Individual Consultancy: Technical support to the Directorate of Policies for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change

Deadline for Applications

October 21, 2025

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type

CONS Local

Target Start Date

Terms of Reference

Position title: Technical support to the Directorate of Policies for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (MMA) in the systematization, structuring, and communication of the multilevel governance model, with an emphasis on adaptation, based on the ADAPTACIDADES initiative

Contract type: Individual Consultancy

Engagement type: Lump-sum

Duration and dates of the contract:
From: 01 September 2025 To: 01 February months)

Position Location (duty station): Brasília – DF

Purpose of project (summary):
Brazil's 2024 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) formally incorporates climate federalism, recognizing the essential role of states and municipalities in shaping and implementing national climate strategies. With COP30 hosted in Belém, the country aims to present its evolving multilevel governance model—rooted in the AdaptaCidades initiative—as a globally replicable framework for inclusive and science-based climate action. This model supports the COP30 Action Agenda, which spans over 30 interconnected themes and seeks to catalyze real solutions through collaboration among global actors. Brazil's Climate Solution Acceleration Plan will promote integrated adaptation strategies, connecting national policies with local planning tools and traditional knowledge to address climate risks and protect vulnerable populations.

To support this effort, the consultancy will provide specialized technical assistance to the Department of Policies for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (DPAR/MMA), helping to systematize, structure, and communicate the CHAMP Brazil model. This includes developing tools such as local adaptation plans, data platforms, and financing mechanisms, while ensuring alignment with national strategies and international commitments, including those related to human mobility and forced displacement. The consultancy will also contribute to Brazil's strategic positioning at COP30 by presenting the CHAMP model as an international benchmark, reinforcing climate justice, and showcasing the implementation of the 2024 NDC. Deliverables are expected ahead of key preparatory events like ClimateWeek New York, Pre-COP Brazil, and the Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro.

General Background of Project or Assignment, Operational Context:
Brazil formally incorporated its commitment to climate federalism into its 2024 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), reaffirming the role of states and municipalities in formulating and implementing national climate strategies. With COP30 in Belém, Pará, the Brazilian government has the opportunity to present the national multilevel governance model under construction to other countries, as an internationally replicable reference, focusing on the Action Agenda. As announced by the COP30 Presidency, this action agenda is designed to be a catalyst for implementation and inclusion, covering more than 30 interconnected themes and offering an opportunity for global actors to contribute to real climate solutions. Using the Brazilian AdaptaCidades initiative as a reference, the country intends to develop a plan to accelerate the solution, highlighting the need for integrated approaches between national adaptation strategies and municipal and regional planning instruments, based on science and traditional knowledge.

The Climate Solution Acceleration Plan, based on the multi-level governance model, aims to expand countries' efforts to develop and implement concrete tools, such as local adaptation plans, with climate risk assessments, data platforms, incentives for good practices, and access to financing. These tools are aligned with national multisectoral and collaborative adaptation strategies, with clear guidelines for the protection of vulnerable populations, including the issue of human mobility resulting from or aggravated by climate change. To this end, it must provide visibility to the model in key spaces, address coordination with strategic organizations and governments, and collect commitments to join similar initiatives, based on national circumstances. Therefore, most deliverables are expected to occur within the next three months, when the main national and international preparatory events will take place, such as ClimaWeek New York, Pre-COP Brazil, and the Local Leaders Forum (November, Rio de Janeiro).

To this end, Brazil will cooperate with UNHCR to align efforts related to the Global Adaptation Goal and the development of concrete actions within the adaptation agenda, proposing the institutionalization of multilevel governance as a strategic pillar for addressing the climate crisis. In this context, the National Secretariat for Climate Change (SMC), through the Department of Policies for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (DPAR), will count on specialized technical support from the consultant to structure and deliver the CHAMP Brazil model as the country's official contribution to COP30.

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations
To view occupational safety and health considerations for specific duty stations, please visit this link:

Purpose and Scope of Assignment:
The consultancy will provide technical support to the Directorate of Policies for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (MMA) in the systematization, structuring, and communication of the multilevel governance model, with an emphasis on adaptation, based on the ADAPTACIDADES initiative.

The consultancy will contribute to presenting the Brazilian model as an international benchmark during COP30, strengthening the CHAMP coalition and strategically positioning Brazil on the climate federalism agenda, with guidelines for promoting climate justice. The CHAMP Brazil Delivery will also serve as evidence of the implementation of the commitments made in the 2024 NDC, which incorporates for the first time the concept of climate federalism as a structuring axis of national climate action.

