BACKGROUND
Founded in 1933, The International Rescue Committee serves refugees and communities victimized by oppression and violent conflict worldwide. The International Rescue Committee is committed to freedom, human dignity and self-reliance. This commitment is expressed in emergency relief, protection of human rights, post conflict programming, resettlement assistance and advocacy.
“Improving Food Security through Market-Based Interventions in Eastern Equatoria State of Southern Sudan” is an IRC project financed by Sida that improves food security by engaging with business and farner groups to ensure their access to quality productive resources, simultaneously stimulating rural markets and access to capital by initiating Village Savings and Loans Associations in targeted communities.
Recognizing that rural livelihoods are connected to the state of their environment and the existence of natural resources, an integral component in the IRC/Sida project will be an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be conducted in accord with Sida Guidelines for the Review of Environmental Impact Assessments in Sustainable Development,
The overall objective of carrying out the EIA is to ensure that environmental perspectives are well considered as we move towards a more long-term sustainable programme.
The specific objectives of the IRC-South Sudan EIA are to provide:
• An in-depth analysis of the environmental impacts (positive and negative, direct and indirect) of the project, including associated social and economic consequences. • In particular analyse potential project impacts on: o Humans (with special attention paid to women, children, and other vulnerable groups) o Flora and fauna o Land, water, air, climate, and landscape o Material assets and cultural heritage o The interaction between the above factors • An impact analysis of different alternatives, including the zero alternative, and alternatives within the project itself made in order to strengthen the project’s contribution to environmentally sustainable development and to avoid, as far as possible, any negative environmental impacts. • Baselines values for environmental indicators that will be monitored throughout the project • Measures developed to optimise the project’s contribution to sustainable development and minimize damage. The impact of these measures must also be assessed. • A monitoring and evaluation plan, including indicators to help assess whether a project contributes to sustainable development. SCOPE OF WORK
The consultant will be responsible for designing/adapting data gathering tools to suit the context as necessary. The consultant will review the already existing documentation/data and conduct field work to fill in specific information. The consultant will consult with IRC’s Economic Development Technical Unit in NY/UK and IRCs programming leadership in Juba, South Sudan, to solidify findings and recommendations.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
In consultation with IRC’s Technical Units in New York and London and the Livelihoods Coordinator in Torit, South Sudan:
• Review IRC programme documents identifying any potential environmental hazards for further study. • Use Sida Guidelines for the Review of Environmental Impact Assessments, in particular the checklists for Agriculture and Industry to structure questions and analyse programme activities • Visits smallholders involved in the project in Eastern Equatoria: involving stakeholders in a collaborative process of identifying and avoiding potential environmental hazards caused by project activities • Meet with and discuss potential environmental impacts of the project with other stakeholders, including Ministry of Environment, and local government representatives as well as civil society groups and any NGOs working on environmental issues in the target area
• Assemble, review, and analyse all South Sudan environmental laws or draft laws which pertain to project implementation and verify that all programme activities are in line with regulations • Develop measures to avoid or minimise damage and to optimise the project’s contribution to sustainable development. DELIVERABLES
Final Baseline EIA Report which should include:
• A non-technical summary • A description of the present situation, including administrative frameworks, laws, policies and any international conventions that affect the project in question. • A description of the project, its goals, design and scope, as well as a description of the surrounding area(s) that can be affected by the project (baseline study). • A set of environmental indicators with baseline values and, when applicable, target aims for the indicators. If applicable, threshold values, with respect to ecosystem tolerance, will be used in the construction of these baseline values • A discussion of environmental impacts with regard to baseline values against which project implementation is compared • Recommendations on mitigation measures to potential environmental impacts • A monitoring and reporting calendar with: o Institutional division of responsibilities o Schedule of when and how often monitoring shall take place o Reporting arrangements for regulatory authorities, Sida, and the implementing party • Methods and sources used, including participatory methods
***All EIA Report components will be written to conform with standards set out in the “Guidelines for the Dialogue on Strategic Environmental Assessment” (SEA), “Indicators for Environmental Monitoring in International Development Cooperation” (SEA), and any other environmental guidance Sida programme officers deem appropriate.
The consultancy is expected to last for a period of three weeks, approximately two weeks of which will be spent in South Sudan consulting with field staff and interviewing local actors in order to collect the relevant data. The consultant’s final report shall be submitted at the end of the three week period.
REQUIREMENTS
Consultant should be an environmental/EIA expert, with extensive knowledge of the East Africa environment and natural resource sector
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