Methodologies and data requirements for wildfire risk assessment in the Americas and the Caribbean

At the end of the consultancy, UNDRR will have a comparative assessment of existing methodologies for quantitative wildfire risk assessment, including their data and technical requirements, geographic scales, outputs, strengths and limitations, and applicability to different contexts in the Americas and the Caribbean. The assessment will identify relevant methodologies and applications from the region and internationally and provide recommendations on suitable approaches and pathways to advance towards quantitative, prospective and probabilistic wildfire risk assessment, considering different data available, capacity and contexts with the aim of developing a regionally comparable wildfire risk model. The assesment will also serve as a knowledge product contributing to the implementation of the European Union–Latin America and the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the area of integrated disaster risk management.

Home-based

6 months

Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG/ASG), UNDRR has over 160 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses, and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. It supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with UN Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. Duties and Responsibilities Aligned with the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, and particularly its Priority 1: Understanding disaster risk, and with the Sendai Gender Action Plan objective to strengthen the collection, analysis and use of disaggregated data, this consultancy will contribute to strengthening wildfire risk knowledge and its application to disaster risk reduction and Integrated Fire Management, as part of the Global Affairs Canada-funded regional programme on wildfires, which supports the development and implementation of evidence-based, inclusive, gender-sensitive and coordinated wildfire risk reduction strategies, supported by enhanced regional, national and local capacities. Wildfires are among the most economically destructive hazards globally, with growing impacts on communities, ecosystems, health systems and development. Rising exposure is also reshaping wildfire risk, as more people and assets are located in wildfire-prone areas. These impacts are not experienced equally: gender roles, age, disability, income, location, livelihood patterns and access to information, services, resources and decision-making can shape people’s exposure, capacities and recovery prospects. Despite these growing and differentiated impacts, wildfire risk remains insufficiently understood and quantified in many countries. Important gaps persist in the availability and use of sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated data; inclusive risk information; participatory methodologies; and risk assessments that capture differential exposure, needs, capacities and leadership. Addressing important gaps is essential to support gender-responsive, inclusive and risk-informed decision-making. Recent assessments by the Global Fire Management Hub show that, despite the growing availability of fire related data and tools, fragmentation, differences in spatial and temporal scales, limited validation and local information, and insufficient guidance on their appropriate use continue to constrain their effective application to risk assessment and decision-making. UNDRR has initiated work to identify and systematize methodologies and required data for wildfire risk assessments in the Americas and the Caribbean. Building on this initial work, the consultancy will further assess existing methodologies, their requirements, outputs and applicability in different contexts in the Americas and the Caribbean, with particular attention to quantitative, probabilistic and prospective wildfire risk assessment methods. The consultant will assess available methodological approaches, the components of risk they address, the data and technical requirements for their application, the geographic scales at which they can be implemented and the type of risk information and metrics they can produce. The analysis will consider approaches integrating wildfire hazard, exposure and vulnerability, including prospective approaches that account for climate change, and will identify relevant applications and examples from the region and internationally. The analysis will also assess the extent to which these approaches can account for differentiated exposure, vulnerability and impacts, including through sex, age and disability-disaggregated data, where relevant and available. Based on this analysis, the consultant will also carry out a feasibility assessment in one Andean country, one Central American and one Caribbean to check the usefulness of the identified probabilistic hazard and risk assessment methodologies. The analysis will determine the extent to which probabilistic wildfire risk assessment could be undertaken with the available information and identify the data, methodological and/or capacity gaps that must be addressed. Based on the findings, the consultant will develop a visual factsheet illustrating ow quantitative and probabilistic wildfire risk assessments and their results can inform decision making in integrated fire management. The consultant will prepare technical reports and materials to communicate and disseminate the results, including a PowerPoint presentation and the results of the feasibility assessment for the three countries. The consultant will also support the presentation of the main results through a webinar. The consultant will be home-based and will be under the supervision of the Risk Knowledge Officer at UNDRR's Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean and will work in close coordination with relevant national institutions.

A first-level university degree in forestry, engineering, geography, environmental sciences, disaster risk management, geospatial science, territorial planning, or another related field is required. Postgraduate studies in wildfire management or disaster risk reduction, or a related field are desirable. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in disaster risk assessment is required. Experience in wildfire risk assessment is required. Experience with quantitative or probabilistic wildfire risk assessment methodologies is required. Experience working with government institutions or any other regional or international organization in the Americas and the Caribbean is desirable.

English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in English and Spanish is required. Knowledge of French is desired.

Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted. *FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY*. UNDRR values diversity among its staff. We welcome applications from qualified women, men, and people with disabilities.