In particular, he/she will have the following responsibilities:

• Phase 1: Preparation and Engagement - September/October 2025
In this phase, the focus will be on technically structuring the model and preparing its national and international articulation. The consultancy will support the following activities:
a) Engagement with the OBJ11 Activation Group and mapping of leading initiatives and institutions that can support the nation-state accession process;
b) Development of the Solution Acceleration Plan, including human mobility and forced displacement considerations;
c) Development of the communication strategy;
d) Mobilization of strategic partnerships with national and international organizations;
e) Support for the participation of the National Secretariat for Climate Change in events relevant to the topic (e.g., Climate Week NY, Pre-COP Brazil, and the COP30 Local Leaders' Forum);
f) Gathering support to communicate concrete commitments at COP30.

• Phase 2: Launch and International Projection - October/December 2025
In this phase, the focus will be on officially presenting the model as a Brazilian contribution to CHAMP and promoting its international replication. Activities include:
g) Presentation of the solution that goes beyond diagnosis – delivering strategy, training, and action;
h) Contributing to the coordination of delivery with the Brazilian NDC and already formalized subnational commitments, based on input provided by the technical team;
i) Supporting the organization of arguments and evidence on the potential international replicability of the model, based on input provided by the technical team;
j) Opening the door to new countries/institutions joining.

• Timeline:
- September 2025
Product 1: International Engagement Strategy; Proposal for a roadmap to mobilize partner countries and institutions (e.g. ICLEI, C40, OTCA, CAF, ABM).
- September 2025: Participation in the OBJ11 Activation Group / Map strategic stakeholders and initial contributions.

Product 2: CHAMP Brazil Summary Document; Structure model based on AdaptaCidades (September 2025)

Product 3: International Technical Note
Diplomatic summary on the Brazilian model as a replicable solution.
- September 2025: Development of communication materials (Slides, factsheets, and institutional summaries for events)

Product 4: Roadmap and communication materials
Materials for use at the Pre-COP and the Local Leaders Forum.
- October 2025: Coordination with NDC commitments / Align CHAMP delivery with formalized subnational commitments.
- October 2025: Organization of replicability arguments / Collect and systemize inputs provided by partners to support international replicability.
- November 2025: Consolidations of deliverables for COP30 / Review and finalize materials and strategies to be presented (December 2025 -February 2026)

Product 5: Final consultancy report
Consolidated report with deliverables, lessons learned, and recommendations (February 2026)

Method of consultancy:
o The consultancy will be strategic and provide technical and institutional support, focusing on systematizing existing inputs, without requiring primary data collection or extensive report preparation.
o The work will be remote and flexible.
o The consultant will work with the MMA team and institutional partners in previously scheduled meetings.
o Participation in events will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Technical supervision of the consultancy will be carried out by the Department of Policies for Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (DPAR/MMA), and UNHCR Protection Officer.

Required qualifications, language(s) and work experience:

* Degree: Bachelor's degree in public policy, sustainability planning, or related fields.

* Minimum years of work experience

• Minimum of five (05) years of professional experience in activities related to climate change and justice, adaptation policies, climate-driven displacement, migration, refugees, and/or other relevant programmes.

• Field of expertise includes climate risk assessment, territorial planning, and the design and implementation of local adaptation strategies in alignment with national frameworks. The candidate demonstrates strong competencies in coordinating multi-stakeholder processes, supporting subnational governments through the full cycle of adaptation planning.

• Experience with climate-related displacement, integration of social vulnerability into risk mapping, and knowledge of tools and platforms such as AdaptaBrasil, MapBiomas, and climate services portals further strengthen the candidate's capacity to contribute to inclusive and evidence-based adaptation planning.

• Skilled in facilitating dialogue across sectors and levels of governance, the candidate is well-equipped to support multilevel coordination and cross-cutting initiatives on climate resilience and human mobility.

Desirable experience:

• Previous working experience with an international organization or UN system would be an advantage.

• Experience as Individual Consultant for UN Agencies will be considered an asset.

• Prior participation in COPs is preferred.

• We encourage people with experience in drafting, implementing and monitoring public policies, and writing regulations to apply.

* Language requirements:
- Required: English (C1/Advanced or above) and Portuguese (Fluent)
- Desirable: Spanish (B1/Intermediate or above)

Required skills:

• Experience in climate change-related projects.

• Ability to interact with multiple government and non-government stakeholders.

• Technical and institutional writing skills in Portuguese and English.

Monitoring and Progress Controls:
Monitoring of the consultancy will be carried out through bi-weekly coordination meetings and the submission of reports to UNHCR's Protection Unit in Brasilia, including a final executive report upon conclusion of the consultancy.

Each product and report are described in section 11 and will, in addition, summarize in a concise and objective manner:

a. Activities performed during the reporting period (monthly);
b. Meetings attended and decisions taken;
c. Engagement in external activities;
d. Documents and information materials drafted, revised or launched;
e. Any other relevant activity.Standard Job Description Required Languages Portuguese

,

English

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

Remote

No

---