Climate Finance Expert - SEED Programme

Programme Background

Sustainable Energy and Economic Development (SEED) is a £37.5 million programme funded by UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). It aims to support provincial economic development and sustainable energy in Pakistan. SEED will support the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to plan and finance the infrastructure and investment it needs for growth, jobs, and prosperity. The programme also seeks to address Pakistan’s energy crisis by providing innovative financial solutions for the adoption of sustainable energy practices. Within SEED, Adam Smith International (ASI) has been contracted to deliver the first component - Improved Economic and Urban Planning in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a budget of £15 million. The intended outcome of the programme will be public and private investments generating greater economic, social, and environmental returns.

Context

Climate change is a globally pressing issue, and Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to its impacts. The Global Climate Risk Index ranks the country as the 8th most affected by climate change, and 36th least prepared to cope with climatic shocks (ND Gain Country Index). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Pakistan’s third-largest province with an estimated 30.5 million people is especially susceptible to climate change. SEED has consistently attached the highest priority to addressing climate risks, which has now also become one of the major priorities of the Government of KP (GoKP). Climate interventions, therefore, form an integral part of SEED’s portfolio, which includes targeted activities specifically related to green finance and climate finance investments to directly address climate risks.

Currently, two of SEED’s projects involve carbon market transactions in the forestry and energy sectors.

Firstly, Pakhtunkhwa Energy and Development Organization (PEDO) has been developing hydro and solar power projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to enhance environmental sustainability and reduce carbon emissions. SEED is supporting a detailed climate assessment to evaluate the projects' environmental impact, regulatory compliance, financial viability, and opportunities in carbon markets and renewable energy certificates (I-REC).

Secondly, KP hosts over 40% of Pakistan’s forests, and the provincial government has invested heavily in tree plantations to combat climate change. However, significant carbon sequestration potential remains untapped due to limited government resources. SEED is working with the Climate Change, Forestry, Environment & Wildlife Department on a project that aims to address this by planning interventions in afforestation, reforestation, revegetation (ARR), avoiding unplanned deforestation and degradation (AUDD), and improved forest management (IFM) through a PPP model.

In addition to these projects, there are several other interventions within the programme portfolio that fall under green finance, for instance, solarisation of economic zones in KP and integrated tourism zones.

Assignment Objectives

The CF Expert will be responsible for overseeing SEED's carbon market transactions in the forestry and energy sectors and supporting other green finance initiatives within SEED’s portfolio. The Expert will ensure that projects comply with international standards (e.g., VCS, I-REC, etc.) while driving strategic advisory services to optimize environmental, social, and financial outcomes.

Scope of Work

The Consultant Will Undertake The Following Tasks

Oversee and Ensure Quality

• Oversee the design, implementation, and monitoring of SEED's carbon market transactions in line with international carbon standards (e.g., Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), and International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-REC)).
• Develop and implement a robust Quality Assurance (QA) framework to monitor and assess project performance, ensuring compliance with all relevant standards and programmatic goals.
• Conduct quarterly reviews and submit detailed reports on the quality and compliance of ongoing carbon market transactions.
• Ensure timely reporting of findings and recommend corrective actions where needed to meet compliance requirements.
  
  

Guide Climate Assessments and Reporting

• Evaluate each carbon market project, ensuring that methodologies, baselines, and projections are aligned with globally accepted standards.
• Review and validate project documentation (e.g., project design documents, monitoring reports) for accuracy, consistency, and adherence to timelines and program objectives.
• Facilitate the progression of projects through critical carbon market milestones such as validation, registration, and credit issuance.
• Ensure clear and consistent communication of project progress to stakeholders, including donors, governments, and partners.
  
  

Provide Strategic Advice on Carbon Market Transactions

• Offer strategic recommendations to improve financial, environmental, and social outcomes for SEED’s carbon market transactions.
• Identify potential risks, gaps, and areas for improvement in project design and transaction structuring.
• Support SEED in maximizing carbon credit generation while navigating evolving carbon market regulations and compliance frameworks.
  
  

Support and Advise on Green Finance Projects

• Provide advisory support for other green finance projects in SEED’s portfolio, including solarization and sustainable energy projects.
• Assist in aligning these projects with international green finance trends and standards, ensuring that project design and execution meet global best practices.
• Advise on risk mitigation strategies, financial structuring, and sustainability to improve the viability and impact of SEED’s green finance projects.
  
  

Deliverables

• D1.1: Review of SEED’s carbon market transaction related to Energy sector including QA of Delivery partner work, followed by an advisory note for SEED program – 4 days
• D1.2: Review of SEED’s carbon market transactions related to Forestry sector including QA of Delivery partner work, followed by an advisory note for SEED program – 4 days
• D2.0: Development and implementation of a Quality Assurance (QA) framework for SEED’s carbon market transactions. – NA
• D3.0: Quarterly review & other reports and advisory notes on performance of each transaction as required by SEED team– max cap of 6 days per quarter
  
  

Duration and Location

The assignment is expected to continue from the date of contract signing till March 2025. The total person-days available for the assignment are 6 for initial work and for 12 days for remaining quarter subject to projects’ progress and timelines.

