The primary objective of this assignment is to develop a roadmap for the review and update of the adaptation policy ambitions of Eswatini's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), as well as the enhancement of the applied methodology used for the previous NDC through a Whole of Government and Whole of Society approach. The key adaptation sectors include Agriculture, Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Water, Health, and Infrastructure. The goal is to inform the development of an enhanced and ambitious NDC 3.0 for implementation beyond 2025. The Adaptation Consultancy will play a crucial role in this process by reviewing climate modelling and scenario studies conducted to develop a vulnerability and risk assessment to inform Eswatini’s adaptation needs. The work will also include evaluating relevant policy documents and plans to address adaptation issues, including incremental, multisectoral, and transformational adaptation actions. Key areas of focus will include the establishment of universal Early Warning Systems, contributions to the global goal on adaptation, alignment with national adaptation plans, and adaptation communications. The process will involve extensive stakeholder consultations and close collaboration with government experts across sectors to ensure the Government of Eswatini's ownership of the outcomes. This approach aims to secure the government’s commitment to effectively implementing the revised NDC.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Review the progress of the NDC 2.0 revised in 2021 and its implementation plan to assess achievements, challenges, gender mainstreaming, gaps, and areas needing strengthening for the NDC 3.0 updates- especially on climate change adaptation aspects.
• Work in coordination and collaboration with other national and international consultancies working on the various aspects of the NDC revision process.
• Review latest climate modelling and scenarios including those conducted under the NAP process to develop a risk and vulnerability assessment the country’s adaptation sectors including recommended adaptation actions.
• Review and evaluate national existing climate change policies and strategies addressing present adaptation needs and ongoing efforts, with consideration to the previous NDCs and the ongoing NAP and LT-LEDS processes.
• Conduct a high level evaluation of gender, social protection and human rights mainstreaming efforts and highlight areas requiring improvement, particularly concerning climate change adaptation aspects.
• Establish linkage between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to ensure that adaptation priorities are integrated across national policies, sector development plans through leading to policy coherence and more effective implementation of NDC 3.0.
• Document Eswatini’s climate change adaptation targets and implementation as best practices, lessons learnt and other useful knowledge materials useful for the country’s NDC navigator.
• Conduct and facilitate stakeholders’ consultations and validations in the NDC 3.0 especially on matters related to adaptation sectors and submit stakeholder consultation reports.
• Provide concrete recommendations for adaptation targets this include Agriculture, Water, Health, Infrastructure and Ecosystems and Biodiversity, these recommendations/targets have to enhance adaptive capacity, have co-mitigation benefits, strengthening resilience, and reducing vulnerability to climate change impacts.
• Conduct stakeholder review process to analyze how stakeholders were involved in the implementation of the previous NDC and identify capacity needs.
• Document lessons learnt from implementation of previous NDC.