COUNTRY OF ASSIGNMENT: Belize BACKGROUND

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1 TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR CONSULTANCY FOR MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE CHANGE INTO SECTOR SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES OR MANAGEMENT PLANS COUNTRY OF ASSIGNMENT: Belize BACKGROUND Climate change is considered to be a serious development issue worldwide. Many of the impacts of a rapid change in climate are already being felt all over the world by unprepared, vulnerable people, communities, sectors and countries, inter alia. Even though the developing countries do not hold historical responsibility for climate change, they are slated to be disproportionately affected by many of the near-term and long-term impacts. In this case, Belize is no exception since the country can expect impacts relating to increased erosion and inundation of coastal areas, increase in temperature, sea level rise, flooding and an increase in the intensity of natural hazards such as hurricanes. Particularly, the projected impacts will significantly affect Belize s productive sectors, as well as its social sectors, causing major economic, human and social impacts that can significantly undermine efforts to achieve sustainable development. The status quo indicates that priority attention be put towards facilitating adaptation in vulnerable sectors of society in order to prevent the worst economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change. Additionally, Belize also has an obligation to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases in order to contribute to global efforts in the mitigation of climate change. As such, to promote resilience to climate change and to facilitate the implementation of country specific mitigation actions, there is need for national policies and sector plans to be designed in such a way that they will incorporate measures for climate change management in order to enhance economic sustainability and strengthen national sustainable development initiatives. In light of the facts stated above, the European Union Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA), through the project entitled Enhancing Belize s Resilience to Adapt to the Effects of Climate Change, supports the mainstreaming of climate change into sector plans. National priorities indicate the need to specifically target the tourism, health, municipal development, fisheries policy and development plans, and coastal zone management sectors in order to facilitate climate change management in a more co-ordinated, coherent and strategic manner. It is hoped that this consultancy will strengthen and inform the implementation of appropriate sector policy responses that will reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen local adaptive capacity in accordance with local socio-economic and development priorities.

2 OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY The overall objective of the consultancy is to facilitate the review of the management plans in the tourism, health, municipal development, fisheries policy and development plans and coastal zone management sectors in order to make recommendations for the incorporation of climate change considerations into the respective planning processes. Specifically, the consultancy aims to: Review established or on-going development programs, policies or management strategies, or plans in the tourism, health, municipal development, fisheries and coastal zone management sectors from a climate change perspective and to ascertain their alignment with local, national and international priorities to facilitate the mainstreaming of climate change. Identify and analyse opportunities and challenges for mainstreaming climate change into the sector plans and provide recommendations towards strengthening them from a climate change perspective. SCOPE OF WORK During this assignment, the consultant will work closely with the national climate change Office in order to deliver the relevant outputs within the given timeframe. Additionally, the consultant should consider the following: Efforts should be made to build on other climate change related programs, policies, strategies and assessments. The review should be systematic in nature, providing a comprehensive and unbiased perspective on the opportunities and challenges for mainstreaming climate change. There is need for in-depth consultation and coordination with relevant stakeholders in the public and private sector, including donor agencies and civil society, in order to ensure that their learning and experiences are incorporated into the results of the consultancy. The consultancy should specifically ascertain the extent to which the sector plans address climate change issues, identify gaps in policy as it relates to adaptation and mitigation and identify opportunities for mainstreaming climate change considerations into the different sector plans while providing recommendations for capacity enhancement for achieving climate change objectives. SPECIFIC TASKS The National Climate Change Office (NCCO) requires the services of an individual consultant to complete the following tasks (list not exhaustive): 1. Review relevant international, regional and national literature for information on past, current, and projected climate context in order to create climate change risk profiles for the relevant sectors. This involves identifying and compiling existing information, including the outcomes of the Third National Communication Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment, then synthesizing it into a form that facilitates inclusion in the final document.

