Climate Finance Fellow/Analyst

Details of Project

As mentioned above, the organization has started to engage closely with a number of states on the issue of climate change and given the interest of states to enhance their understanding of the issue of climate finance, the Foundation proposes to delve deeper on the climate and energy finance as a vector to enhance the adoption and implementation of clean energy projects.

Specifically, the organization proposes to engage in research and facilitate the development of policy and knowledge products on the broad issue of sustainable finance with an emphasis on advancing low carbon transition across states, enhancing resilience and adaptive capacities and facilitating knowledge and information to access to voluntary and other formal carbon markets that might emerge in the forthcoming period.

Aligned with Carbon Markets, the organization also aim to provide technical assistance to assess carbon sequestration potentials, including ecosystem evaluation of terrestrial and oceanic regions and identifying any biodiversity loss reversal as well as enhancement of carbon sequestration potentials. Further, the Climate Finance Vertical will also engage with States to develop frameworks for climate budgeting, in addition to providing technical capacities on access to climate finance and its related projects.

Priority Domains

1. 6-10 years of technically relevant work experience in clean energy and climate finance sector.

2. A relevant master's degree in business administration, energy economics, finance, public policy or engineering (minimum)

3. Experienced knowledge of international and national finance instruments and sources.

4. Working knowledge about the key policies and programs in the climate and energy sector in India.

5. Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and persuasively both orally and in writing, and deliver presentations.

6. Independently engage in relationship building and build a stakeholder network base.

Fellow requirements

With the above backdrop, the broad scope of work and terms of reference will be to build a Climate Finance Vertical described as below. However, the list below is indicative and will not be limited to the identified areas. It would be expanded in line with the needs and requirements.

a) Engage with interested states in developing a climate finance and climate budget framework

b) In line with the aforementioned facet, identify and map budgetary allocations that fall within the purview of addressing climate change.

c) Further identify potential budgetary allocations that may have the scope to include programmes that would help in either building the climate resilience of communities or helping to mitigate climate change.

d) Map and create a ready reckoner and database (which will be periodically updated) of all financial flows into Clean Energy and Climate, whether through domestic financial institutions, domestic equity investments, international financial institutions, and multi-lateral development banks, bi-lateral investments in any form.

e) In line with "a" to "d", Map and estimate year-on-year financial requirements for states to address climate change and estimate the gaps in financial flows if any.

f) Create a framework and advise state government/state nodal departments to access all forms of carbon markets, voluntary or otherwise.

g) Provide technical assistance to assess carbon sequestration potentials, including ecosystem evaluation of terrestrial and oceanic regions and identifying any biodiversity loss reversal as well as enhancement of carbon sequestration potentials.

h) Facilitate in building capacities and collaborations of representatives of appropriate state-line departments to develop projects for accessing carbon markets.

i) Develop and scale up innovative financing instruments to catalyze clean energy investments

j) Develop risk alleviation tools to de-risk clean energy projects.

Other work that the Climate Finance Unit will also undertake will be the following;

a) Develop a work program and conceptualize projects for the Climate Finance Unit of VF

a) Study union and state budgets, RBI guidelines, and provide Vasudha's views on it.

b) Study infrastructure portfolios of Multi-lateral Development Banks and share our views on it at appropriate platforms.

c) Follow negotiations taking place on markets and climate finance at various international platforms, ranging from the UNFCCC to G20 to other relevant fora.

d) Produce periodic policy briefs, viewpoint papers, and briefing notes on various development, trends, and perspectives on climate finance.

e) Provide support to the Energy and Power Team on issues related to and not limited to developing financial and investment frameworks for various policies that the team is developing for states.

f) Provide support to the climate team on the various programmes that the team is involved such as and not limited to, the climate finance side in the development of district, city, panchayat action plans.

g) Develop a Climate finance tracker for the incumbent India Climate and Energy Dashboard.

h) Develop partnerships with financial institutions, impact investors, and other stakeholders to leverage private sector investment in climate finance initiatives.

i) Engage with civil society organizations and community groups to ensure that climate finance initiatives are aligned with local needs and priorities.