Carbon Accounting - Climate Transparency - Data Science

Result of ServiceThe consultant will support in conducting an analysis of methodologies and a country inventory assessment of multiple countries. The consultant will support in developing an assessment of the main scientific vacuums and methodological difficulties faced by countries on meetings their reporting commitments to the UNFCCC. Additionally, while countries are required to compile national GHG inventories, third-party measurement initiatives (TPMIs) – including satellite observations, NGO-led platforms, and independent modelling tools – are increasingly complementing or challenging official data. This report will explore how TPMIs can strengthen the accuracy, completeness, and trust in national GHG inventories, not only through methodological comparison but by addressing structural, institutional, and governance issues that affect inventory quality and use. Work LocationRemote Expected durationFull-time Duties and ResponsibilitiesUN Environment Programme (Global Climate Action Unit) is the DRI of the Climate Science and Transparency Programme Coordination Project (CS&T PCP). CS&T aims at contributing to the long-term climate stability objectives of the MTS, through transparent reporting and enhanced global climate action. The program's objective is to strengthen UNEP's role in supporting high-quality, credible, open, and disaggregated climate and environmental data, information, statistics, and early warning, as well as scientific assessments and expertise while providing technical and financial support to countries in reporting under the UNFCCC to achieve the following outcome: State and non-state actors adopt the Enhanced Transparency Framework arrangements under the Paris Agreement. By engaging with various stakeholders, including national and local governments, international partners, and UN agencies, the program aims to overcome barriers to reporting, monitoring, and verifying/evaluating climate actions, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future. National greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories serve as the primary source of information for generating reports to the UNFCCC, including National Communications, Biennial Update Reports (BURs), and Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs). These data play a crucial role in providing international policy guidance for addressing climate change through the UNFCCC negotiation process and are also expected to inform national policy-making. However, the accuracy of GHG inventories remains a challenge due to methodological, procedural, and infrastructural complexities in data collection, measurement, processing, and storage, as well as financial constraints on investing in transparency. Advances in digital technology for data collection and processing have shown promising opportunities to improve accuracy and reduce costs in national and global transparency efforts. For example, remote sensing provides low-cost, accurate, and recurrent data on methane emissions, and AI can increasingly track transactions tagged with GHG data. Despite these advancements, national GHG accounting and reporting to the UNFCCC often operate separately from the latest digital data collection and processing initiatives. Recognizing this gap, UNEP's Climate Science and Transparency Programme has identified the need for a comparative analysis between national GHG inventories and data from third party systems such as Climate Trace, Global Forest Watch, EDGAR, and MARS. This comparative study aims to test existing systems' data and compare them with national GHG inventory data. If both datasets are sufficiently aligned, this would: a) provide third-party validation of national GHG inventories and their accuracy, and b) offer an additional reference point to further advance digital transparency solutions. If national reporting, GHG accounting, and digitally produced data do not align, UNEP, partner countries, and organizations will need to conduct further studies to investigate the reasons behind such discrepancies. Additionally, it’s strategic to go beyond data and methodological comparisons and focus on systemic, institutional, and technological enablers that can improve accuracy, access, and transparency. The extension of this Consultancy will address these issues by producing a technical report on “Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Accuracy, Access, and Transparency in National GHG Inventories and Third-Party Measurement Initiatives” Objective: The consultant will support S&T Programme management and in the assessment of challenges of UNFCCC parties in meeting their reporting obligations, including methodological difficulties and data processing issues of national GHG inventories and in the management and data integration national platforms. Output Expectations: • Comparative mapping of methodologies, emission factors, spatial/temporal resolution, and sectoral coverage. • Case studies illustrating areas of alignment or conflict between national inventories and TPMIs. • Matrix summarizing methodological consistencies and discrepancies across key subsectors • Summary of how discrepancies affect reporting under the Enhanced Transparency Framework. • Synthesis of stakeholder interviews and/or surveys across selected countries. • Inventory of legal and policy constraints limiting use of TPMIs (e.g., data sovereignty, liability, confidentiality). • Assessment of institutional readiness and capacity gaps. • Typology of operational barriers (e.g., lack of interoperability, differing QA/QC protocols). • Evaluation of TPMI initiatives with public-access platforms and open data policies. • Identification of successful models or pilots where TPMIs improved stakeholder engagement or trust. • Framework for assessing the credibility, replicability, and communicability of TPMI data. • Recommendations for public communication and visualization tools. • Options paper presenting governance models (e.g., advisory panels, third-party validation frameworks, MOUs). • Analysis of risks and safeguards (e.g., political misuse, data manipulation, privacy breaches). • Institutional mapping of roles/responsibilities between governments and TPMI actors. • Model data-sharing and verification protocols adaptable to national contexts. • Policy briefs with targeted recommendations for inventory agencies and relevant ministries. • Operational checklist for integrating TPMI data for the studied key subsectors (by scope, and confidence level). • Guidance notes for funders on supporting interoperable, inclusive, and transparent MRV systems. • Slide deck summarizing key findings and recommendations for presentation to national or international audiences. Performance indicators: • The effectiveness and management of the work. • Quality, reliability and pertinence of gathered information. • Usefulness and quality of the information and recommendations provided to the S&T PCP. • Speediness and quality of emails and communications with UNEP staff. The consultant will support the development of the technical report: • Conduct a global review of TPMIs relevant to national inventory development (e.g., Climate TRACE, Carbon Monitor, EDGAR, satellite-based GHG tracking). • Analyse selected country case studies where third-party data has supported, supplemented, or challenged national inventories. • Investigate institutional challenges to integrating TPMIs, including trust, political sensitivity, legal recognition, and capacity limitations. • Assess the potential of TPMIs to increase transparency and promote accountability in national and international reporting processes. • Propose options for institutional frameworks that promote cooperation between national inventory systems and third-party initiatives. • Examine the implications of such integration for countries’ Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) and participation in Article 6 carbon markets. International travel will be required for this consultancy. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced degree in the field of environmental engineering, data science, statistics, or similar is required. Proficiency in advanced data processing methods, knowledge of IPCC methodologies, and the UNFCCC tools and software. Strong experience in UNFCCC reporting, including development of national GHG inventories and NDC tracking is required. Knowledge of cutting-edge climate science, methodologies for carbon accounting, and reporting for mitigation, adaptation, and resilience strategies. Experience in data collection, analysis, and reporting, ensuring transparency and accuracy in climate-related information. LanguagesEnglish is the working language of the UN. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.