Provision of technical assistance to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in quality assurance of Rio markers and input to the annual reporting on climate, biodiversity, desertification and environment finance
Background and context
Since 1998, the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) has monitored aid targeting the objectives of the Rio Conventions through the so-called “Rio markers”. Every aid activity reported to the CRS should be screened and marked as either (i) targeting the Conventions as a “principal objective” or (ii) a “significant objective”, or (iii) not targeting the objective. In recent years, guidance and eligibility criteria for all the Rio markers have been revised and updated based on experience. In addition to the Rio markers, OECD DAC CRS reporting system also has a marker for “support to environment” that when combined with the Rio-markers provide a general overview of aid in support of environmental goals or “green” development assistance.
Since 2019, the Rio marker approach has been complemented by a more granular approach for tracking climate and environment related finance to developing countries that applies to multi-project programmes, contributions to funds, calls for proposals, framework agreements with civil society organizations and other support that may result in multiple projects.
All the Rio Conventions have obligations for national reporting, including reporting on provision of financial support to developing countries. The Danish reporting to the Rio Conventions on financial support is to a large extent based on the Rio-marked data of the OECD DAC CRS reporting. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is contributing to the Danish national reporting to the UNFCCC and CBD on issues related to support to developing countries, including financial support. The MFA has the direct responsibility for the national reporting to UNCCD. The next report to UNFCCC will follow the new reporting guidelines for the Enhanced Transparency Framework that was agreed as part of the Paris Agreement and operationalized at COP24 in Katowice. These new reporting guidelines require that Denmark also reports on private climate finance mobilized. The reporting to the EU under the Governance Regulation generally follow the same guidelines as the Enhanced Transparency Framework. Further, the national level reporting also requires that the imputed shares of climate finance provided and mobilized through the MDBs is included in the reporting. In the future, these reporting requirements may evolve further.
Purpose
The overall purpose of the assignment is provide external quality assurance of the tracking and reporting of Danish climate and environment support and finance provided and mobilised to developing countries in the financial years 2023-2024, and to assist the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in strengthening its tracking and reporting systems and provide input to the annual reporting on climate, biodiversity, desertification and environment finance.
Objective and scope work
To provide external quality assurance of the Rio-markers and the environment marker assigned to the 2023 and 2024 commitments to be reported to OECD DAC CRS and make recommendations for possible corrections before final submission to DAC.
To assist MFA in implementing the system for more granular tracking and reporting of support to climate and environment action in developing countries provided through framework agreements with civils society organisations or other multi-project facilities such as CISU and FFU.
To assist MFA in implementing the system for more granular tracking and reporting of support to climate and environment action in developing countries provided through multi-component country or thematic programmes.
To assist MFA in refining and implementing the system for tracking and reporting of mobilized private finance through bilateral sources based on the methodology established in the OECD climate finance reports.
To assist MFA in establishing and implementing a system for estimating and reporting the imputed shares of climate finance provided and mobilized by the MDBs that can be attributed to Denmark for period 2015 to 2024.
To assist MFA in drafting the Danish input to annual national GR report to EU in 2024 (with 2023 data) and 2025 (with 2024 data) on climate relevant financing in accordance with relevant reporting guidelines and formats.
To assist MFA in drafting the Danish input to the first Biannual Enhanced Transparency Report by 31 December 2024 at the latest.
To compile the results of all the above tasks in an annual overview report of Danish “green” development finance, including support targeting the three Rio conventions and in support of environment.
Timing
The assignment will start 15 April 2024 and will end by 15 April 2026.
Estimated budget
The total budget cannot exceed DKK 750,000 net of VAT.
Interested Consultants can request to get the instructions prepared for applicants by e-mail to the contact person stated below
Contact person: Jens Fugl
Contact:
• E-mail: [email protected], CC: [email protected]; [email protected] (Please note: applications not send with the indicated CC recipients will not be taken into consideration)
• Phone: +45 33920154
Criteria for selection: The three applicants with references best suited for the assignment will be invited to submit a proposal.