Management/Reporting

The consultant(s) shall report to SEED Team Lead. The Team Lead will provide their formal sign-off on each of the outputs outlined above before payment can be disbursed against deliverables.

Social Inclusion Checklist

Values & Obligations

All members of the SEED team are expected to adhere to the following values and obligations:

• At all times working collaboratively and openly with other members of the SEED team, proactively providing guidance, advice and sharing experiences in order to solve problems, overcome challenges and manage risks together.
• Freely and openly sharing information gained from government counterparts, FCDO or other international projects with other members of the team.
• Respecting the confidentiality of the SEED team’s discussions, assessments, decisions and plans or agreements with FCDO; sharing information with external parties only when authorised to do so by the Team Leader or Deputy Team Leader.
• Adhering to decisions taken by the programme’s leadership and taking collective responsibility for implementing those decisions and communicating them to counterparts or other external parties.
• Ensuring they have an accurate understanding of policies and decisions made by FCDO that relate to SEED and respecting and adhering to those policies.
• Complying with the channels set out by ASI for all communications with FCDO through the SEED leadership structure.
• Careful coordination with other team members of communications and meetings with government counterparts to ensure coherence of technical advice and as efficient use of counterparts’ time as possible.
• Constant monitoring of risks to the delivery of SEED activities and achievement of objectives, as well as the reputation of SEED and FCDO, and swift referral of those risks to the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader.
• Consultants are obliged to look out for, and report human rights abuses known and rumoured to have taken place connected with or undertaken by our counterparts. In the event that consultants gain information about any such abuses they should report the matter in line with the procedure contained in the SEED Human Rights Assessment and Framework document.
• Professional coordination with other internationally funded programmes supporting SEED, including briefing those programmes when requested by the Team Leader or Deputy Team Leader.
• Contributing constructively to team meetings, development of workplans, risk assessment, progress reviews and report writing, as well as external evaluations by FCDO or its independent evaluation advisers.
• Complying with SEED’s media policy of referring all inquiries from the media to the Team Leader and Deputy Leader before responding in any way to those inquiries.
• Minuting all meetings with officials from FCDO and sharing those minutes with the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader at the earliest opportunity.
• Maximising the impact of the programme’s limited resources by ensuring expenditure on travel, accommodation or other costs is as efficient as possible.
• Complying with financial procedures designed to protect the financial integrity of the programme and notifying the Deputy Team Leader and Project Managers of any incidents that threaten that integrity.
• Complying with ASI’s Duty of Care and security procedures designed to ensure safety of personnel and notifying the Deputy Team Leader and Project Managers of any incidence that threaten the security of personnel or assets of the programme.
  
  

Compliance with Working Policies

• Consultant(s)/Subcontractor(s) shall observe the highest ethical standards during the performance of Services related to this assignment and must comply and apply business practices that follow the Adam Smith International’s Code of Conduct available at: https://www.adamsmithinternational.com/about-us/policies/code-of-conduct-2018/.
• Consultant(s)/Subcontractor(s) shall apply zero tolerance to terrorism or the financing of terrorism; bribery or corruption of any kind; human trafficking or modern slavery; safeguarding or child protection breaches, money laundering, fraud, or tax evasion; and discrimination. They shall use reasonable endeavours to give effect to any reasonable request from Adam Smith International to adjust working practices for this purpose or otherwise to promote positive social or environmental impact.
  
  

Satisfactory Performance

• Consultant(s) and subcontractors shall perform all obligations under the contract with necessary skill, diligence, efficiency, and economy to satisfy acceptable professional standards and in accordance with Good Industry Practice and payments are subject to the satisfaction of ASI in relation to the performance by the Consultant(s)/Subcontractors of obligations under this contract.
• If for any reason ASI is dissatisfied that the Consultant(s)/Subcontractor(s) is not or has not been carrying out their duties, obligations and responsibilities under this contract, an appropriate sum may be withheld from any payment otherwise due to the consultant(s)/subcontractor(s). In such event, ASI shall identify the element(s) of the Services with which it is dissatisfied together with the reasons for such dissatisfaction in coordination with the SEED technical team. Any payment by ASI to the contractor/subcontractor of the amount outstanding will be made upon remedy of any unsatisfactory work or resolution of outstanding queries.
• Should ASI determine after paying for a particular part of the Services that this has not been completed satisfactorily, ASI may recover, or withhold from further payments, an amount not exceeding that previously charged for that part of the Service until the unsatisfactory part of the service is remedied to its satisfaction.
  
  

,

Required Qualifications And Experience

• 10+ years of experience in climate finance, with a focus on carbon markets and related projects.
• Extensive expertise in designing, implementing, and monitoring large-scale climate finance projects, proven track record in managing carbon market transactions.
• Strong understanding of climate finance mechanisms, carbon markets, and environmental impact assessments. In-depth knowledge of relevant regulations, standards, and best practices in climate finance.
• Advanced degree in Climate Finance, Environmental Economics, Environmental Science, or related field preferred.
• Excellent project management skills, strategic advisory capabilities, and experience in report writing.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
  
  

Duration: Oct–Mar’25

Location: Peshawar/Remote