Terms of Reference (ToR) Consultant to write media-friendly narrative for joint Norwegian Red Cross / Red Crescent Climate Centre report on coastal climate risk and limits to adaptation

Background

As demonstrated by the IFRC report “Cost of Doing Nothing”, failure to limit global warming is expected to increase the number of people in need of humanitarian aid as a result of storms, droughts and floods to beyond 200 million annually – compared to an estimated 108 million today.

IPCC Assessment Report 5 and Special Report 1.5 describe and identify limits to adaptation - “points beyond which actors’ objectives are compromised by intolerable risks threatening key objectives such as good health or broad levels of well-being”. Some most-vulnerable communities are already facing these limits, as increasing climate shocks and stresses threaten the safety and resilience of people and settlements.

Many coastal communities are particularly vulnerable due to their exposure to sea-level rise, tropical storms, and environmental damage to critical ecosystems that sustain lives and livelihoods. The climate crisis in these regions are escalating dramatically before our eyes, with climate impacts on livelihoods, housing and ecosystems compounding to erode the sustainability of settlements and progressively closing off adaptation options.

There is an urgent need to take action to stop the climate crisis and support those who are already affected by it. Progress on emission reductions and climate finance efforts are, however, lagging behind what is needed to contain the growing climate crisis.

In this context and within the framework of the 2021-2023 cooperation agreement with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Red Cross (NorCross) seeks to hire a consultant to write media-friendly narrative for a joint Norwegian Red Cross (hereafter NorCross) and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre (hereafter RCCC) report on coastal climate risk and limits to adaptation. The report will support advocacy on the occasion of COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021.

Purpose, audience, and scope

NorCross and RCCC are collaborating with Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, researchers and journalists in Bangladesh, Mexico and Somalia and Somaliland to analyse the climate risks faced by people living in coastal areas and collect their stories of climate impacts and adaptation opportunities and limits, including those already visible in current extreme weather and climate change impacts.

The consultant is being sought to write the narrative of a report based on these analyses and collected stories. The working title (not yet confirmed) is “Coastal Climate Risk and Limits to Adaptation”.

The planned report will present the general climate risk characteristics coastal areas in the context of opportunities and limitations to adaptation, and illustrate these through regional case narratives based on analysis produced by the research partners of NorCross and RCCC. The regional case narratives will be paired with photo stories produced by the NorCross and RCCC journalist partners.

The report is intended to support and inform advocacy for (a) investment in adaptive actions with results at the local level, and (b) the to reduce emissions and avoid 2* C (or higher) warming scenarios.

“Coastal Climate Risk and Limits to Adaptation” is a media and advocacy report to be launched in global media, and aimed at an audience of policymakers, governments, donors, humanitarian partners.

The narrative of the report will:

1. Present the scale and gravity of climate risks faced in coastal regions now and in the near future, and the soft and hard limits faced by people and communities in three different coastal locations – one fragile least developed country (Somalia), one lower middle-income country (Bangladesh), and one middle-income country (Mexico).
2. Communicate the options and choices people living in coastal areas face in order to adapt and maintain healthy lives with dignity.
3. Call for countries to take significant and urgent action to meet their Paris Agreement commitments and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to avoid 2* Celsius or higher global warming scenarios.
4. Call for significant and urgent investment in climate change adaptation in coastal regions.
5. Be concise, centre affected people and their experiences, be pitched to a non-specialist audience, and be no more than 7,000 words in length.

Methodology and tasks

The consultant is expected to:

• Review the materials provided by NorCross and the RCCC, I.e. briefing package on coastal climate risks and limits to adaptation, the case studies produced on Somalia, Mexico and Bangladesh, the photo stories, and any other additional materials;
• Propose a report outline including:
  • Introductory section on present and future coastal climate risks, and the limits to adaption concept
  • Country sections based on the commissioned case studies and accompanied by the photo stories
  • Conclusion, including overarching take-aways and recommendations
• Adjust report outline based on NorCross and RCCC feedback
• Produce a first draft of the report narrative and recommendations on infographics
• Revise draft based on NorCross, RCCC, and other RCRC Partner feedback
• Review final draft with small virtual team from RCRC and make necessary adjustments/corrections

Deliverables and timeline

The following deliverables and timelines are expected from the Consultant.

a)           Report outline: short (1-2 page) outline of proposed structure with a goal of ensuring common understanding of task ahead – 22nd September 2021

b)          The first draft: A first draft of the narrative including a selection of short case studies, for review by IFRC and World Bank technical advisors – 30th September 2021

c)           Final draft: The consultant will share a revised draft of the narrative by 12th October 2021

d)          Final review: The Consultant will join a small virtual team of experts to review the final report and any accompany visualizations to ensure the accuracy of the narrative and integrity of the report, and provide corrected version by 15th September 2021

The reviewed report will go into production in late October 2021.

The fees will be paid upon invoice from the Consultant. 

• 20% payment will be delivered upon receipt of invoice and report outline.
• 80% payment will be delivered upon receipt and approval of the final report.

Quality and ethical standards

The author(s) should take all reasonable steps to ensure that the final product demonstrates respect and protect the rights and welfare of people and the communities of which they are members.

It is also expected that the consultant will respect the seven Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent: 1) humanity, 2) impartiality, 3) neutrality, 4) independence, 5) voluntary service, 6) unity, and 7) universality. Further information can be obtained about these principles at: www.ifrc.org/what/values/principles/index.asp

Qualifications

The competency requirements for the consultancy are:

• Have an advanced degree in journalism, climate science, earth sciences, or relevant social science.
• Previous experience of taking climate and/or environmental data and interpreting it for non-specialist audiences, particularly the media and the public. 
• Good communication and diplomacy skills.
• Excellent English writing skills.

Eligibility requirement

According to Norwegian tax law, NorCross can only enter consultancy contracts with companies registered as legal entities with their respective tax authorities.

Application procedure

The Consultant/agency should submit a technical proposal for how to carry out the assignment and the consultancy fee.

Proposals will be ranked according to how they fulfil the three following requirements:

• Qualifications, including curricula vitae and sample works (50%)
• Methodological approach (25%)
• Price (25%)

Interested candidates should submit their application materials by 15th  September 2021 to:

- Cathrine Tranberg Haarsaker [Senior Advisor Climate Analysis] cathrine.tranberg.harsaker@redcross.no

Application materials should include:

1. Technical proposal not exceeding five pages including a) proposed structure of the written narrative and b) detailed work plan and budget.
2. A confirmation of your status as an independent contractor or employee of consultancy firm or research institution (for contracting purposes)
3. Curricula Vitae (CV) for consultant, with the contact details of three professional referees
4. Financial proposal in USD itemizing estimated costs for services rendered (daily consultancy fees) and any other related supplies or services required for the consultancy
5. Sample work –

• At least one example of a report, book or other longform (more than 5000 words) piece of writing on humanitarian, development or climate change issue(s), written for consumption by the public and policymakers;
• At least one written work (free choice of genre) which demonstrates the consultant’s  familiarity with climate, disaster or environmental issues.

Application material are non-returnable, and we thank you in advance for understanding that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the next step in the application process.