Reports to: VP External Relations and COP30 Working group
Length: It’s anticipated that this assignment is for one year minimum.
Location: Anywhere, with a preference in the Global South
Global Greengrants Fund and the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP)
Global Greengrants Fund is a global grantmaking organization that provides flexible funding to grassroots groups worldwide working at the intersection of human rights and environmental sustainability. Through a decentralized network of over 220 activist advisors and 30 advisory boards and partnerships, the fund makes grantmaking decisions guided by local experts who are deeply embedded in environmental justice movements. These advisors include social change leaders, human rights activists, and environmental lawyers who understand the nuanced contexts and needs of their communities.
While Global Greengrants has historically supported grassroots climate and environmental justice organizations to attend climate and biodiversity COP meetings, among other high-level convenings and negotiation processes in climate and nature, the organisation is scoping options for strengthening its active support to grassroots movements in their campaigning and advocacy efforts. As part of this ambition, the organisation aims to develop a strategy for its engagement in the COP30 process and associated spaces, in order to ensure our network can participate and engage effectively in advocacy and campaign opportunities related to the UNFCCC processes and beyond. The organisation also seeks to use this opportunity to convene philanthropy, NGOs, and regrantors to collectively advocate for and support the needs of grassroots movements to governments and Parties.
Global Greengrants is seeking an experienced consultant with expertise in the UNFCCC COP and associated spaces, and with a strong understanding of grassroots climate movements, to develop and implement a comprehensive engagement strategy for COP30, to be held in Brazil in 2025. This consultancy will focus on coordinating our participation with movements and funders, maximizing the impact of our presence, and building strategic connections between COP30 and COP31. COP30 represents a critical milestone, coming two years after the Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement and five years before the IPCC 2030 emissions reduction deadline. It is also touted as the ‘Justice and Indigenous’ COP and presents an opportunity for Global Greengrants supported movements to strengthen commitments to justice and Indigenous-led approaches in future COP processes.
This consultancy will develop and implement a comprehensive COP30 engagement strategy to support grantee partners’ participation, facilitate South-South learning exchanges between movements, influence climate justice movement financing, and build long-term advocacy capacity while maximizing Global Greengrants Fund’s impact.
Objectives and Responsibilities
- Develop and implement a comprehensive COP30 engagement strategy that aligns with the Global Greengrants mission and supports grassroots climate and environmental justice action
- Coordinate with movements, funders, and stakeholders to develop collaborative programming and manage logistics for Global Greengrants’ COP30 presence
- Facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building through pre-COP training programs and ongoing network support
- Document learnings and develop recommendations that bridge COP30 and COP31 initiatives, and link to the forthcoming CBD COP17
- Support Global Greengrants advisors and grassroots organizations in being able to engage more effectively at COPs, including explaining the mechanisms of how COPs work to those who have not attended
- Assist in developing fundraising proposals and building programmatic agendas for COP30-related initiatives
- Lead strategic messaging and advocacy efforts, identifying key audiences and opportunities within the COP30 context
- Create frameworks for effectively resourcing grantee partners, allied organizations, and movement representatives to meaningfully participate in COP30
Deliverables
- Comprehensive COP30 engagement strategy report
- Pre-COP training materials and facilitation guide
- Detailed implementation plan including timeline and budget
- Regular progress reports and stakeholder updates
- Post-COP30 impact report and recommendations
- COP30-31, and CBD COP17, strategic connection framework
Required Expertise
We are seeking a consultant with demonstrated experience in UN climate negotiations, particularly the COP process. The ideal candidate will have a strong track record of working with both grassroots movements and funding organizations in the climate justice space. Experience in participatory strategy development, stakeholder engagement, and event coordination is essential.
The consultant should have:
- Demonstrated experience organizing participation in and attending COPs, with deep understanding of UNFCCC mechanisms; understanding of CBD COP processes also desirable
- Track record in conceptualizing and designing advocacy campaigns using feminist and climate justice approaches
- Strong understanding of social movements and philanthropic support to movements
- Experience in fundraising for advocacy work and building programmatic agendas
Additionally, excellent facilitation skills and the ability to work effectively across different time zones and cultures are required. Knowledge of climate justice movements in the Global South, particularly in Latin America, is highly desirable. Fluency in English and Portuguese is required, with Spanish as an advantage.
Timeline
This is a consultancy based on three phases: Phase 1: Pre-COP Engagement, Phase 2: During COP, Phase 3: Post-COP30 engagement. This consultancy will run from April 2025 through December 2025 with varying intensity of engagement throughout the period. Peak activity will occur in the months leading up to and during COP30. We welcome recommendations on length of engagement and deliverables.
To Apply
Please send a brief proposal outlining your approach, relevant experience, and daily rate to VP External Engagement, B de Gersigny, via b@greengrants.org. Please include “COP30 Consultancy” in the subject line. Your proposal should demonstrate your understanding of both the COP process and grassroots climate justice movements.
The deadline to apply is March 21, 2025.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please do not hesitate to contact us at the above email address.