ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
PACIFIC DEPARTMENT
Staff Consultant for Climate Change Adaptation
Terms of Reference
Program: Climate Change Adaptation
Assignment: Provide expert advices and technical support to the Pacific Department
(PARD) Climate Change Adaptation program
Position: Climate Change Adaptation Expert (Staff Consultant)
Duty station: ADB Headquarter, Manila, Philippines with travel to ADB’s Pacific
Developing Member Countries
Duration: 12 person-months, to be commenced as soon as possible (estimated
commencement date: mid November 2008)
Objective/Purpose of the Assignment
The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical and administrative support to the Pacific
Department (PARD) Climate Change Adaptation program, particularly in mainstreaming and
incorporating climate change adaptation into PARD operation.
Background
The Pacific Developing Member Countries (Pacific DMCs)1 are among the most environmentally
vulnerable nations in the world. Six of the Pacific DMCs are rated as facing extreme
environmental vulnerability, with a further three rated as highly vulnerable. ADB publication on
Climate Proofing: A Risk-based for Adaptation and Climate Risk Profile (CRP) of ten Pacific
DMCs highlight the increasing risks of the Pacific countries from climate change, particularly
due to change in rainfalls, temperature, wind gust, and sea level rise; this is further emphasized
by the ADB Midterm Review of the Pacific Strategy (2005-2009). A recent report by the World
Bank also presented similar conclusion. Sea surface temperatures have increased and these
changes are also linked in part to an increased frequency and intensity of El Niño events. Rates
of change are likely to increase in the future in terms of average and extreme conditions, and
increasing climate variability. The consequence is that the need for the Pacific countries to
adapt to the adverse effect of climate change.
In response to the increasing problems faced by the Pacific DMCs, PARD is in the effort of
mainstreaming climate change adaptation into country program, including ensuring that climate
change adaptation is adequately considered in all facets of economic development, and in
alignment with each DMCs’ Country Partnership Strategy (CPS),2 and climate proofing of
programs and projects those are climate sensitive. In addition, PARD (in cooperation with
Regional Sustainable Development Department of ADB [RSDD]) is preparing Climate Change
1 Pacific DMCs consist of: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Palau, Papua
New Guinea (PNG), Samoa, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
2 CPS is a document prepared by ADB in cooperation with the Government that describes cooperation and
partnership in program and project to be implemented within 4 years.
2
Implementation Plan (CCIP) for the Pacific countries that will further guide the implementation of
climate change adaptation and mitigation in the Pacific. The work is started in October, 2008
until 31 March 2009. The output of the work will be a Climate Change Implementation Plan for
the Pacific DMCs.
The ADB’s portfolio of adaptation actions is accelerating. This includes the recently established
Climate Change Fund (CCF), opportunities to undertake small adaptation projects (at pilot
scale) through available Small Grants for Adaptation (SGA) projects, and PARD RETAs on
Regional Partnership on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Preparedness. There is also
the need to coordination with other partners (multilateral, bilateral agencies, inter-governmental
organizations in the Pacific such as SPC, SPREP, SOPAC, nongovernmental organizations,
etc). As such, additional climate adaptation knowledge, technical capacity, and administrative
support is immediately required in-house to manage increasing internal demands, along with
external enquiries and project demands from ADB’s DMC stakeholders.
Scope of Works
The Staff Consultant will provide technical and administrative support to the overall PARD
climate change adaptation program, particularly in providing support for CCIP implementation in
each Pacific DMC, mainstreaming and incorporating climate change adaptation into PARD
operation; assist in climate proofing of program and projects (in coordination with the PPTA
consultants); develop knowledge product on climate change for training purposes, and
coordination with RSDD and other related institutions outside ADB in climate change adaptation
activities.
Detailed Tasks
The Consultant will work under the direction of Safeguards Specialist of PARD to undertake
specific tasks, but not limited to the following:
i. Provide support to PARD overall program on climate change adaptation, including
support the work of CCIP consultant (to be engaged during October, 2008 to March,
2009) in undertaking climate risk assessment in 14 Pacific DMCs, prepare sector
strategy and adaptation program, and formulate necessary actions for CCIP;
ii. The staff consultant will assist in the implementation of CCIP for the Pacific countries in
coordination with RSDD and other partners (multilateral, bilateral agencies, intergovernmental
organizations such as SPC, SPREP, SOPAC, nongovernmental
organizations, etc);
iii. Suggest appropriate programs, projects, and interventions for climate change adaptation
at regional level as well as for the Pacific DMCs;
iv. Based on CCIP, CRP,3 and other relevant information, incorporate and mainstream
climate change adaptation in the CPS to ensure that climate change adaptation
adequately addressed in strategy and program for Pacific DMCs;
v. Review PARD’s existing and pipeline program and projects in each country and at
regional level, assist with risk screening of programs and projects those are climate
sensitive, produce a prioritized inventory of vulnerable projects (portfolio at risk), and
suggest requisite adaptive priorities;
vi. Assist PARD project officer in addressing climate change adaptation (through working
with project preparatory technical assistance [PPTA] consultants) to estimate
incremental cost of adaptation, and ensure that climate change consideration
incorporated in the project design;
3 CRPs have been prepared by ADB for Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji Islands, Kiribati,
Palau, Samoa, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
3
vii. Aside from ADB sources, explore available climate change adaptation funds and funding
mechanism;
viii. Assist staff in undertaking review of draft policies, plans, guidelines, and/or procedures;
also in administration of technical assistance projects on climate change related issues,
and undertake missions to selected Pacific DMCs as necessary;
ix. While climate change adaptation will be the primary task, the staff consultant may also
provide advice and assistance in addressing climate change mitigation in the Pacific.
x. Gather information (paper, reports, books, etc) and other pertinent reports and
knowledge products on climate change as source of information for training program in
the forms of brief presentation, materials for short-term and long-term training course (in
PARD as well as to be used for institutions in the region, such as University of the
Pacific), as necessary;
Output/Reporting Requirements
(i) Reports on progress of CCIP implementation
(ii) Technical assistance projects are properly implemented;
(iii) Climate change adaptation inputs incorporated in the CPS, and other PARD documents
(iv) Incremental costs for climate change adaptation of infrastructure project appropriately
costed, and project design incorporate climate change adaptation consideration
(v) Training materials
Professional & Technical Requirements
i. Graduate degree (or equivalent combination of academic training and experience) in
climate change, environmental science/natural sciences, or relevant discipline.
ii. Familiarity with various risk management & adaptation tools & institutional strategies,
adaptation planning approaches, adaptation policy reforms, current adaptation research.
Understanding and capability to run climate modelling will be beneficial for the
assignment;
iii. Familiarity with climate change stakeholders (eg. UNFCCC, GEF, UNDP, UNEP, WMO,
VARG, Pacific DMC Climate Change Focal Points, International NGOs & Climate
Change Research Institutes), and funding mechanisms;
iv. Well versed in sectoral climate risk management and adaptation (e.g., in agriculture,
coastal zone management, water resource management, health, etc), and impact
scenarios (e.g. low-lying coastal systems, and small island ecosystems).
v. Adequate project design knowledge, management and administration requirements, and
vi. Highly proficient in English, and good communications skills, including written products.
