UNEP Finance Initiative

Result of Service

The ultimate objective of the services is to build net zero institutional capacity for the financial services sector in Latin America and the Caribbean and support banks and other financial institutions in the design and implementation of their climate mitigation journey. With that objective and as part of the global partnership between UNEP FI and GFANZ to accelerate the net zero transition of the financial system across regions, the consultant will work directly with the UNEP FI and GFANZ regional teams to conduct regional / country analysis of existing net zero capabilities to identify gaps and opportunities, scope and prioritise regional and country-specific net zero capacity-building needs, and plan and facilitate the delivery of net zero capacity-building activities by engaging and leveraging the capabilities of relevant UNEP FI, GFANZ and other strategic partners’ teams in line with the regional and country-specific capacity-building plan. The consultant will work closely with UNEP FI’s global Climate Team, Banking Team and Regional Coordinators as well as with GFANZ’s Regional Hub in the respective region and other strategic partners.




Work Location

Working remotely




Expected duration

12 months




Duties and Responsibilities

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. The overall objective of the UNEP’s Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities. The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) works with its network of more than 450 banks, insurers and investors to help shape the international sustainable finance agenda, setting global norms and contributing to changing the financial system. Through its work-streams and regional activities, peer learning, methodology development, training and research, UNEP FI promotes sustainable finance and helps the financial industry align with and contribute to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. UNEP FI supports the development and implementation of frameworks including the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), now committed to by more than 310 banks collectively holding USD 89 trillion in assets, representing almost half of global banking assets, and the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), established 2012 by UNEP FI and today applied by one-quarter of the world’s insurers (25% of world premium). The industry-led, UN-convened Net-Zero Banking Alliance brings together a global group of banks, currently representing over 40% of global banking assets, which are committed to aligning their lending and investment portfolios with net-zero emissions by 2050. Combining near-term action with accountability, this ambitious commitment sees signatory banks setting intermediate targets for 2030 or sooner using robust, science-based guidelines. NZBA is the flagship climate initiative under the Principles for Responsible Banking to accelerate science-based climate target setting and develop common practice. As the banking alliance within the global efforts on net zero across the finance industry brought together under GFANZ, the NZBA is open to all banks globally, including banks that are not UNEP FI members and Principles for Responsible Banking signatories. Similar UN-convened initiatives exist for insurers (Net-Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA)) and asset owners (Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA)) to which programs the consultant is also expected to contribute. Within its broader scope to accelerate the net zero transition of FIs across different regions, UNEP FI has committed to a global partnership with the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), the world’s largest pan-financial coalition for the transition of the global economy to net zero with a network of eight (8) independent net zero financial alliances (with more than 550 FIs across more than 50 countries) whose members have committed to support the transition to net zero by 2050 and help achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. UNEP FI and GFANZ have committed to work together through their respective regional networks to drive engagement with policymakers and FIs on the net zero transition of the financial system, advance the net zero finance agenda and build institutional capacity. UNEP FI needs a consultant who will work with both UNEP FI and GFANZ regional teams to scale up and further develop climate mitigation initiatives for commercial banks, insurers and asset owners in Latin America and the Caribbean. Objective: The consultant will conduct regional / country analysis of existing net zero capabilities to identify gaps and opportunities, scope and prioritise regional and country-specific net zero capacity-building needs, and plan and facilitate the delivery of net zero capacity-building activities by engaging and leveraging the capabilities of relevant UNEP FI, GFANZ and other strategic partners’ teams in line with the regional and country-specific capacity-building plan. The consultant will work closely with UNEP FI’s global Climate Team, Banking Team and Regional Coordinators as well as with GFANZ’s Regional Hub in the respective region and other strategic partners. Specific tasks and responsibilities: As part of the global partnership between UNEP FI and GFANZ to accelerate the net zero transition of the financial system across regions, the consultant will work directly with UNEP FI and GFANZ regional teams to perform the following tasks: * Drive bilateral and collective engagement with banks, insurers, and asset owners to raise awareness and build capacity across the climate mitigation journey, by engaging and leveraging existing capabilities of relevant UNEP FI, GFANZ and other strategic partners’ teams. * Conduct regional / country analysis of existing net zero capabilities to identify gaps and opportunities to advance institutional capacity across the different areas of financial decarbonisation. * Scope and prioritise net zero capacity-building needs in chosen region / jurisdictions. * Build net-zero capacity-building plan by considering UNEP FI’s, GFANZ’s and other strategic partners’ capabilities and resources. * Design and prepare regional / country-specific training materials. * Design and deliver capacity-building work in various forms to support FIs to advance their climate mitigation journey (all the way from impact analysis and climate risk management to Paris Alignment and transition planning). * Engage with relevant parties to deliver net-zero capacity-building activities for banks, insurers and asset owners in line with the plan to build institutional capacity across the stage of climate mitigation journey. * Deliver peer-to-peer learning activities on financial decarbonisation in line with the plan. * Drive 1-2-1 engagement with FIs on climate mitigation with support by global teams. * Organize and deliver events for the acceleration of financial sector decarbonization, by leveraging UNEP FI, GFANZ and other partner capabilities. * Map local stakeholders and engage them to create an enabling environment for banks’ climate journey, establish specific channels of collaboration towards the acceleration of banking (financial sector) decarbonization. * Conduct maturity analysis of emissions data capabilities and explore opportunities to advance those, including the possibility for NZDPU to be used in that respect. * Identify potential partners to support on gathering country specific data (e.g. GHG intensity factors and climate transition scenarios for specific sectors). * Prepare reporting materials: evaluations of strengths and weaknesses and insights for planning 2025 Outputs and Deliverables: * Regional / Country Analyses (as per the stages of the journey) * Regional Net Zero Capacity-Building Plan (as per the stages of the journey) * Country-Tailored Capacity-Building (as per the stages of the journey) workshops and other forms of capacity-building and technical assistance. * Country-Tailored Training Materials (as per the stages of the journey) * Country Emissions Data Gap Analysis & Proposed Approach The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of Head of UNEP FI, and report directly to UNEP-FI’s climate lead, regional leads and GFANZ Regional Director in the respective region; and aligned with the internal governance where workplans and activities are approved.




