Call for Research – Climate Justice: Bridging the Gaps Between Governments and Civil Society

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Call for Research

Climate Justice: Bridging the Gaps Between Governments and Civil Society

Background & Rationale

American Friends Services Committee (AFSC) was founded in 1917 during World War I. In accordance with their Quaker faith, AFSC promotes lasting peace with justice, as a practical expression of faith in action. It has been working in the Middle East region since 1948.

AFSC works with communities and partners worldwide to challenge unjust systems and promote lasting peace. In collaboration with local communities, and working with people of many backgrounds, we nurture the seeds of change and respect for human life that transform social relations and systems. AFSC’s programs foster understanding and reconciliation, promote economic development and food security, educate the public on various social issues, and foster diversity, inclusion, and equality in communities in the United States and around the world.

As part of its activities, AFSC conducts a series of Dialogue and Exchange Programs (DEP), where Global South leaders—from the grassroots organizations, civil society, and government—come together to learn, exchange ideas, and collectively solve problems in an intimate, conference setting. The DEP enables people living in the Global South to participate in short-term, strategic seminars, conferences, training, and exchanges that cross boundaries. Our approach to international dialogue and exchange is rooted in the belief that solutions can be found within a group’s history, knowledge, culture, and resources.

AFSC will hold a DEP that aims to strengthen the base of climate justice initiatives in the Arab Region and encourage governments to incorporate sustainable solutions in their agendas and development strategies to address climate change issues. The DEP will bring together participants from civil society, academia, private and governmental sectors, and activists, and will offer them the space to share knowledge, and exchange best practices on prioritizing climate issues. Participants will discuss how to effectively address climate change issues using a wider approach, thinking regionally and globally in terms of agendas and policies.

For AFSC Middle East Office, this will be the first convening organized around the impact that climate change is already having in the Arab region. AFSC hopes that this DEP will set the ground for future conversations, collaborations, and cooperation in the Arab region regarding climate justice, as the issue with climate change in the region is not about mismanagement but more about increasing efficacy for long-term sustainability.

The Research:

Climate change is a driver of violence, socioeconomic disruption, and displacement, intersecting with conflict and injustice dynamics. This DEP explores local civil society needs and lays the groundwork for AFSC Middle East to provide support in the future for affected communities by building resilience and promoting sustainability. Also, the DEP will strengthen an intersectional movement for sustainable peace, economic justice, and climate justice for host and refugee communities in the region by bringing together actors concerned about the consequences of climate change and seeking to include it in the forefront of civil society and governmental priorities in the Arab Region.

The DEP will be divided into two components: research and convening. The convening will be informed by a research piece developed prior to the event and will also capture the results as well as inform future convenings or work related to climate change in the Arab region. This DEP aims to bring together important actors that will discuss the most urgent climate issues in the Arab Region and identify some of the best practices that have been enacted thus far. This dialogue will not explore the roots of climate change and global warming as those are widely studied topics, but rather it will focus on the most critical environmental issues for the Arab region and possible initiatives and solutions for them.

AFSC is seeking for a researcher or consultant to produce comprehensive research on addressing climate change and environmental challenges as well as mapping current climate change strategies, initiatives, and existing best practices on environmental challenges in the region. At the same time, supports filling the gaps in knowledge and resources and identifying potential practices for effective change in the Arab region. The focus will be on selected countries in the Arab region (Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, and Algeria). The geographic location of these countries makes them particularly vulnerable to climate-related crises such as water scarcity, desertification, and extreme temperatures. Coupled with a lack of infrastructure, government planning, and educational awareness about mitigation, adaptation, and prevention, the effects of such crises are potentially devastating. Climate change is negatively affecting and shaping the region’s natural resources, economies, and population thus actively affecting international relations and power dynamics in the region.

The regional dialogue will be a 3-day event held in Amman-Jordan. Participants previously selected might include government officials, civil society organizations working on climate change-related issues, activists, and academic experts. The group, representing different approaches and challenges to climate change, will exchange common practices in the region on how to mitigate/address the most pressing climate change issues. In addition to discussing the research findings, researchers will participate as observers in the event to gather the input, feedback, and conclusions discussed by the groups to produce the final research and reports.