3 2. Consult with relevant sector agencies in order to determine established or ongoing development programmes, policies or management plans to be mainstreamed. 3. Undertake a comprehensive review of the identified development programs, policies or management plans in the tourism, health, municipal development, fisheries and coastal zone management sectors, in order to examine the following aspects (list not exhaustive): The possible vulnerabilities of the sectors to climate risks and the extent to which the risks are being addressed, The possibility that the development programs, policies or management plans might lead to increased vulnerability/maladaptation, The contribution of the development programs, policies or management strategies/plans to the increase or reduction of Greenhouse gas emissions, The amendments that might be required to better address climate change risks, constraints and opportunities. 4. Screen the aforementioned sector development programs, policies, strategies or plans to ascertain their alignment with local, national and international priorities for climate change mainstreaming, including the stipulations of regional and international frameworks and institutions. This should serve to highlight any existing or potential conflicts, contradictions or gaps that may exist. 5. Following the steps taken in (1), (2) and (3), consult with key stakeholders, including relevant policy and planning authorities, Ministries, management agencies with sector specific competencies, civil society, national environment and developing NGOs, private sector organisations, and research and academic institutions, in order to facilitate the identification of climate risks to the respective sectors, the identification and integration of adaptation measures and mitigation opportunities. 6. Develop the first draft of a detailed report which integrates the findings of review, screening and consultation processes and which gives recommendations for the integration of climate change considerations (adaptation and mitigation, inter alia) into the plans of each sector under consideration. The report should give opportunities and challenges for strengthening the sector plans from a climate change perspective, and should include recommendations for: Facilitating adaptation through synergies with existing or planned initiatives Combining mitigation and adaptation as much as possible Delivering additional sustainable development benefits and Exploiting potential beneficial changes in climatic and environmental conditions Enhancing capacities for the achieving climate change management objectives. 7. In collaboration with the requisite government and management agencies in the tourism, health, municipal development and coastal zone management sectors, produce the initial draft of each sector specific development programs, policies, strategies or management plan, incorporating the recommendations of the report to be produced as part of step number (5), with the integration of climate change considerations. 8. For each of the sectors, conduct one - two day consultation session with all relevant stakeholders to review the first draft of the detailed report showing recommendations for

4 mainstreaming climate change into the relevant sectoral documents and the initial draft of each sector specific development programs, policies, strategies or management plan, drafted with the integration of climate change considerations, in order to validate/verify the findings, plans, strategies, conclusions, recommendations etc. 9. Prepare the final draft of the detailed report showing opportunities, challenges and recommendations for mainstreaming climate change considerations into the relevant sector plans. 10. Prepare the final draft of the sector specific development programs, policies, strategies or management plan with the full/complete mainstreaming of climate change considerations. DELIVERABLES The key deliverables of the consultancy will be: The final draft of the detailed report showing opportunities, challenges and recommendations for mainstreaming climate change considerations into the relevant specific development programs, policies, strategies or management plan. The final draft of the sector specific development programs, policies, strategies or management plans with the full/complete mainstreaming of climate change considerations. Other deliverables shall include: A detailed Work Plan and Implementation Schedule at the start of the contract period, A report detailing the methodology, results/findings and conclusions for the review, screening and consultation processes for tasks number 1,2 and 3 above, Consultation/workshop reports and Highlight/Progress report(s) based on the consultancy upon request from the Project Manager. SUPERVISING AND REPORTING The Project Manager of the Belize National Climate Change Office (NCCO) is responsible for the supervision and monitoring of the consultancy to ensure that the expected outputs are achieved. The selected consultant will report to the Project Manager and will be responsible for the preparation and delivery of the outputs/reports described above. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS The consultant should be highly motivated and capable of working independently. A good grasp of issues related to climate change and policy development is vital for consideration. Additionally, the execution of this Terms of Reference requires individuals having the following qualifications: Advanced degree in climate change management, Policy Development, Strategic Planning, Environmental Management or any other relevant related field; Experience in policy formulation; Experience in facilitation of stakeholder consultations;

5 Experience in the preparation and systematic review of relevant national and international documentation; Familiarity with relevant global conventions and agreements; Good working relations with government and non-government entities, private sector and other civil society stakeholders including academia; Strong research skills and experience; Strong communication skills (verbal and written); and Computer skills Perfect command of the English language; orally and written. Good command of Spanish would be an asset.