Assessment to develop debt for nature and climate swaps and other innovative instruments to finance forest landscape restoration and conservation in the SICA region

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), on behalf of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) invites qualified interested firms to submit Expression of Interest (EOI) to participate in the upcoming solicitation for the Assessment to develop debt for nature and climate swaps and other innovative instruments to finance forest landscape restoration and conservation in the Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA) region. The assessment regions will include the countries of Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.The study will be part of the preparatory studies for the development of a full Green Climate Fund programme proposal titled “Regional financing solutions for adaptation and mitigation in the Great Forests of Central America and the Dominican Republic”. The Central America Great Forests Program aims to create a transformative shift in forest conservation and climate resilience across Central America and the Dominican Republic. By aligning and strengthening institutional and regulatory frameworks and accelerating innovative financing through coordinated investments in conservation, restoration, and nature-positive businesses, the Programme seeks to enhance the resilience and adaptive capacity of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs), reduce CO2 emissions and protect tropical forest biodiversity. The objectives of this asssignment are: 1. To conduct a comprehensive assessment study of the feasibility and potential of innovative debt financing mechanisms, including debt for nature and climate swaps, and other innovative financing instruments such as forest bonds and nature performance bonds and carbon and biodiversity credits in the eight countries SICA region. The instruments identified will support the financing of forest ecosystem conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of existing protected areas (PAs) and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) to achieve adaptation, mitigation and biodiversity conservation national and regional goals. 2. To develop detailed actionable roadmaps for the design and implementation of relevant financing instruments tailored to the unique macroeconomic and environmental contexts in each of the eight target countries based on the findings from the assessment study (objective 1). Some of the expected outputs are: 1. Assessment study of debt for nature and climate swaps and other innovative financing instruments in the eight countries SICA region. This should include records of all stakeholders’ consultations. 2. One meeting to present the assessment findings per country (8 in total) and one regional level presentation to gather stakeholder feedback and validate deliverables. 3. Detailed roadmap for designing and implementing debt for nature and climate swaps in countries where the assessment indicates debt for climate and nature swaps are viable and as per stakeholder consultations. 4. Detailed roadmap for designing and implementing other innovative financing instruments relevant to the context of each country, as per the assessment findings and stakeholder consultations. 6. Letters of interest and cofinancing from specialized partners identified. Nature and geographical coverage of the assignment The assignment is regional, multidisciplinary, and highly specialized, focusing on the assessment and development of innovative financing mechanisms to support forest landscape restoration, conservation, climate adaptation, and biodiversity objectives across the SICA region, comprising Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. The work will require expertise in climate and biodiversity finance, sovereign debt analysis, debt-for-nature and climate swaps, innovative financing instruments, carbon and biodiversity credit markets, fiscal and debt management frameworks, environmental economics, stakeholder consultation, and public policy analysis. The assignment will also involve engagement with key national stakeholders, including ministries responsible for finance, environment and planning, central banks, regional institutions, financial entities, development partners, and other relevant stakeholders across all eight participating countries Firms may express interest individually or in association with other entities where complementary expertise and regional presence would strengthen the delivery of the assignment. The regional coverage, consultation requirements and ability to use complementary expertise are supported by the underlying TOR, which anticipates meaningful consultations in all eight countries and permits entities to submit proposals individually or in consortium. The complete details of the requirement, including the Terms of Reference, qualification requirements, evaluation criteria and applicable contractual provisions, will be provided in the solicitation documents issued for the subsequent tender process. Specific Requirements/Information IMPORTANT: This EOI does not constitute an invitation to submit a tender or proposal. Its purpose is to identify firms interested in participating in the planned solicitation process. UNON will consider the outcome of this EOI as part of its sourcing process for the subsequent solicitation. Submission of an Expression of Interest does not constitute prequalification, does not create any entitlement to participate in the subsequent solicitation, and does not constitute any commitment by the United Nations to issue a solicitation or award a contract. UNON reserves the right to modify or cancel the requirement at any time during the EOI and/or subsequent solicitation process.