After the conclusion of the regional dialogue, based on the results and findings, the researchers will develop a research paper with the objective stated above laying the foundations for future research and dialogues. And, possibly, a second event to be held in 2023.

Methodology:

The research will take place in the Arab region. The exact methodology is to be determined by the research team/consultant, however, additional to a literature review, of primary and secondary sources, the researchers should conduct some structured and/or semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders who are possible participants in the convening and conduct 1-2 focus groups discussions with the targeted groups (including one women’s focus group).

Deliverables and Responsibilities

For successful completion of all deliverables, AFSC is seeking one lead researcher or consulting team in the Arab region. When conducting all required activities researchers should adhere to and observe COVID-19 regulations accordingly. If needed, the researcher must be willing to travel. The selected researchers are expected to effectively deliver the following main tasks and products:

1. Preparatory meeting with AFSC team and delivery of the revised research proposal with workplan and other specifications

2. Delivery of the Inception report with outline literature review

3. Feedback from AFSC and participation in follow up meetings

4. Delivery of literature review in English

5. Work with AFSC team in defining pillars and themes for the convening and supporting in the agenda design

6. Online seminar program that will be held online with the participants’ previous arrival to display the results of the literature review

7. Participation to the convening in Amman, Jordan

8. Summarize highlights from Jordan convening, finalize literature review, and recommendations for a potential second phase

9. Provide the archive of the raw data such as interviews, notes, and recordings

Timeframe for deliverables:

Please take into consideration the following dates for the submission and preparation of your technical proposal

• Orientation session held by AFSC staff regarding the DEP: April 2022
• Inception report with outline literature review: Between May 1st – 5th 2022
• Delivery of literature review (draft version) –estimated at 20-25 pages max: May 22nd – 26th 2022
• Work with AFSC team in defining pillars and themes for the convening: June 2022
• Participation in online seminar program, that will be held with the participants prior to the arrival at the DEP: June 2022
• Participation in the convening in Jordan: Juy 19th –21st, 2022
• Summarize highlights from Jordan convening, finalize literature review, (that may get drafted in a possible phase 2 of work later in 2023): One month after the event, end of August 2022
• Provide the archive of the raw data such as interviews, notes, and recordings :One month after the event, end of August 2022

Required qualifications:

Teams and/or consulting firms should indicate the location of each candidate and include a detailed proposal describing the distribution of tasks.

The research proposal should include:

• A technical plan and financial plan including the methodology which will be adopted by the team of researchers in conducting the research and achieving the objectives of the assignment. (2-3 pages)

• Brief about the firm/team of researchers highlighting the relevant experience to the purpose of the assignment.

• The researchers CVs showing their qualifications (MA or PhD preferred), capacities, and experiences in leading research work.

• Sample of previous research produced by the researchers.

Applications that don’t contain all the documents will be disqualified.

The selected researchers should possess the following qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in previous qualitative research, specifically in research focused on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience building.

• Strong knowledge about climate change and environmental-related issues, as well as knowledge about international discourse and policies around climate change and environment.

• Strong personal organizational skills, including time management, coordination, and ability to meet deadlines.

• Ability to work in a multicultural environment.

• Deep understanding and knowledge of the social, political, environmental, and economic contexts in the Arab region.

• The ability to read and communicate in Arabic and in English.

• Adequacy of the proposed methodology and work plan in responding to this TOR.

Budget for the facilitation

1. The budget available for the research will be determined based on the proposals and remain valid for 30 days starting from the offer’s submission closing date.

2. The quotation must be detailed and based on the working mechanism proposed by the consultant.

3. Price offers must be exclusive of value-added tax (zero tax invoices) for establishments officially registered with the Ministry of Finance; while for individuals and non-profit institutions, the offered prices will be subject to law deduction of income tax.

4. AFSC is not obligated to accept the lowest prices.

5. AFSC has the right to extend the deadline and/or re-advertise in the event of receiving a small number of offers and/or in case technical and financial committees do not select any candidate.