Call for Expressions of Interest: Consultancy on Forest resource assessment for the ECOWAS Region

Post Title:                                                         Comprehensive assessment of forest and associated resources in the ECOWAS region

Type of Contract:                                              International Consultant

Duration:                                                           120 working days     

Duty Station:                                                     Home based/ Occasional travels in the region            

Expected Start date:                                         As soon as available

Submit Applications to:                                    wacca@ecreee.org

A. Background:

The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) is a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The overall objective of ECREEE is to contribute to the sustainable economic, social and environmental development of West Africa by improving access to modern, reliable and affordable energy services, energy security and reducing energy related GHG emissions and climate change impacts. The specific objective of ECREEE is to create favourable framework conditions and enabling environment for renewable energy and energy efficiency markets by supporting activities directed at mitigating existing barriers.

In the ECOWAS region, around 80% of the population still uses traditional biomass for cooking, often in an unsustainable manner on inefficient stoves. Cooking fuel expenses keep on rising and the unsustainable wood fuel supply chains cause environmental degradation and deforestation, particularly in areas close to urban centres.

Against this background, there is a general agreement that these challenges related to cooking energy should not continue to prevail in the 21^st century and successful initiatives in the region should be replicated and promoted. Achieving wide distribution of clean, safe, efficient and affordable cooking fuels and equipment requires that a myriad of technical, economic, social and institutional barriers overcome.

However, no single stakeholder in the woodfuel supply and demand sectors has the capability to transform the field on his own. A concerted and coordinated regional approach among all the key stakeholders in the ECOWAS region is necessary to create a robust and sustainable supply of fuelwoods.

In order to address the numerous challenges around the supply of biomass cooking energy, the REDD+ activities within the WACCA initiative will explore all possible ways to support universal access to sustainable and more efficient cooking energy in the ECOWAS region; working on stoves, sustainable biomass fuels (such as woodfuel extracted under comprehensive forest management plans, charcoal produced with improved techniques, (char)-briquettes/pellets of crop residues or other biomass, biogas and bioethanol) and other modern fuels. The aim is to guarantee sustainable woodfuel production and distribution in the ECOWAS region.

These regional interventions would help develop the forum and framework for sustainable woodfuel production, promotion of clean cookstoves and fuels in West Africa, and could catalyse the sector across the region in an effective and efficient manner. Areas where such regional interventions would be useful include:

• Access to finance (for both the supply and demand side);
• Regional standards, common testing procedures and quality control;
• Regional awareness raising and promotion;
• Regional information and knowledge sharing;
• Regional woodfuel market regularisation and management;
• Regional projects to fill major research gaps; and
• Regional M&E system.

B. Objectives of the assignment:

The overall objective of the assignment is to contribute to providing access to sustainable, efficient and affordable biomass cooking energy in the entire ECOWAS region. In line with the objectives of ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies to ensure that the entire ECOWAS population shall have access to clean, safe, efficient and affordable and sustainable cooking energy by 2030.

The specific objective is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the forests and associated resources in the ECOWAS region by providing up to date data/information on biomass energy resources for both the supply and demand sides.

Language of work: The contractor must have a capacity to work in English or French. However, the final draft documents should be submitted in English, French and Portuguese.

Download the Terms of Reference below for more detailed background information and how to apply.