on key outputs, including drafts of sectoral guidelines, national carbon markets strategy, and Article 6 operational guidelines. Facilitate the review and incorporation of this feedback into final outputs.Reporting and Coordination: Join coordination meetings and provide regularupdates on the progress of the work, coordinating with the national focal points and the Climate Analytics team to ensure alignment with overall objectives. Contribute, as appropriate, to quarterly reporting to the Funder.Other Tasks: As identified by and mutually agreed with Climate Analytics and in alignment with the goals of the carbon markets strategy development process.Your profile

Essential

A bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Climate Policy, International Relations, Economics, Public Policy, or related fields and five years of experience in climate change related fields.Or a master's degree in related fields mentioned above and three years of experience in climate change related fields.Proven strong understanding of Panama's climate change policymaking context and institutional framework.Basic understanding of carbon markets, carbon pricing, or environmental economic instruments.Proven experience engaging with government stakeholders in Panama.Proven experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations and workshops.Excellent communication and coordination skills in both Spanish and English.Willingness to engage with and follow up with key stakeholders through all relevant communications mediums (e.g. text, email, phone, in-person).Ability to work in both English and Spanish at a professional level. DesiredKnowledge of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and international carbon market mechanisms.Experience with NDC development, implementation, or enhancement processes.Robust network and strong relationships with key stakeholders in the climate policy space.Experience with Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or other carbon market projects.Familiarity with monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems.Experience organizing stakeholder engagement activities for technical projects.Experience working with the government of PanamaOur offerApplication deadline: Starting date: As soon as possible.Location: This role is required to be based in Panama City, Panama.Terms: Fixed-term of 10 to 11 months.Invoicing: The consultant will invoice based on the number of days worked. Travel costs, per diems, and other expenses will not be covered under this contract and are expected to be managed independently by the consultant.Interested candidates should apply with your CV, cover letter, references and your expected daily rate exclusively using the application form.Applications by email or by post can unfortunately not be processed.
Evaluation CriteriaConsultants will be evaluated based on their qualifications, experience, and daily rate, with particular focus on their ability to engage and facilitate national stakeholders on carbon markets and climate policy development.

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