Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Expert with a focus on Biodiversity (Costa Rica)

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Established to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus, UNEP keeps the global environment under review and brings emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LACO), located in Panama City, Panama, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and integrates its activities into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). UNEP's Economy Division aims to encourage decision-makers in government, local authorities, and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies, and practices that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, ensure efficient use of natural resources, and contribute to mutually supportive trade and environmental policies. In 2022, UNEP was nominated as the Delivery Partner for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness Proposal in Costa Rica, focusing on aligning financial flows with climate change goals. The first edition of Costa Rica's Sustainable Finance Taxonomy (TFS-CR) was published in August 2024, developed through a collaborative effort involving over 300 representatives from more than 180 organizations, with a focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives. The second edition of TFS-CR prioritizes the environmental objective of conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services, with UNEP leading the technical coordination for its development.

Job Overview:
The Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Expert with a focus on Biodiversity is primarily responsible for defining the technical foundation for the development of the objective of conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of the second edition of Costa Rica’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy. This role is crucial for ensuring that the project’s objectives are fully implemented and effectively contribute to the overarching goals. The expert will identify and prioritize the most relevant economic sectors, activities, and measures that significantly contribute to the biodiversity objective within the taxonomy. This includes using industrial codes to classify these sectors and activities, identifying relevant standards and indicators that support the definition of substantial contribution criteria, and proposing updates to the existing governance structure to incorporate additional stakeholders and create new Sectoral Technical Working Groups. The expert will also conduct in-depth assessments of the national context regarding biodiversity, ensuring that the methodology applied is aligned with the Common Framework of Sustainable Finance Taxonomies for Latin America and the Caribbean for Biodiversity.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will perform a series of key activities under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer on Sustainable Finance for the LAC region. These activities include:

• Developing an inception report and detailed work plan for the Technical Report, establishing a roadmap for the consultancy.
• Conducting an initial exploratory analysis of reference materials related to Costa Rica’s Sustainable Finance Taxonomy and biodiversity frameworks.
• Reviewing biodiversity frameworks and conducting a national context analysis to identify and prioritize relevant economic sectors and activities.
• Conducting interviews with national stakeholders to gather qualitative and quantitative data for the development of deliverables.
• Identifying and prioritizing economic sectors, activities, and measures that contribute to the biodiversity objective, including exclusions for activities that contradict conservation goals.
• Supporting the definition of substantial contribution and Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) criteria, identifying relevant standards and norms.
• Developing complete Technical Reports that will serve as a foundation for the second edition of the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy of Costa Rica, including governance recommendations and technical annexes with all collected information.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Bachelor’s degree in economics, finance, administration, public policy, political science, international relations, engineering, science, or closely related fields, along with a Master’s degree in the same or a related area. A minimum of five years of professional experience in sustainability analysis, biodiversity analysis, or sustainable finance is required, with two years specifically in sustainable finance within the Latin America and Caribbean region being desirable. Additionally, one year of relevant experience in analyzing sustainability policies with a focus on biodiversity issues is preferred. Candidates should demonstrate experience in conducting diagnostics and technical analyses, interpreting various types of data to formulate strategic recommendations for public policies on sustainability, and managing biodiversity impact indicators in economic activities.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as economics, finance, administration, public policy, political science, international relations, engineering, or science. A Master’s degree in a related discipline is also required, ensuring that the candidate has a strong academic foundation to support their work in sustainable finance and biodiversity.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of professional experience in sustainability analysis, biodiversity analysis, or sustainable finance. Additionally, candidates should have at least two years of experience in sustainable finance, particularly working with strategic stakeholders in the Latin America and Caribbean region. One year of relevant experience in analyzing sustainability policies, especially those related to biodiversity, is also desirable. Demonstrated experience in conducting diagnostics and technical analyses, as well as managing biodiversity impact indicators, is preferred.

Languages:
Fluency in Spanish and English is required for this position, as effective communication with a variety of stakeholders, including public sector representatives, financial institutions, academia, and civil society, is essential for the role.

Additional Notes:
The position is home-based and expected to last for five months. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process, ensuring that applicants are not required to provide any financial information or pay any fees during the application, interview, or training stages.