UNDP-RFP-2023-250, Developing Climate Action Plan for Karachi City

Pakistan presently faces serious development challenges due to the worsening state of the environment, increasing pressure on natural resources, and climate change. As per the German Watch Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan ranks 8th most vulnerable country to the impacts of climate change. The annual mean temperature has increased by 0.5°C, over the last five decades, with changes in the pattern of precipitation, an increase in glacial melting, rising sea levels, and high intensity of flash floods and droughts. The variability in climate and weather patterns has resulted in an increase in the intensity and frequency of disasters which is drastically undermining development in the country. Moreover, Pakistan’s economy remains highly vulnerable to likely future threats posed by climate change, and multi-sectoral and holistic mitigation measures are required to be accorded high priority to mitigate these threats. The Climate Promise initiative aims to improve the cooperation and resilience of local and regional stakeholders to the threats and risks posed by climate change. The project aims to support the Government of Pakistan and its partners in environmental sustainability and increased resilience to climate change at national and sub-national levels. The project will provide technical assistance to government counterparts for the effective implementation of Climate Change policies, Nationally Determined Contributions, and compliance with international conventions and will also contribute to enhancing the resilience of institutions and communities through implementation of various initiatives. The project will follow the portfolio logic to develop the strategy to ensure that the work in systemic, inclusive and yields sustainable long term results. This project is aligned to the priorities outlined in the national climate change policy, sustainable development goals, Vision 2025 Pillar IV: Energy, water and food security, Strategic Plan (2022-2025), and most importantly Country Programme Document for Pakistan 2023-2027.

About C40

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) is a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change. Acting both individually and collaboratively, C40 cities are having a meaningful global impact in reducing both greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate risks. C40 brings together a unique set of assets and creates a shared sense of purpose The Paris Agreement

In 2016, nations ratified a global agreement on climate change, the Paris Agreement, committing to ambitious efforts to keep global average temperature rise to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C. The Paris Agreement also commits to increasing the resilience of countries to the impacts of climate change.

Delivering on the objectives of the Paris Agreement will require all C40 cities to take transformational actions to reduce vehicular emissions, improve building energy efficiency, increase the supply of green energy, reduce waste, and change consumption patterns while strengthening the ability to deal with the impacts of climate change through adaptation. To be effective this transition will also need to be equitable.

All C40 cities have developed or are developing a climate action plan that addresses the need to reduce GHG emissions, adapt to the impacts of climate change and deliver wider social, environmental, and economic benefits. A climate action plan is a strategic document (or series of plans and documents) that demonstrates how a city will deliver on its commitment to address climate change. Climate action plans should be inclusive and consider wider social, environmental, and economic benefits associated with climate action (e.g., health, air quality, employment, equity) in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A climate action plan will:

 Develop a pathway to deliver an emissions-neutral city by 2050 at the latest and set an ambitious interim target for 2030.

 Demonstrate how the city will adapt and improve its resilience to the climate hazards that may impact the city now and, in the future, (based on climate change projections).

 Detail the wider social, environmental, and economic benefits expected from implementing the plan, and improve the equitable distribution of these benefits to the city’s population.

 Outline the city’s governance, powers, and the partners who need to be engaged to accelerate the delivery of the city’s mitigation targets and resilience goals.

A city will do this by:

 Considering adaptation and mitigation in an integrated way, identifying interdependencies to maximize efficiencies and minimize investment risk.

 Setting an evidence-based, inclusive, and deliverable plan for achieving transformational mitigation and adaptation, centered on an understanding of the city’s powers and wider context.

 Establishing a transparent process to monitor delivery, communicate progress, and update climate action planning in line with governance and reporting systems.

C. Scope of Work

UNDP is seeking consultancy services from firms/ consortiums to support the development of climate action plans for Karachi City that meet the essential requirements of the UNDP Strategic Plan, UNDP Country Programme Document and C40´s Climate Action Planning Framework. The process of CAP development needs to be participatory and involve engagement with relevant government officials and other stakeholders.

The CAP development process will involve working with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Department of Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development and other relevant stakeholders to develop:

 GHG inventories, with apportionment to determine the indicative contribution for Karachi City

 City-wide models for 2030/ 2050 scenarios with qualitatively different key strategies for Karachi City

 Climate Change Risk Assessments highlighting key risks and adaptation gaps for Karachi City

 Context-specific action identification/ definition, monitoring, and governance plan for KMC based on their challenges, priorities, and policy/ governance structures

 Separate CAP documents with sections highlighting nuances for Karachi City

The assignment will begin on 21st August 2023 and needs to be completed by 31st April 2024.

D. Deliverables

Deliverable A: Strategic Appraisal & Needs Assessment

The Strategic Climate Action Planning Appraisal is designed as a starting point for cities to determine the extent to which their current and/or planned climate targets, policies, plans, data, programmes, and actions are consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement and the C40´s Climate Action Planning Framework.

It involves the gathering and analysis of information that can inform the process of developing the climate action plan. It needs to recognize the work that has already been done and identify areas that need strengthening. This can be done through desk-based research; documentation review as well as interviews with key focal points using deep listening. The purpose is to assess the citys current situation against the C40´s Climate Action Planning Framework (CAPF) to identify potential gaps, strengths and opportunities that can support the climate action planning process and inform the work plan to develop the Climate Action Plan (CAP).

This initial activity will also include an Inclusive Climate Action (ICA) assessment. A needs assessment puts climate action in a city’s wider context, spanning everything the city government works on, from health and wellbeing to education and skills, social dynamics economic prosperity, and engagement with civil society. It allows the city to make informed decisions on the suitability and effectiveness of potential climate actions, to design those actions in a way that delivers widespread and equitable benefits, and to align them with the city’s wider priorities. It also informs decisions on who and how to engage.

Below is a summary of key activities, timeline, and outputs for this specific work: