Background

Oxfam is a global movement of people, working together to end the injustice of poverty. With its international confederation of 21 affiliates, working with partners and allies, and reaching millions of people around the world we tackle the inequality that keeps people poor and address injustice that jeopardizes the future of people and the planet.

Oxfam has made a commitment to support initiatives towards mobilizing people and constituencies aiming to transform the economy and preserve the planet. Oxfam upholds a key principle in its work to support people in developing countries and upcoming economies who are disproportionally affected and traditionally excluded from policy and decision-making processes. 

“Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world, despite efforts to reduce the risks. People and ecosystems least able to cope are being hardest hit. Weather extremes are occurring simultaneously, causing cascading impacts that are increasingly difficult to manage. They have exposed millions of people to acute food and water insecurity, especially in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, on Small Islands and in the Arctic. Action is required to adapt to climate change, at the same time as making rapid, deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. So far, progress on adaptation is uneven and there are increasing gaps between action taken and what is needed to deal with the increasing risks.  These gaps are largest among lower-income populations.”

Furthermore, Research by Oxfam shows that from 1990 to 2015, the richest 10% of the world were responsible for 52% of global carbon emissions. In contrast, the poorest half of the world emitted only 7%. Tragically, it is also well-documented that poor countries are hit the hardest by climate change.

Governments around the world have made commitments in the Paris Climate Agreement (2015) to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees; and to take necessary action to support communities and businesses adapt to the (expected) changes in the climate. Countries have formulated and committed to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement: these represent the national level responses to the climate change challenge.

This presents a unique opportunity for the most affected communities to get public financial support to respond to climate change and improve livelihoods. Meanwhile we are witnessing lack of actual public finance, both from developed and developing countries, both in terms of quantity and quality. The estimated need for climate finance is multiple times larger than current efforts reflect. Not only are rich countries failing to meet the USD 100 billion commitment of the UNFCCC (OECD, 2021a), but global financial flows are also failing to adequately support low emission pathways which are consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and support vulnerable communities adapt to the effects of climate change. Consequently, climate finance – both grants and loans – is urgently needed.

Regrettably, rich countries are not delivering on the $100 billion per year commitment. Contributor countries estimate that they reached a level of nearly $80bn in 2019 – by their own accounts. In Oxfam’s analysis, this $80bn is based on a gross overestimation of climate relevance of provided funds; and lumping together grants, loans and private investments. The high share of loans also means that climate finance is adding to recipient countries’ excessive debt burdens and jeopardizing future public investments in public services (health, education, etc), while the most needed climate adaptation funding is remains at only 34% in 2020 and 25% in 2019 of the overall climate funding. The governments of both high-income and low-income countries have committed to support communities in low-income countries to adapt to climate change, and transition to low carbon economies. There is an emerging consensus that the formulation of climate plans, especially for adaptation, should not only be country-driven but also locally led, in an inclusive and gender sensitive processes.

While the high-income countries are not living up to the commitment, there is also lack of transparency and accountability of national and local budget and policy processes that is widening gap between policy makers and people. NDCs in practice are written in exclusionary and technical approaches, resulting in NDCs that do not really represent the needs of vulnerable communities. Communities that usually do not have capacity to participate in planning processes or monitor budgets and ensure that their needs are met, are marginalized from those processes. 

Within its ten-year strategy (Manifesto) Oxfam Novib (ONL) aims to address the interrelated global injustices of extreme poverty, inequality, the impact of climate change, and the denying of people’s rights and civic freedoms to make that systemic change happen. Striving to fundamentally change the policies and behaviors of political and economic actors that keep these injustices in place, we work towards more inclusive (EQUAL), secure (SAFE), equitable (FAIR) and sustainable (GREEN) world.  This assignment will further support Oxfam Novib’s climate strategy and current and future work on climate finance by strengthening partners, allies and Oxfam’s capacity on consolidating existing approaches and methodologies towards citizens-led effort for social and fiscal accountability in climate finance. Oxfam Novib also helps to build participatory processes and encourages citizen engagement on national climate plans e.g., Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The study – scope and purpose

The purpose of the consultancy is to undertake a scoping study to inform Oxfam and partners’ national climate finance work in Uganda, towards ensuring meaningful and informed participation of citizens in social and financial accountability of climate finance with the focus  at both national and local levels.

The scoping study will help inform partners and Oxfam’s current and future climate finance programming and advocacy in following countries: Uganda, Nigeria and Vietnam. This scoping study has two objectives assignment:

  1. Develop a national report to inform national climate budget monitoring and advocacy work, including an overview of the current state of play in Uganda and the most promising examples/tools to hold governments to account for just and transparent spending of national and international climate finance;
  2. Develop a synthesis report that includes analysis, commonalities and lessons learned from the Uganda national reports that can be used by civil society at the country level to inform their monitoring and advocacy work on governments’ climate action planning, budgeting and spending.

The  national level studies will provide answers to the following questions:  

What is the role of international climate finance in financing climate adaptation and mitigation in the country?  

  1. What is the quantity of climate financing received by the country, covering the years 2015-2020 (since the Paris Agreement in 2015)    
  2. What is the financial instrument breakdown of finances (grants, loans..) received by the country?
  3. Are the finances aligned with the country’s climate ambitions and needs?
  4. Who are domestic counterparts to the contributors’ community (line Ministries, government agencies, national private sector actors, etc)?
  5. What kind of bilateral or multilateral agreements, frameworks, or other mechanisms and forms of cooperation have been put in place to organize the inflow of funds from international contributors to the country?
  6. What are the conditions/requirements for receiving the financing (e.g. in terms of the purpose of the funds, process of allocating/spending, civic participation, oversight, etc)?

National climate finance state of play? What is the current state of play regarding climate action planning and budgeting in the targeted countries? 

  1. Is there a comprehensive (multiyear?) plan or program on the national level that brings together all the necessary investments in climate adaptation and mitigation?
  2. Are these plans based on previous research showcasing the scope of the climate finance necessary for local adaptation and mitigation plans?
  3. Are there policies and laws to support in the implementation of the climate justice agenda at national and sub-national levels? Has the government established a system for tracking/tagging received/domestic climate finance?
  4. What is the role of local authorities in defining climate action plans and setting (budget) priorities? What is the degree of devolution/decentralization in relation to climate finance decision-making and implementation?   
  5. What is the extent of domestic resources for climate action?  How are the domestic climate adaptation and mitigation programs resourced? (What type of tax revenue, loans, user fees, etc)  
  6. Which sectors are receiving climate finance, and are they enough to meet the country’s NDCs ambitions?
  7. Are there any local or national level mechanisms/requirements for citizens and civil society to participate in planning and budgeting for climate adaptation and mitigation actions? Are there any mechanisms for influencing and monitoring expenditure?
  8. How can civil society access information with regard to financial accountability of climate funds, disbursement and implementation?
  9. What are the most relevant local and national spaces where the voices of citizens and civil society can influence climate finance policies and contribute to discussions in the international arena (UNFCCC and related regional discussions)?
  10. To what extent do current climate actions and budgets reflect achieving gender equality?  Are there any requirements for achieving gender equality?  

What are existing and new approaches and tools that can be used to support citizens-led local and national climate budget monitoring and advocacy work?

  1. What are the positive examples of citizens’ engagement in inclusion of citizens in the formulation of climate spending?  
  2. Examples of tools and approaches used by local civil society to hold local governments, national government, contributors and private sector to account for inclusive and transparent spending of climate finance;  
  3. Examples of comparable budget monitoring tools and approaches (follow the money initiatives) that can be used and/or adjusted to monitor and hold to account stakeholders responsible for channeling and spending climate finance resources?   
  4. Examples of recent budget advocacy successes (who, what was done, what changed, why successful?) What are the challenges and pitfalls of current tools and approaches?  

