Carbon Market Readiness Consultant

Background

The Green Climate Fund is the world's largest dedicated multilateral climate fund and invests in impactful, innovative, catalytic programs and projects in developing countries across the globe. The GCF has a portfolio of 360 projects across 134 countries, with a total commitment of USD 20.5 billion to date.

In 2023, an additional USD 12.8 billion was pledged, to support our new strategic and programming cycle from 2024-2027; our ambition is to grow to become at least a USD 50 billion fund by 2030. Rooted in the core objectives of impact and efficiency, access and a focus on the most vulnerable, and mobilizing a much higher scale of public and private sector financial flows for climate action we have an unparalleled scale of resources, which, together with our risk appetite and flexibility allows us to bring together different partners and stakeholders in innovative partnerships for profound impact.

Set up in 2010 by the 194 countries who are Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), GCF takes its responsibility as the world's largest dedicated multilateral climate fund to heart. GCF funds transformative climate projects across the developing world, supporting countries in their responses and actions to tackle climate change while fostering sustainable development within their communities. Our country-driven approach ensures that our actions are tailored to the unique circumstances and national aspirations of each nation we support. Besides channelling public and private sector investment through a broad range of financing instruments, GCF builds the capacity of developing countries to take climate action through an extensive Readiness Programme ensuring countries are increasingly well-equipped and financed to manage their climate futures. Headquartered in the Republic of Korea, GCF operates with a diverse and talented workforce of over 300 people.

GCF is seeking a motivated individual with a demonstrable track record of harnessing experience, energy and networks to tackle complex global climate change challenges, who is committed to making a positive, measurable difference through a mission-driven role and thrives in a fast-paced, diverse environment.

Objective

Carbon markets are increasingly relevant to how developing countries implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), mobilize climate finance and create incentives for low-carbon investment. However, countries differ significantly in their policy objectives, institutional capacity, market maturity and intended use of domestic and international carbon markets. Effective GCF support therefore needs to be country-driven and adaptable, while drawing on common institutional, policy, technical and market building blocks that can be applied across different carbon-market contexts.

The assignment will support GCF in developing a strategic carbon market Readiness approach that moves beyond stand-alone capacity-building activities towards a coherent pathway from country diagnostics and strategy, through strengthened enabling environments and institutional capacity, to pipeline development and investment mobilization. The approach should enable countries to determine whether, where and how domestic carbon-pricing instruments, Article 6 mechanisms and voluntary carbon markets can support NDC implementation, long-term climate strategies and national climate-investment priorities. It should also identify how GCF Readiness can contribute to paradigm shift through institutional and policy change, market development, replication and scaling, and mobilization of additional climate investment. These dimensions are reflected in the assignment’s proposed scope and deliverables.

Against this background, the Consultant will develop the evidence base, analytical framework and practical country support package needed to operationalize this approach under the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme. This will include reusable but country-tailored diagnostics, support modules, documentation and implementation guidance, taking into account potential linkages to the Project Preparation Facility (PPF), GCF investments and private sector mobilization. The assignment will also consider opportunities to integrate carbon-market development into country platforms, leverage complementary partner expertise and funding, and strengthen GCF's capacity to respond to varying levels of country demand.

The Fund seeks to engage a Carbon Market Readiness Consultant to undertake the tasks described below. The consultant will work with the GCF team remotely, but the Consultant may be required to travel for certain in-person engagements. The assignment is for an initial 80 days over a seven-month period.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following tasks:

• Identify the building blocks required to support country carbon-market strategies and enabling environments across domestic emissions trading and carbon-pricing systems, Article 6 mechanisms, and voluntary carbon markets. The mapping should cover institutional and legal frameworks, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) accounting, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and registries, integrity and safeguards, and market participation. Identify elements that can be standardized or reused across countries, while allowing for different market choices, levels of carbon-market maturity and institutional capacity. Develop a taxonomy of technical terms, key concepts, as well as the suite of standards, processes and methodologies applicable across high-integrity carbon markets.
• Review existing Readiness and related carbon-market initiatives to identify relevant case studies, good practices, gaps and lessons. Distinguish between planned activities, delivered outputs and evidence of operational use, and identify overlaps with support provided by other partners. The review should be complemented by analysis of relevant country contexts and requirements, including relevant NDCs and long-term strategies, climate-investment priorities, carbon-market potential and demand, institutional maturity, applicable national and international market arrangements, and the costs and benefits of participation.
• Assess how Readiness support can help identify and develop investment pipelines where carbon markets or carbon revenues could materially contribute to project viability, scale or mobilization of finance, including appropriate linkages to the Project Preparation Facility, GCF investments and wider public and private finance.
• Assess how carbon-market Readiness can contribute to paradigm shift, including through institutional and policy change, market development, replication and scaling of viable approaches, and mobilization of additional climate investment, taking into account relevant GCF results frameworks.
• Support consultations, as appropriate, with National Designated Authorities (NDAs), delivery partners, Accredited Entities (AEs), contributors and other relevant partners to identify country demand, existing support, capacity constraints and areas where additional GCF support could add value.
• Draft strategic carbon market Readiness approach and country support package, including: (i) a country diagnostic and strategic country pathway; (ii) reusable support modules covering relevant institutional, policy, technical and market building blocks; (iii) standard documentation and terms of reference; (iv) implementation and adaptation guidance; (v) pathways from Readiness to pipeline development and investment mobilization; and (vi) options for integration with country platforms where relevant.
• Map partner expertise, existing carbon market readiness activities and relevant funding (other multilateral climate funds, bilateral donors) to avoid duplication and anticipate delivery-capacity constraints should demand increase significantly.
• Support the application of the strategic carbon market Readiness approach and country support package to emerging Readiness country window proposals, by developing guidance for proposal reviews, including relevant alignment with existing Results Management Frameworks, and guidance for milestones developments; taking part in proposal reviews and recommending refinements on a case-by-case basis. The Consultant should focus on guidance developed and building capacity of relevant teams to apply the guidance. scope is subject to GCF’s confirmation with the Consultant.

Reporting Line: The Department of Strategy, Policy and Innovation (DSPI), in collaboration with Department of Investment Services (DINVS), will supervise the Consultant and provide relevant strategic and technical guidance.

Deliverables and schedule

All outputs must be editable, concise and internally usable, with evidence references and a consolidated response-to-comments log.

1.Carbon market Readiness evidence base and building-block mapping

• Map the building blocks required for country carbon-market strategies and enabling environments across domestic emissions trading/carbon pricing, Article 6 and voluntary markets, including institutional and legal frameworks, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) accounting and alignment with long-term strategies, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and registries, integrity and safeguards, and market participation.
• Identify common and market-specific elements that can inform reusable, country-tailored support.
• Develop a taxonomy of technical terms, key concepts, as well as the suite of standards, processes and methodologies applicable across high-integrity carbon markets.

2. Readiness portfolio stocktake and country needs assessment

• Review existing Readiness and related carbon-market initiatives, distinguishing planned activities, delivered outputs and evidence of operational use.
• Identify good practices, gaps, lessons, overlaps with partner support and linkages to Project Preparation Facility (PPF) and Funding Proposal pipelines.
• Complement the stock take with analysis of country contexts, NDCs and long-term strategies, climate-investment priorities, carbon-market potential and demand, institutional maturity, market arrangements, and costs and benefits of participation.
• Validate and refine findings with input from National Designated Authorities, Delivery Partners, and the Regional teams.

3.Stakeholder consultation and demand assessment

• Support consultations, as appropriate, with National Designated Authorities, delivery partners, Accredited Entities, contributors and other relevant partners to validate country demand, existing support, capacity constraints, workable forms of support and areas where GCF could add value.

