| Introduction : Country: Lao PDR Description of the Assignment: Background UNDP Lao PDR: Guided by the global UNDP Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025) and UNDP Country Programme for Lao PDR (2022 – 2026), UNDP in Lao PDR works closely with the line Ministries, mass organizations, civil society, development partners, and the private sector at both national and sub-national levels in pursuit of the national socio-economic development priorities defined in Lao PDR’s five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UNDP’s work is strongly focused on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR in the design and implementation of national legislation and strategies across four broad Priority Pillars – (1) inclusive growth and reduced inequalities, (2) UXO clearance and risk education, (3) natural resources, climate change and disaster risk reduction, as well as (4) effective, responsive, and accountable governance. UNDP has a long history working in Lao PDR. UNDP’s comparative advantage has been its ability to work closely with a very broad range of government and local-level institutions at all levels. The new UNDP country programme is aligned with the 9th NSEDP and is anchored in UNDP’s long-term partnership with the Government of more than three decades. The new programme builds on the achievements of the previous CPD that saw the incorporation of the SDGs into the national planning architecture. It will aim to support Lao PDR to recover from the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue its transition from LDC status, with a particular emphasis on supporting inclusive growth and reducing inequality. Climate Promise II Project Description: As part of the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in 2019, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) pledged to support at least 100 countries to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of COP26. This pledge turned into UNDP’s Climate Promise, which is now the world’s largest offer of support to developing countries on NDC enhancement, supporting 120 countries and contributing to an increase of climate mitigation and adaptation ambition. This success has led to an overwhelming demand from countries to receive UNDP’s continued support in the implementation phase, turning the countries’ pledges into action. In response, at COP26, the UNDP Administrator launched the next chapter of the Climate Promise “From Pledge to Impact” with an overall objective to support at least 100 countries turning their pledges into action toward net-zero, climate-resilient and sustainable development pathways. Building on the results, experience, and momentum of the first phase, and as a major contribution to the NDC Partnership, the initiative aims to scale up support in three core areas. 1. Scale and Speed – Leverage the NDC as a gateway to deliver and track ambitious climate action across sectors and thematic areas to achieve the bold targets set forth in revised and enhanced NDCs. This includes strengthening policy, institutional, regulatory, and financial frameworks, creating incentives to attract private sector funding, linking to sectoral approaches and measures, employing innovative technology, business models, and skills enhancement. 2. Amplifying Ambition – Connecting strong and integrated NDCs to long-term net zero and climate-resilient pathways, and to the next NDC, in order to chart the path to climate neutrality. 3. Lasting Inclusivity: Key actors within society are systematically engaged and empowered to contribute to accelerating NDC implementation and long-term net-zero and climate-resilient development pathways. Under the Climate Promise II, Department of Climate Change (DCC), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) aims to develop a pilot voluntary carbon foot printing project that will facilitate the alignment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives with the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and national climate policies. The primary goal is to foster greater private sector engagement in carbon footprint accounting, thereby encouraging businesses to contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction efforts in the country.
Scope of Works The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical expertise and support in conducting a pilot carbon footprinting project tailored to the context of Lao PDR. The consultant will work closely with the Department of Climate Change and relevant stakeholders to develop methodologies, and guidebook for carbon footprint assessment, reporting, and management by private sector entities. The consultant will also establish a roadmap for developing over the years a mandatory carbon footprint framework for public and private entities. With the support of a national consultant, the engaged consultant will conduct the following tasks: Assessment of the current state of private sector entities in Lao PDR regarding their involvement in carbon footprint accounting and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives: · Conduct desk review of existing carbon footprinting practices and capacity in the private sector in Lao PDR, including methodologies, standards, and best practices; · Conduct an initial stakeholder analysis and mapping to identify entities currently engaged in carbon footprint accounting and potential private sector participants interested in joining the voluntary carbon footprint pilot project, including assessment of their capacity and readiness to engage in carbon footprint accounting and reduction activities; · Coordinate with development partners to understand their future plans on Carbon Taxation (UNEP, UNFCC) to see how the carbon footprinting framework can align with their projects; · Industry Analysis: - Conduct a rapid analysis of key industries in Lao PDR to understand their structure, operations, and carbon emission sources. - Identify the most significant contributors to carbon emissions within each industry sector and select the priority industry for this pilot project. · Regulatory and Policy Review: - Review existing national and international regulations, policies, and standards related to carbon footprint assessment and reporting - Identify any sector-specific regulations or guidelines relevant to key industries in Lao PDR. · Review the good practices in ASEAN on the development of a voluntary and mandatory carbon footprint system to be a benchmark for Lao PDR (including the legal pathway, incentives and methodological frameworks used); and · Identify gaps and opportunities in the carbon footprint system for Private Sector CSR Alignment in Lao PDR. Develop a guidebook (including tools such as common practical calculation and reporting tools) for simplified voluntary carbon footprint assessment and reporting, taking into account the specific characteristics of key industries in Lao PDR · Stakeholder Consultation: - Engage with stakeholders from key industries, including industry associations, businesses, government agencies, and civil society organizations to solicit input and feedback on the development of the carbon footprint framework to ensure relevance and alignment with industry needs. · Develop a guidebook and tools for simplified voluntary carbon footprint assessment and reporting. The guidebook and tools must result from an internationally recognized methodology and match the Lao context. It is not expected that the consultant creates a new methodology. The guidebook and tools (one easy-to-use calculator and one report template) must but simple and easy to use. It must rely on accessible key data of the targeted sectors. It aims to be educational and give a simplified assessment of the carbon footprint of a company. However, the guidebook and tool must be reliable enough to eventually provide key areas of improvement. It will reply to the following exigencies: o Context (international and local) o Why conducting a carbon footprint? o What is a carbon footprint ? o How to establish a carbon footprint? (key steps, methods) o Data Collection and Analysis: o Data requirements for carbon footprint assessment within each industry sector, considering approaches such as organizational, territorial, products (goods or services) and others. o Procedures /methodology for collecting, validating, and analyzing data to calculate carbon emissions accurately. o Metrics and Indicators: o Key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for measuring carbon emissions within the selected pilot industry sectors. o Benchmarks and targets to monitor progress and drive continuous improvement in carbon footprint reduction efforts. o Reporting Guidelines: o Develop guidelines and templates for standardized carbon footprint reporting within the selected pilot industry sectors. o Outline reporting requirements, formatting guidelines, and best practices for communicating carbon footprint data effectively. o What are the next steps? Note: a detailed table of contents needs to be submitted before commencing the guidebook related work. Pilot Testing and Refinement · Identify and collaborate with local partners (a group of companies) to pilot the carbon footprinting guidebook and tools to assess its effectiveness and usability. · Gather feedback from pilot participants and stakeholders to identify areas for improvement and refinement. · Establish a dissemination strategy (dissemination platform, promotional events, etx) Develop a roadmap for carbon footprint assessment and reporting in Laos · Establish a roadmap to develop a carbon footprint legal framework for private and public entities. The roadmap shall include (but not limited to): - Proposed legal framework or incentive - Proposed internationally recognized methodology - Timeline of the progressive implementation of the framework (by sector, size of entities, most polluting entities) - Organizational structure - Human resources and capacity-building needs for the government and private sectors - | 