Opportunities for influencing climate finance flows / new methodology  

  1. What are key (existing) transparency and accountability approaches and methodologies that can support advocacy regarding climate programming, budget and tracking of climate related expenditures on the national level and sub-national level (where applicable);
  2. What are key opportunities to influence public institutions and stakeholders;  
  3. What are key opportunities to influence private sector stakeholders (especially, financial sector) and bilateral agencies, IFIs/development banks?     
  4. What are key opportunities that could stimulate greater local climate finance for local governments and communities?
  5. What are opportunities for Oxfam supporting (technical, financial, joint research, public campaigning) the most promising national climate finance approaches/initiatives, including supporting existing partners and climate CSO networks in undertaking climate finance monitoring and advocacy?

Proposed methodology  

Oxfam Novib in Uganda is looking for one lead National  Consultant  to conduct this study as per the Terms of reference.

The study will be piloted in Uganda, aiming to apply and test the research questions and the methodology for undertaking the quantitative and qualitative analysis. These experiences will be summarized and presented to Oxfam's The Hague-based team and Oxfam field office in Uganda. This will form the basis for starting the country studies in other countries    

The consultant is expected to propose a methodology for conducting the scoping study. The methodology will at the minimum include a desk and literature review of relevant national climate finance documents and resources.

An early buy-in and consistent engagement from national stakeholders should be a priority in the study, as these actors are expected to take the activities forward after this scoping study. Consequently, the local research NGO/consultants will carry out consultations with Oxfam field office teams and partners; interviews and/or focus group discussions with country activists and experts, local NGO networks, and to the extent possible, government officials and representatives of contributor's community in Uganda and other key informants as relevant. 

The focal point at Oxfam Novib will provide the consultant with relevant track record materials of Oxfam’s climate justice and fiscal justice work, including publications and learning documents, and publications of other organizations in this field, including CARE, WRI, and IIED.  

Management of the Study   

The selected consultant/s shall work closely with the Oxfam in Uganda team i.e. Coordinator Climate Change and Coordinator Finance for Development. At the global level an international team leader will lead the Study by overseeing and detailing the study methodology and by coordinating the production of the synthesis report. The team leader will maintain the contact with OxfamNovib HQ and the Oxfam Uganda. .

Deliverables and timeline  

The consultant will develop the synthesis report that Oxfam country teams, partners and national climate CSO networks can use to inform current and future climate finance work at the national and subnational level.

The selected consultants will be responsible for the following:

  • Gathering data on the quantity and characteristics of climate funding and with the focus on national level climate finance discussion and processes;
  • working in close collaboration with Oxfam field offices organize regular consultations with CSO partners and climate networks in each country;  

Reviewing the data, analysis and findings from the nfieldSupport developing  of thenational scoping report for Uganda (based on experience by Oxfam (FAIR and Climate Justice work) as well as others (WRI, CARE, IIED), share with focal points in Oxfam Novib and selected country teams

This consultancy is expected to begin in February 2023, with the first scoping draft report (Uganda) ready on the 31st of March 2023.

This assignment is expected to require 30 working days  for both data collection and report writing.

Consultant's profile

We are interested to hear from individuals and teams that meet following criteria:

  • Relevant academic, practical or professional experience in climate (adaptation and mitigation) action planning, ideally around greater citizens and community involvement in policy making and budget monitoring;
  • Insights in decentralization and local governments
  • Demonstrated experience in conducting broader national budget expenditure analyses;
  • Demonstrated experience in conducting  tax policy analyses;
  • In-depth knowledge of social accountability mechanism and especially budget monitoring and tracking approached, methodologies and tools;
  • Demonstrated experiences with climate adaptation-resilience and climate finance in collaboration with national CSOs and climate networks in developing countries. 
  • Demonstrated understanding of international climate finance mechanism, UNFCCC biennial reporting, OECD database and other issues;
  • Demonstrated ability to extract, analyze, organize and present large amounts of information into easy to understand and practical format.
  • Proven experiences in tracking financial flows in Uganda.

How to apply

Potential Applicants should submit  their narrative and financial proposals to ugandalogistics@oxfam.org not later than 08th February 2023.