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Ecosystem specialist |
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| Procurement Process : | IC - Individual contractor |
| Office : | Timot Leste, RBAP - TIMOR LESTE |
| Deadline : | 28-Sep-14 | | Posted on : | 17-Sep-14 |
| Development Area : | CONSULTANTS  |
| Reference Number : | 18112 |
Documents :
Financial proposal form
P11
TOR
Confirmation of interest
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| Overview : The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, working in 177 countries and territories. In Timor-Leste, UNDP provides technical advice and assistance to build strong and capable public institutions at national and sub-national levels in justice, parliament, human rights, anti-corruption, police, economic development, environmental management and disaster risk management that bring development, peace and justice to the population and reach out to the poor and vulnerable sections of society.
In 2010, the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) published its Strategic Development Plan (SDP, 2011-2030), which sets out an agenda for the country’s plan of development action. The Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 commits Timor-Leste to developing a National Adaption Program of Action (NAPA) of national priorities that addresses climate change adaptation (CCA) and monitors the implementation of adaptation measures. The NAPA seeks to build community awareness, increase monitoring and risk forecasting, and support the adaptation of government policies and strategies to improve climate change resilience among vulnerable groups. The NAPA objectives are embedded within the SDP, thereby becoming integral with the Government’s vision for the future development of the country. One of the national development targets for 2020 is that “70% of National Adaptation Programmes of Action under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will have been implemented”. UNDP is assisting in the formulation and implementation of projects supporting NAPA priorities, as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Implementing Agency (IA) administering the Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF). A UNDP team is working to fulfil the NAPA commitments under a series of projects, including the strengthening of coastal community resilience through the introduction of nature-based approaches to coastal protection.
The coastal population of Timor Leste is particularly vulnerable to the threats of sea level rise and extreme events. Warming waters and changes in storm patterns that are already adding to the natural dynamism of the coastal zone are accelerating due to climate change. Approximately 40% of Timor Leste’s population lives in the coastal areas. This is comprised of almost 560,000 people residing in coastal and lowland areas with an elevation of up to 500m. They are not only susceptible to flash floods and landslides originating from the upstream hill areas, but are also likely to face increased incidents of sea surges and storms. These hazards have serious impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems, especially for mangroves, estuaries and coral reefs, which are already under stress because of coastal zone development and population growth. The coastal zone (and habitats) of Timor Leste, for example, are already subject to a high degree of human dependency and resource use. Increased storminess, wave swells, sea surges and sea level rise (SLR) will threaten the Timor Leste’s still fragile development gains. Coastal impacts are expected to range from: increased groundwater contamination by salt water intrusion; direct damage to physical infrastructure and disruptions in water supply services, road networks, buildings, port operations as a result of coastal submersion; damage and disruption to coastal power stations and transmission infrastructure through erosion, flooding and saltwater damage; flooding and destruction of coastal settlements; direct physical damage to forest and terrestrial ecosystems; reduced health, diversity and productivity of coastal and inshore marine ecosystems and species; loss or destruction of coastal vegetation, species and habitats; physical damage to coral reefs and mangroves by strong wave action; increased erosion of beaches, shorelines and coastal land, loss of breeding and nesting habitats; increased damage to and destruction of bridges, roads, roadsides, culverts, drainage structures and river embankments; increased risk of damage to offshore oil and gas infrastructure and disruption to operations; increased risk of accidents, spills, leaks and pollution resulting from flooding and wind damage to fuel storage facilities and other installations housing hazardous materials, through to; damage to schools, homes and community buildings such as churches and health clinics.
Mangroves occupy only a small area of Timor Leste when compared with neighbouring countries, such as Indonesia and Australia. This limited coverage of mangrove areas – is estimated to be declining at an approximate loss of 80 percent since 1940 (across Timor Leste), with 40 percent of this loss taking place in the 2000 – 2008 period alone . Mangrove felling for firewood and building material is high, and revenue from selling the wood provides income to a number of people with limited livelihoods or land. Clearing the coastline from the mangrove stands has resulted in greater exposure to sea surges, inundation, erosion and accretion processes. The limited expanse of mangroves makes their protection of particular value as their regeneration capacity is restricted to specific coastal locations. Although covering limited strips of coastal area and estuary, mangroves provide unique coastal protection function against rising sea levels as well as the storm surges by increasing overall sedimentation levels and by slowing the flow of water and reducing surface waves. Many people rely on mangroves for subsistence. They provide fish nurseries, foster juvenile fish (i.e. snapper, jack and barracuda species) and crustaceans; thereby fostering important sources of protein intake for coastal communities as well as livelihood sources, and the regeneration of fish supplies for commercial fishing. Similarly, loss of coastal wetlands disrupts the hydrology that supports mangrove systems, that also protects coastal areas from water inundation by slowing and filtrating flows. Moreover, coastal natural ponds, wetlands and marches act as important storm and flood water storage facilities. They also buffer seawater intrusion into the aquifers. Aquifers themselves protect against salt-water intrusion provided that water tables are kept at appropriate levels. Long-term resilience of coastal areas thereby demands comprehensive approaches that examine and address risk acceleration factors at a broader coastal landscape and catchment area. Improved watershed management upstream, reforestation and restoration of degraded lands will reduce excessive sediment loads to downstream coastal waterways, and areas that cause siltation of natural pond, mud-march and wetland systems, as well as in some places contributing to coastal accretion. Therefore, coherent plans for the restoration and protection of such natural systems within a broader landscape are essential for coastal resilience. Mangrove and wetland protection and restoration needs to be addressed from the National level through to community level and livelihood practices.
LDCF resources will be used by Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Environment and others, to work together in outlining coastal land use strategies and plans that are fully compatible with the restoration and protection of the natural systems that provide unique coastal protection services to economic assets and coastal populations. In addition to a groundwater salinity monitoring protocol, the design management of an artificial recharge scheme with accompanying monitoring procedures, will be developed. Small-scale micro-watershed and natural pond/wetland restoration measures with the engagement of local district/sub-district authorities and residing communities will be implemented. This will be done to test the “infrastructure offset for coastal habitats” scheme and work towards the restoration and protection of coastal habitats that deliver essential services guarding infrastructure and economic assets from the increasing storms and sea surges. Such instruments will follow the principles of ‘payment for ecosystem services’ (PES) and services to the fishing industry, food security, coral reef and tourism sectors, as well as devising an in-depth review of existing good practices worldwide that can be effectively customized to the country specific context, as well as contextual information from target areas in Timor Leste. |
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