Consultant - Methane Abatement

The Consultant - Methane Abatement role at Climate Policy Initiative is a fixed-term, 12-month position based in New Delhi, India. The consultant will work on a project aimed at mobilizing finance for methane abatement across key sectors like agriculture and fossil fuels. Responsibilities include developing tools for stakeholders, identifying financial flow opportunities, and providing recommendations to enhance methane reduction efforts in line with climate goals.
We are offering a fixed-term contract of 12 months for this role. If you're open to this, we encourage you to apply.

Consultant - Methane Abatement

Fixed Term Contract - 12 months

New Delhi, India

Background

Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) is a global research and advisory organisation in climate action with specific focus on tracking and enabling financial flows into climate-positive sectors. Headquartered in San Francisco, CPI works in places that provide the most promising potential for climate action, including Brazil, Europe, India, Indonesia, Kenya and the United States.

CPI works in various domains of climate including energy transition, industrial decarbonisation, agriculture, forestry and other land use (AFOLU), adaptation and resilience and green finance.

One of the major areas of CPI’s work is abatement of methane, which has emerged as a key driver of near-term global warming. Anthropogenic methane emissions account for nearly 45 percent of current net warming, according to IPCC report of 2023. Around 95 percent of the emissions emanate from three sectors: agriculture, forest and other land use (AFOLU), fossil fuels and waste. Consequently, methane abatement hinges upon adequate investments happening in these three sectors. However, while global annual financial flows across the three sectors has inched up to US$13.7 billion in 2021/22, the annual need for investments in methane reduction is US$48 billion till 2030, and US$119 billion till 2050, as estimated by CPI in its Landscape of Methane Abatement Finance 2023.

CPI is partnering another climate advisory organisation over a two-year period in a project called Mobilizing Sustainable Finance For Methane Abatement, covering jurisdictions like Indonesia, Brazil and India. The project is aimed at triggering credible methane abatement action in line with 1.5°C scenarios by facilitating finance flows to initiatives and entities that are cutting methane emissions in the key sectors. This will be achieved by disseminating across relevant stakeholders the understanding of methane abatement investments that are material to achieving 1.5°C goals and developing tools and frameworks for the stakeholders to design and execute such transition plans that frontload methane abatement. These would include transition plan guidance and development of investment criteria and investment taxonomies. The project will work closely with diverse stakeholders to build their understanding of and ability to utilise transition plans for methane abatement. Opportunities and gaps in sector financial flows and government frameworks in core jurisdictions will be identified and recommendations to support greater action will be provided, including identifying greater opportunities for developing innovative financial instruments for methane abatement. Barriers to action from government and private sector stakeholders will be identified and recommendations to overcome these provided.

Thought leaders and stakeholders from the private sector will be convened to build a coherent and consistent narrative on methane abatement potential and action that will be supported by a communications campaign targeted at select stakeholders.

Position Summary

The consultant, reporting directly to the Senior Program Manager at CPI’s Delhi office, would be expected to anchor the project activities in India. S/he would also be expected to expand CPI’s practice in methane and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). This position combines an understanding of the dynamics of various methane-emitting sectors, like agriculture and waste, including the technologies involved, challenges and possible solutions. S/he should have expertise in in-depth research and analysis of data, a zest for driving climate impact through methane abatement, and an eagerness to identify and engage with stakeholders for discussions and dissemination.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
• Research and gap analysis of existing taxonomies across methane-related sectors
• Leading the data gathering work on methane emissions in India across sectors – with a substantial focus on agriculture (livestock and paddy cultivation) – by tapping relevant sources, and analysing trends
• Mapping existing policy in India related to methane abatement and determining what more could be usefully done; mapping the current status of relevant regulations, methane coverage, disclosure requirements, transition plan requirements, etc.
• Recommending appropriate methane disclosures that could be implemented based on best practices, and different sector contexts.
• Landscaping methane abatement finance in India (supplementing global team’s work), and identifying finance gaps i.e. type and quantum of capital missing across methane-emitting sectors
• Ideating and recommending innovative pathways to increase public / private finance for methane and SLCPs
• Stakeholder engagements, meetings, briefings, roundtables and webinars, to the extent necessary, for methane abatement and methane abatement finance; key event (e.g. COP) engagements, as and when necessary
• Generating well-analysed research outputs like blogs, discussion papers, policy briefs and reports related to methane and SLCPs
• Partnering effectively with the relevant global CPI teams – methane finance landscape team and Communications – for publications and dissemination.

Qualifications & Experience

The candidate should have a commitment to CPI’s mission and values and a passion for addressing climate change related policy and finance issues. Besides, s/he should have the following credentials.
• At least a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, agricultural engineering, or a related field
• A Post Graduate (Master’s or equivalent) qualification in the above disciplines or in management, finance, public policy, economics/ energy economics or statistics
• Complete understanding of concepts related to GHG/methane emissions, and the different contexts of emitting sectors i.e. agriculture, waste and hydrocarbons; basic understanding of concepts related to finance/ climate finance
• 8 or more years of professional experience in a role related to: research and analysis in agriculture or waste or hydrocarbons sectors
• tracking and modelling GHG/ methane emissions, air other aspects of climate change and/or climate finance
• work on policy in India with focus on climate and environment sectors
• Prior experiences in (a) multi-stakeholder engagement, preferably working with government authorities and departments (b) rigorous data gathering and analysis (c) leading small teams of analysts

Competencies and Personal Attributes
• An independent and analytical mind with an excellent grasp of issues confronting climate and climate finance and ability to form informed opinions
• A zeal for in-depth sector research and data gathering and analysis
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English; ability to build models on Microsoft Excel and create crisp yet insightful presentations
• An ability to establish productive relationships with diverse stakeholders
• An ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines.
• Willingness to travel domestically, and, if required, internationally.

Location and Duration

This position based in Delhi/NCR with a contractual tenure of 12 months.

To apply

Visit this link to submit an application. With your application, attach two documents: (1) CV no longer than two pages (2) a cover letter no longer than one page setting out how you meet the requirements of the role and your motivations for desiring to work at CPI.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

CPI Commitment

Climate Policy Initiative is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and we are working to embed DEI across every facet of our organisation. We seek to establish a working environment where all board members, staff, volunteers, and contractors feel respected and valued regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, disability, education, or any other bias. We want to create an inclusive culture where all forms of diversity are openly valued as critical to the success of our organization and the achievement of our mission and vision.

If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application. We will then work with you to identify the best way to assist you through the recruitment process.