LRPS-2022-9173872-Preparation of Global Climate Fund (GCF) concept note on nature-based solutions and sustainable WASH services and behaviors for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INSTITUTIONAL CONTRACT

 

Title of the assignment

Preparation of Global Climate Fund (GCF) concept note on nature-based solutions and sustainable WASH services and behaviours for climate change adaptation and mitigation

Purpose

To develop a concept-note and annexes on the theme above in line with GCF investment criteria and guidelines in coordination with relevant stakeholders to establish country ownership and buy-in

Location

Dhaka, Bangladesh.  Field visits may be required to (potential) programme areas and for consultations

Estimated Duration

May 2022 – March 2023 (one year)

Reporting to Technical Supervisor of this assignment

Chief, WASH section

 

1. Background

Climate change & WASH in Bangladesh: As a low-lying and densely populated deltaic country, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change. According to the Children’s climate risk index (UNICEF, 2021), Bangladesh ranks 15th in terms of climate risks for children and their access to basic and social services. The main climate change impacts are felt through water which affects community’s access to WASH services.

Slow and fast onset impacts of climate change affect water quality and quantity, the continuity and sustainability of WASH services and lead to damages of infrastructure, thereby affecting community health and resilience across the country. During the dry season (March to June), around 10% of the over 1.7 million water points or production pumps become non-functional and climate change is expected to turn drought-prone areas into severely drought prone ones.  Over 80% of the country is considered floodplain. From July to October, floods and cyclones interrupt and destroy water services across the country which heightens the risk of diseases spreading by contaminated water. During severe floods, about two-thirds of the tube-wells and close to all toilets in the affected area become unusable.[1]  Vulnerable disaster-prone communities and groups (elderly, underprivileged children, women) are not sufficiently covered by monitoring mechanism of functionality of WASH infrastructure or sufficiently climate resilient technologies. An estimated 20 million people in coastal Bangladesh are already adversely affected by saltwater contamination of freshwater sources and soil as a result of sea-level rise and storm surges.

Interruption of WASH services has substantial consequences on child wellbeing and health, nutrition, education outcomes. It also affects the most vulnerable communities disproportionately, affecting livelihoods and thus the objectives of eradicating poverty and inequality. The lack of safe water also undermines hygiene behavior and leads to increased levels of diarrhoeal diseases, further deteriorating children’s nutrition status. Several climate change impacts on WASH also affect women disproportionately with women and girls largely responsible for water collection and levels of salt ingestion linked to increased rates of hypertension and miscarriage among pregnant women as well as to skin diseases, acute respiratory infection, and diarrhoeal disease.[2]  

However, despite the clear need for additional finance to address the impacts of climate change on WASH services, there is not yet sufficient climate finance allocated to this area. While a few projects exist that address adaptation for water supply systems, sanitation and hygiene largely missing in climate change projects in Bangladesh to date. In addition, there are no WASH projects or proposals that include nature-based solutions and integrated water resource management and address WASH in an integrated way with environmental protection concerns.

UNICEF Bangladesh WASH is planning the development of a concept note on nature-based solutions and sustainable WASH services and behaviors for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The concept note will be centered around sustainable water use combine ecosystem protection, nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation (drought and flood resilience) and climate-resilient WASH and pollution control. 

UNICEF Bangladesh has conducted a WASH Bottleneck Analysis and is currently working on a risk assessment for the WASH sector. In addition, the section has started to mainstream climate change in existing programmes such as the Water Safety Planning.

2. Objectives, Purpose and Expected Results

The assignment is meant to develop a concept note for submission to the GCF that is drawing on the necessary consultations and has the required annexes as per GCF guidelines. In addition, a WASH stand-alone concept note should also be extracted.

