The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature
Integrated Ecosystem Management in the Jordan Rift Valley Project
Climate Change and Biodiversity Adaptation Expert
Terms of Reference
Assignment title: Climate change adaptation expert
Assignment duration: 30 working days over three months
Line of reporting: IEM JO Project Director
Duty station: Amman with frequent field visits.
Date of effectiveness: June 15th 2011
Background
The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in partnership with a wide spectrum of national
and local agencies from government and non-government sectors are implementing this pioneering
project based on the Integrated Ecosystem Management Approach as a new national model for
Biodiversity Conservation as it links to Sustainable Community-Based Development. The project will
last for six years starting from July 2007.
The overall objective of the project is “To apply the principles of integrated ecosystem management
to the existing land use master plan of the Jordan Rift Valley and establish a network of well
managed protected areas that meets local ecological, social and economic needs”.
The five strategic results and outcomes anticipated under the project are:
1) Consultative planning and management procedures involving all relevant stakeholders, and
based on IEM principles, successfully introduced to the Rift Valley to support the conservation of
key biodiversity sites.
2) A network of 4 Protected Areas (PAs) and 7 Special Conservation Areas (SCAs) in the JRV legally
established and operating as models of IEM principles to support biodiversity conservation.
3) Elements for ‘climate proofing’ biodiversity conservation within PAs and SCAs introduced into
the conservation planning and implementation stages of the project.
4) Sustainable financing mechanisms for PAs strengthened through increased capitalization of $2
million for an endowment fund, and adoption of economically viable, nature-based livelihood
options by local communities in PAs and SCAs.
5) Project managed successfully, and development objective achieved through an effective
monitoring program.
One of the main components of the project (component three) is designed to address the impact of
climate change on biodiversity. This pilot exercise at the national level is based on the fact that there
is very high confidence that climate change is already affecting living systems. The responses of both
fauna and flora span an array of ecosystems and organizational hierarchies, from the species to the
community levels. Recent scientific research on global meta-analyses revealed significant range
shifts averaging 6.1 km per decade toward the poles (or meters upward), and significant mean
advancement of spring events by 2.3 days per decade.
As part of the project intervention, RSCN is developing its capacity in the field of assessing climate
change impacts on biodiversity and it has the institutional interest and commitment to establish an
institutional program tackling this very strategic topic starting with a piloting exercise undertaken
within the framework of the IEM JO Project.
As part of the IEM JO project, RSCN has assigned a fulltime climate change officer with the aim to
establish the climate change and biodiversity conservation program to ultimately move into a
climate change and biodiversity unit integral to its institutional structure.
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RSCN had also recruited an international climate change expert, Prof. Sandy Harrison, who,
supported by the climate change officer, have recently finalized the preparation of the first set of
national baseline reports on climate change and its impact on biodiversity. The three reports
addressed climate change impacts on net primary productivity of major plant functional types, fire
risk and runoff change, as well as change in the abundance for some flora indicator species in
protected areas and special conservation areas.
In follow up to the development of the reports above, RSCN is seeking to recruit an international
expert with the main responsibility to deploy the results of the baselines research undertaken by the
project so far to develop a set of climate change centred adaptation strategies and guidelines to be
adopted by RSCN and other key national institutions and stakeholders.
Principal Responsibility
The Climate Change and biodiversity adaptation expert will work closely with the national climate
change officer of RSCN and will report to the project director.
The Principal task of the climate change and biodiversity adaptation expert is to lead the process of
the development of the climate change centred biodiversity conservation strategies, build national
capacity approaches to their development, facilitate their national adoption and incorporation into
RSCN’s and other national authorities planning processes, policies, strategies and monitoring
systems.
Technical Tasks of the Assignment
The consultant will perform the following tasks:
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Review all project and national related reports on climate change and biodiversity including the
recent baseline reports prepared by IEM JO project.
Develop a set of scenarios and options for possible climate change centred biodiversity
conservation and adaptation strategies and guidelines using available knowledge and data.
Devise a climate change and biodiversity strategy for RSCN.
Guide and support the development and execution of a set of pilot initiatives addressing
adaptation to climate change and biodiversity; including-for example-:
o Small scale watershed management.
o Afforestation and reforestation.
o Land protection measures (e.g. grazing exclosures).
o Biodiversity offsets programs and carbon footprint assessment.
Build the capacity of RSCN staff and relevant stakeholders on the climate change adaptation as
related to biodiversity conservation.
Develop a monitoring program to as the basis for the assessment of the climate change program
at RSCN.
Deliverables of the assignment
The expert is expected to deliver the following products:
- An inception report for the assignment explaining the adopted approach, methodology,
implementation process, workplan and team structure.
- A synthesis report on the possible models/options/scenarios for the development of a
climate change centered biodiversity conservation adaptation strategy.
- A climate change strategy for RSCN including – inter alia- technical and institutional aspects.
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A technical report on the design of the climate change adaptation pilot projects including
criteria for selection, objectives, expected outputs, activities, estimated budget and
implementation modality for each of the selected initiatives.
A set of tested knowledge tools and materials to be used for national capacity building.
A climate change program monitoring system to be utilized by RSCN.
Qualifications
The consultant is required to have the best of the following qualifications:
- A postgraduate degree or equivalent in climate change management, environmental
engineering and/or management or any compatible discipline.
- A minimum of ten-year experience in the field of climate change adaptation, ecosystem
management.
- Established knowledge in climate change and biodiversity related adaptation strategies and
guidelines.
- Strong knowledge of Jordan ecology, geography and environmental issues.
- Excellent technical reporting and writing skills in English and Arabic.
- Excellent training, facilitation and communication skills.
- Arabic fluency is a plus.
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