Call for Consultant to evaluate the Carbon Footprint of Welthungerhilfe (WHH) project

Organization Background:

Welthungerhilfe (WHH) is a private, non-profit-making, politically independent and non-denominational organization that supports people living in deprivation and poverty, irrespective of the color of their skin, their religious beliefs or their worldview. WHH is working in the fields of development cooperation and humanitarian aid, relief aid, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. In Lebanon, WHH implement projects through local implementing partners where agriculture, livelihoods, food security and social stability are the main working fields.

The overall objective of this mission:

Is to measure the carbon footprint (Greenhouse gas emissions CO2 equivalent (tCO2eq) of the BMZ-funded project “Strengthening the resilience and coping capacities of vulnerable rural population in North and East Lebanon” (LBN 1005) and to compare the carbon footprint related costs with the produced benefits of the project as well as to develop recommendations to further reduce carbon footprint.

Background:

WHH is implementing a 42 months BMZ-funded value chains projects in Baalback Hermel, North and Akkar governorates. The implementation is happening through partner organizations. It consists of different project components: farmers support (training, coaching, in kind support), MSME and start up support (training, coaching, in kind support), support to cooperatives (Training, Coaching, in kind support including construction works), support to Purchasing & Selling Committees (training, in kind support), Networking events, Cash for work (construction, maintenance and cleaning of irrigation channels, agricultural roads, etc.), Cash for wok for women (cleaning irrigation canals, reforestation initiatives) and social stability activities (trainings, roundtables, community initiatives).

Under WHH’s country strategy (2024-2026), one of the strategic shifts is to start working to achieve net-positive environmental impact on specific elements of selected value chains and agricultural activities through supported interventions. To do so, WHH will start a pilot project of assessing/tracking current environmental and climate impact of the activities of the above-mentioned project (LBN 1005) starting with assessing greenhouse gas emissions as a first step.

Scope of work:

WHH seeks to analyse emissions on three levels, depending on how much influence/control the organisation/community has on the sources:

• scope 1: direct emissions, for activities directly implemented by the project partners;
• scope 2: indirect emissions, derived from the use of electricity, heat and cooling;
• scope 3: other indirect emissions, from downstream and upstream along the supply and retail chain (anecdotal analysis and qualitative recommendations).

Methodology:

In order to utilize the results of the analysis beyond the project scope, the consultancy should use the following tools for data collection and data processing:

• Humanitarian Carbon Calculator (HCC)
• WHH internal GHG emission tool

For all interested applicants there will be an info session to present the respective tools mentioned above. The info session will take place on Friday 5 April at 2 pm Beirut time. A link will be shared with all qualified applicants.

Building on the data collection and processing with the quantitative tools, the consultancy should focus on developing recommendations for further reducing the carbon footprint of the project. This part should include a qualitative analysis of the positive impact of the project activities that can’t be captured by the quantitative tools.

The methodology to be adopted should be developed based on many existing and internationally recognized ones (EIB, world bank, AFD, etc.). The technical offer should include outlining the process for how to select the appropriate methodology.  

Tasks:

• Literature review of the different methodologies used to do the assessment with a focus on approaches to measure the positive impact of project interventions (carbon avoidance and removal)
• Selection of the most suitable one for assessing the positive impact and validation with WHH team
• Introduction and familiarization with WHH internal tool and HCC
• Review of the project proposal and reports
• Meeting with WHH partners (LOST, RMF, JPII, Hadatha)
• Field visits to project sites
• Meeting with project team and a sample of project beneficiaries
• Co-develop Data collection tool for projects for subsequent emission calculation with HCC and WHH internal tool
• Data Analysis
• Drafting recommendations on what should be done in order to decrease the CO₂ emissions and increase the project benefits at this level.
• Presentation of the methodology and main results internally to WHH and to the UN Working groups

Profile:

• One or two master students who are interested in selecting such a case as a subject for their thesis.
• They should have a mentor (a professor from the university). The professor will be accountable to deliver a valuable report in accordance with the ToR.
• Contract will be signed will the professor along with the student(s).

Required competencies:

• Professor + 2 students in relevant degree (environmental sciences, environmental health, sustainability, etc.)
• Experience in collecting and processing data and conducting studies
• Must be computer literate.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Arabic

Payment terms:

• 20% at the contract signature
• 20% upon the clearance of the inception report
• 10% upon the submission of the literature review and the methodology
• 30% upon the submission of the final draft report
• 20% upon the clearance of the final report

The breakdown of the budget for the different components of the consultancy (transportation, communication, stationary, fees etc.) as well as the different people working on the consultancy has to be outlined clearly in the financial offer.

Timeframe:

5 months (starting end-March 2024 till end-August 2024)

Focal Point:

WHH Area Manager and WHH LBN 1005 project implementation expert as well as WHH Climate Resilience Advisor and WHH Sustainability expert.