• Preparation of GCF concept note including climate rationale, results framework in line with GCF investment criteria
• Preparation of the required annexes (economic cost-benefit analysis, financial overview, report of Environmental and Social Standards Assessment, draft gender action plan, maps)
• Facilitation of necessary consultations and the generation of ownership and buy-in by the National Designated Authority (NDA) in the Ministry of Planning, including identification of suitable national partners and options for co-funding. The latter element will strengthen the concept and chances of success significantly and demonstrate national ownership.
• Climate Resilient WASH stand-alone concept note extracted from the deliverables above

 

3. Description of Assignment

The key results mentioned above are translated below in a detailed table:

Description of the tasks, key deliverables and timeline is presented in the table below:

Task

Deliverable

Tentative Timeline

1. Develop and submit workplan

Work plan

Within 3 weeks of taking up the assignment

1. Draft Theory of Change (TOC) as basis for consultation, literature review, etc. and final TOC as annex

TOC visualization & description

Draft May 31st, 2022

 

Final: November 30th, 2022

1. Develop concept and fill in GCF concept note template including climate rationale, results framework in line with GCF investment criteria

Concept note (GCF template)

 

Draft for review: September 30th, 2022

 

Final: November 30th, 2022

1. Extract stand-alone climate resilient WASH concept note for UNICEF’ bi-lateral use with other potential donors.

Concept note

Draft for review: January 15th, 2023

 

Final: February 15th, 2023

1. Identify potential national partners

List

July 31st, 2022

1. Identify options for co-funding

List

July 31st, 2022

1. Preparation of the required annexes

Annexes in line with GCF requirements

 

Drafts for review: by October 15th, 2022

 

Final: November 30th, 2022

1. Economic cost-benefit analysis

1. financial overview

1. report of Environmental and Social Standards Assessment

1. Draft gender action plan

1. Maps

1. Facilitation of necessary consultations and the generation of ownership and buy-in by the National Designated Authority (NDA) in the Ministry of Finance, including identification of suitable national partners and options for co-funding

Adequate number of consultations and meetings and documentation and facilitation materials with inputs from participants (national, community, division) to satisfy GCF concept requirements

Endorsement in the form of an email from the Government of Bangladesh preferably the Nationally Designated Authority to the GCF

By November 1st 2022

1. Facilitation of workshop with the NDA in support of WASH in the updated GCF country programme and the NAP

Consultation documentation and facilitation materials

In line with NDA preference and GCF update timeline, but before December 2022

1. Technical support in addressing comments from the GCF

 

By March 31st, 2023

1. TORs for additional studies needed that are beyond the scope of the assignment

TORs

By March 31st, 2023

 

1. Deliverables

 

• Preparation of GCF concept note including climate rationale, results framework in line with GCF investment criteria by November 30th, 2022
• Preparation of the required annexes (economic cost-benefit analysis, financial overview, report of Environmental and Social Standards Assessment, draft gender action plan, maps) by November 30th, 2022
• Facilitation of necessary consultations and the generation of ownership and buy-in by the National Designated Authority (NDA) in the Ministry of Finance, including identification of suitable national partners and options for co-funding by November 1st, 2022
• Climate Resilient WASH stand-alone concept note extracted from the deliverables above by February 15th, 2023
• Technical support to follow-up on comments by March 31st, 2023

 

5. Reporting requirements

 

The deliverables should be shared via email in word, power point (e.g., for maps, visualization of TOC) or excel (e.g. budget). The deliverables will follow GCF requirements and templates.

 

• Progress Reporting in monthly meetings with UNICEF with short presentation
• Workshop reports and documentation to be submitted within 2 weeks of the event
• Meeting minutes if important stakeholder meetings within 5 days

 

6. Payment Schedule

• 30% of total fee upon submission of the workplan
• 30% of total fee upon completion of the consultations
• 30% of total fee upon submission of the draft concept note and annexes
• 10% of total fee on submission and approval of final concept note and annexes by UNICEF

 

7. Qualification requirement of the company/institution/organization

 

• The organization should have active experience in providing the services for at least 5 years
• The organization should be accredited with the GCF and demonstrate successful acquisition of climate finance projects by the GCF
• The organization should have expertise in nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation, thus offering synergistic comprehensive solutions to ecosystems, watershed management in addition to WASH services. If the proposal is successful, the organization should be in a position to co-lead with UNICEF the implementation of this comprehensive approach. 

 

7a. Qualification requirement of the team (optional)

 

Will be included in the technical and financial proposal by the target organisation which is an accredited entity by Green Climate Fund