The Post 2020 Biodiversity Framework – EU support Phase 1 contributed to position landscape approaches as a strategic tool to strengthen biodiversity and raise the level of ambition of the Post 2020 biodiversity framework (see publication). The latest draft global biodiversity framework now foresees in its target number 1 that all land and sea areas globally are under integrated biodiversity-inclusive spatial planning, as a mean to reduce threats to biodiversity including land- and sea-use change, identified as the first driver of biodiversity loss. Its target number 8 also refers to ecosystem-based approaches to minimize the impact of climate change on biodiversity contributing to mitigation and adaptation. Its enabling condition 16 relatedly calls for the integration of relevant multilateral environmental agreements and other relevant international processes, at the global, regional and national levels. Integrated landscape and seascape approaches now stand as a vehicle for the implementation of the Rio Conventions and the Sustainable Development Goals and biodiversity, as a key element of climate change mitigation and adaptation, is gaining traction.

Yet, there is not enough practical take-up of biodiversity-positive or neutral nature-based solutions. The project will thus implement a strategy focused on the translation of existing tools in concrete solutions, in particular:

• Awareness and ownership on the role of nature-based solutions in nature-positive spatial planning, presenting best cases of biodiversity-inclusive nature-based solutions and how a nature-climate-development perspective feeds into sustainable landscape approaches;
• Facilitating science-based discussions on integrated policy and financial planning supported by spatial planning at the national and subnational level by promoting existing methods and tools for policy planning to implement the global biodiversity framework decisions.

Expertise France is building a pool of experts with competences on all aspects of nature-positive spatial planning that could be mobilized on this and other potential projects.

Post 2020 Biodiversity framework – EU support tasks

Within the context of the Post 2020 Biodiversity Framework-EU support project, experts could be solicited to deliver the following tasks (indicative list):

• Monitor and synthesize policy, legal and technical developments of other international fora/instruments on the integration of relevant multilateral environmental agreements and other relevant international processes, with a focus on the climate-biodiversity-development integration through nature-based solutions;
• Assist in the strategic thinking process on sustainable landscape approaches and nature-positive spatial planning;
• Prepare and organize multi-stakeholder dialogues, online training courses (MOOC) and other technical and policy meetings and webinars on biodiversity-inclusive nature-based solutions;
• Develop and prepare technical and policy documents, and facilitates coordination among multiple projects and organizations on nature-positive spatial planning;
• Design and conduct research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to support outputs’ development (toolboxes, studies, 4 pager publications, videos, infographics, etc.);
• Contribute to the technical assistance and capacity building activities organized with partner countries requests related to this theme with technical advices and solutions;
• Ensure the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within partner countries and other stakeholders, such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials, and on-line tools;
• Promote international cooperation, advocate best practices, promote increased policy dialogue and provide technical expertise at international/intergovernmental meetings;
• Gain exposure and access to relevant scientific and policy networks promoting nature-positive spatial planning and nature-based solutions to be leveraged by the project.

Other types of expert’s missions

More broadly within the context of other projects, the experts could be invited to participate in various missions all across the project’s development and implementation cycle as follow.

Mission type 1: support project development

In the phase of developing Expertise France’s service offer, the experts could be invited to (indicative list):

• analyze the project’s context and identify beneficiaries’ needs: participate in exploratory missions, collect information, review documentation, produce analytical reports and concept notes, propose partnerships;
• support the drafting of EF’s technical offers for tenders submissions (description of action narratives, etc.) taking into account the proposals and expectations of stakeholders:
  • identify objectives of the project, as well as relevant components and activities to address them;
  • develop tools to monitor and evaluate the project: theory of change, logical framework, including the identification of relevant indicators to measure the project’s impacts;
  • contribute to developing the project’s budget while ensuring coherence with the narrative offer and activities;
  • support in the identification of relevant experts for the implementation of activities.
• coordinate working sessions between EF and stakeholders;
• consolidate project documents involving all stakeholders.

Mission type 2: policy analysis and recommendations

During the implementation of a project by EF, the experts could be asked to (indicative list):

• conduct a diagnosis of national and regional policy frameworks: interviews with stakeholders, documentary review, field visits, production of analytical reports.
• frame recommendations and design activities to answer identified needs and assess the means for their implementation (assessment of needs in equipment, man-days, expert profiles, etc.).

Mission type 3: project activity implementation

During the implementation of a project by EF, the experts could be asked to (indicative list):

• implement activities (for example: design trainings, train trainers, facilitate working groups, conduct an assessment of the framework, etc.);
• prepare study visits: identify persons to meet, prepare an agenda, coordinate the study visit, collect on-site data and documentation;
• conduct or participate in project evaluations in order to: identify the project’s strengths and weaknesses, assess the relevance, efficiency, impact and sustainability of the project under EF’s evaluation standards, appreciate the quality of the activities and the partnerships, formulate strategic recommendations;
• as team leader:
  • manage and monitor the implementation of the global strategy and the project’s coherence;
  • coordinate dialogues with stakeholders (beneficiaries, partners, funders, etc.);
  • conduct the project’s monitoring and reporting, develop and update management tools (dashboards, indicator monitoring, etc.), identify risks and suggest corrective measures, produce monitoring reports, capitalize on project’s activities, coordinate and produce the project’s narrative reports;
  • Coordinate the project’s human resources (project team, coordination of expertise missions, etc.);
  • Coordinate the implementation of activities and ensure their conformity with the project’s objectives and timeline.

Expected results

Deliverables will be detailed in the terms of reference to be developed for each specific mission and project.