4. Draft strategic carbon market Readiness approach and country support package

• Develop a flexible framework to support countries in identifying and advancing country-led pathways for carbon market readiness, including pipeline development, based on their national circumstances, priorities, capacities and existing carbon market frameworks.
• Include: (i) approaches to support country diagnostics and identification of strategic pathways; (ii) r adaptable support modules and resources that can be tailored to different country contexts and stages of carbon market readiness;(iii) illustrative documentation and terms of reference that countries may adapt as appropriate; (iv) guidance to support country-led implementation and adaptation; (v) pathways from Readiness to project preparation, GCF investment and wider finance where justified and eligible; and (vi) options for integration with country platforms and broader investment planning.
• Incorporate analysis of how carbon-market Readiness can contribute to paradigm shift and investment mobilization.

5. Validation, delivery-capacity assessment and final technical package

• Validate the proposed approach and support package.
• Assess GCF and partner delivery capacity.
• Identify relevant partner expertise and complementary funding; and refine the package based on consultations and validation.
• Provide the final technical input required for the strategic carbon market Readiness approach to proceed to ELT.

6.Initial Application and Learning (Subject to GCF’s confirmation with the Consultant)

• Provide input on initial application of the approved approach to emerging Readiness country window proposals related to carbon markets, document practical lessons, and recommend refinements to the country support package.

Required experience and qualifications

The Consultant should meet the following requirements:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in climate change, environmental economics, economics, finance, public policy, international development, law, environmental management, or another relevant field. A first-level university degree combined with substantial additional relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.
• At least 13 years of relevant professional experience in climate policy, climate finance, carbon markets, or related areas, with a substantial portion focused on carbon-market development or implementation.
• Carbon-market expertise: Demonstrated experience across at least two of the principal carbon-market contexts relevant to the assignment, including Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, domestic emissions trading or carbon-pricing systems, and voluntary carbon markets, with strong understanding of their respective institutional and implementation requirements.
• Country readiness and institutional development: Demonstrated experience supporting developing countries on carbon-market readiness, including areas such as institutional and legal frameworks, Nationally Determined Contribution implementation and accounting, measurement, reporting and verification, registries, market infrastructure, environmental integrity and safeguards.
• Strategy and policy development: Demonstrated experience translating technical analysis into country strategies, institutional frameworks, implementation roadmaps, diagnostics, guidance or similar operational tools, preferably involving countries at different levels of institutional and carbon-market maturity.
• Climate finance and investment: Demonstrated understanding of how carbon markets and carbon revenues can support project preparation, investment pipelines, project viability and mobilization of public and private climate finance, consistent with the investment-mobilization dimension.
• Analytical experience: Proven experience conducting portfolio reviews, comparative analysis, country diagnostics, evidence synthesis and lessons-learned assessments, with the ability to distinguish between planned activities, delivered outputs and demonstrated results.
• Stakeholder engagement: Demonstrated experience consulting and working with national governments, development finance institutions, multilateral organizations, private-sector actors, carbon-market participants and other development partners, including the ability to work effectively in contexts with differing institutional capacity.
• Communication: Excellent written and spoken English, with demonstrated ability to produce concise, high-quality analytical and operational documents for senior decision-makers and technical audiences.
• Desirable experience: Previous work with multilateral climate funds, multilateral development banks, United Nations entities or other international climate-finance institutions, particularly on carbon-market readiness, climate finance or country programming, would be an advantage.

Application Process

• The closing date for applications is 22 November 2026, 23:59 (KST). Applications submitted after the closing date may not be considered.
• Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience relevant to the role.
• Candidates of all nationalities are welcome to apply. Please indicate your earliest availability to take up the assignment and notice period required, if employed.
• Please note that only applications submitted through the consultancy vacancy portal will be accepted and reviewed for further consideration.
• In case of any technical issues, please email: procurement@gcfund.org.

Note: Due to the high volume of applications, only candidates shortlisted for interview will be contacted regarding the status of their application.