International Environmental Economics Expert: Poverty and Sustainable Development Impacts of REDD Architecture
1. Rationale
Agreement on the principles for REDD and the initiation of pilot activities could see the start of substantial financial flows from industrialised to tropical developing countries. The scale and the beneficiaries of these transfers will depend on the global architecture such as the mix of fund and market mechanisms. In addition, some countries, including the Government of Norway have pledged funds, principally to stimulate early and collective action on mitigating land use change and GHG production in tropical forest countries.
Paying countries and landholders within those countries to maintain and even enhance forests and woodlands is an appealing and simple idea. It is much more difficult to ensure that these payments result in both additional and permanent reductions in GHG production, and that the payments reach the communities who are bearing the cost of changing activities. Most of the attention is currently focussed on the international architecture for REDD and the decisions that will be made under the UNFCCC. While there is tremendous potential for positive change through REDD payments, both to forests and people, there are also many potential pitfalls. These include; distortions in land prices, markets and access, elite capture, rent seeking behaviour and the numerous pitfalls associated with monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV).
SNV, in collaboration with IIED, is undertaking a Project to quantify and identify the potential - and where possible the actual - poverty and sustainable development impacts of REDD. This will be done through two closely linked outputs. At the international level the project will quantify REDD financial flows, under different design option scenarios, focusing on the distribution of REDD carbon finance between countries. Output 2 will focus at the national level, in five selected countries and will look at the internal distribution and allocation of REDD payments. Both at the international and national level the emphasis will be on understanding the likely impacts on poverty and sustainable development. Simultaneously, the project will work in selected locations to improve and refine our understanding of the costs of REDD payment schemes and their likely and actual poverty and biodiversity impacts.
2. Objectives of the assignment
- To provide general support ‘on request’ to the Program Leader in particular for the Cattien Pro-poor REDD Project
- To provide overall management for the Project ‘poverty and sustainable development impacts of REDD architecture’ [this includes developing activity plans, budgeting, progress reports in collaboration with partners]
- To provide specific technical knowledge in order to fulfil the specific activities to meet the Project aims
3. Specific activities
1. Development of a generic Opportunity Cost Framework
2. Consultation on National REDD Policy options
3. Review and expand national datasets relevant to REDD+ implementation opportunity costs and transaction costs
4. Carry out baseline studies using various prescribed techniques in pilot sites
5. Estimate opportunity costs in selected pilot sites
6. Develop a national level supply curve of pro-poor REDD options showing the volume of emission reductions that can be generated at different costs per unit of carbon emission avoided.
7. Aggregate information to provide National REDD supply curve
8. Carry out transaction cost analysis
9. Initial estimates of the impacts of transaction costs, design choices etc on the National supply curves
10. Undertake demonstration activities to help communities adapt to REDD
4. Deliverables
Opportunity cost framework produced
Datasets on opportunity costs and transaction costs
Baseline study for pilot site completed
Opportunity costs study for pilot site completed
An initial estimate of the National REDD supply curve produced
5. Time frame
The assignment should start November 1st, 2010 and completed by December 31st 2011 with total 135 working days.
6. Requirement
Degree in Environmental Economics
Has exposure to the issue of REDD
Experience of working in Viet Nam
Has tested technical ability in the area of environmental economics and climate change
7. Application:
Please send application letter and CV (in English) to Richard McNally at [email protected] by 8th October 2010.