Ecological restoration of ecosystems as a nature-based solution is central for improving degraded ecosystem’s health and the well-being of local communities by providing or upregulating nature contributions benefits for people. Scaling up these restoration actions to reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide is the challenge posed to the world by The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), aiming to end poverty, combat climate change and prevent species’ mass extinction.

The Post 2020 Biodiversity Framework – EU support Phase 1 has highlighted the importance of embracing an integrated approach to foster better choices in ecosystems’ restoration, and reflect it in the Post 2020 biodiversity framework to elevate its level of ambition (see publication: https://4post2020bd.net/resources/expertise-on-23-integrated-approach-better-choices-for-restoring-ecosystems/). The latest draft global biodiversity framework now provides in its target 2 that at least 20 per cent of degraded freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems are under restoration, ensuring connectivity among them and focusing on priority ecosystems.

Yet, there is not enough practical take-up of the multiple benefits delivered by ecosystems’ restoration for nature and people, including in terms of socio-economic development, human health and environmental impact as nature-based solutions contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation and biodiversity conservation. Efforts remain to be taken to ensure that the key conditions for the successful implementation of ecosystems restoration. Stronger and bolder stakeholders’ engagement for the spatial planning of restoration, from indigenous people and local communities (IPLCs) to national governments, local and subnational governments (SLNGs), international organizations, science, civil society, and the private sector. In particular, indigenous and local knowledge can be incorporated in the planning, execution, and monitoring of restoration activities, with IPLCs co-designing restoration activities affecting their territories, ensuring both their short-term direct benefits and long-term support of the maintenance of restored areas. SLNGs must also be involved in restoration planning process requires a multi-level governance mechanism for the monitoring of restoration plans outcomes. Tight vertical coordination across the different levels of governments is key not only to ensure that dedicated local financing mechanisms are developed but also to restore urban ecosystems and place green spaces at the heart of urban planning. Science and academia needs to be further mobilized for the development of scientifically-based scenarios for decision-makers.

The project will thus implement a strategy focused on bridging these gaps, showcasing best practices and solutions to ensure that ecosystems’ restoration reach its full potential as part of the global biodiversity framework implementation.

Expertise France is building a pool of experts with competences on all aspects of ecosystems’ restoration 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 development of large-scale ecosystems’ restoration targets, particularly as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystems’ Restoration;
• Assist in the strategic thinking process on biodiversity integration on ecosystems’ restoration;
• Prepare and organize multi-stakeholder dialogues, online training courses (MOOC) and other technical and policy meetings and webinars on ecosystems’ restoration;
• Develop and prepare technical and policy documents, and facilitates coordination among multiple projects and organizations on ecosystems’ restoration;
• 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 on this theme bringing 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 policy sectors stakeholders and business sectors networks 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 at all levels of policy, 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.