Qualifications/special skills

Education: An first level university degree in finance, banking, economic development, sustainable finance, climate finance, climate technologies, sustainable development, international relations, political sciences, or a related field. Professional Experience: At least a combined five (5) years of working experience with financial institutions in net zero, climate finance and/or in relevant capacity building/training work.




Languages

Languages: English is the working language of UNEP FI, while the consultant is also expected to work intensively in Spanish and/or Portuguese.




Additional Information

Skills & Knowledge: * Thorough knowledge of the climate mitigation agenda for the financial services sector, including emerging trends and best practices on net zero for commercial banks and financial institutions more broadly. * Deep understanding of climate mitigation concepts for the financial services sector including understanding of physical and transition risks for financial institutions, carbon accounting, climate commitment frameworks, international sustainable finance taxonomies, target-setting methodologies, climate scenarios, sectoral reduction trajectories and transition planning. * Familiarity with regional climate mitigation pathways, tools, frameworks, and resources available for financial institutions in the region. * Familiarity with UNEP FI’s and GFANZ’s climate mitigation initiatives, tools and frameworks including the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), the Net Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA) and GFANZ guidelines on Transition Planning for financial institutions. * Experience in developing and delivering technical support / training and capacity-building activities, ideally with banks or with other financial institutions. * Strong stakeholder management skills and ability to engage with a variety of stakeholders including NGOs, international and domestic organizations and authorities to foster partnerships. * Strong interpersonal and communications skills. * Experience in project planning and management. Desirable: Previous working experience in target region.




No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.