Urban Planning and Water Resources Specialist

Objective/Purpose of the Assignment:

The consultant will be responsible for supporting the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) in revising its drainage, water retention and building code guidelines as well as flood plain and land zoning guidelines and rainwater harvesting handbook, in light of climate change risks. The consultant will also support the design and implementation of case analysis to provide an information base for such revisions as well as supporting training.

Scope of the Work:

In terms of urban planning, the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) will review the vulnerability of the urban infrastructure, focusing on drainage requirements as a case example of where and why urban centers are vulnerable, and agree on how its urban planning guidelines need to be updated as a result. Further, DUDBC will undertake case analysis to identify improvements to the decision and design process related to drainage, rainwater harvesting, water retention and groundwater recharge along water bodies. This will serve to inform revisions of the building by-laws in light of climate change. UN-Habitat is also in the process of developing a vulnerability assessment of Kathmandu City, and this will be useful to identify areas and infrastructure that is vulnerable to climate variability and change. Further, DUDBC will also undertake a case analysis related to improved planning and techniques for the above noted issues, also with the objective of informing an addendum to their rainwater harvesting handbook. The expert will support all of the above and help promote best practices in reducing vulnerability of urban centers to climate change risks, drawing from international experiences in other cities with similar geography.

Detailed Tasks to be performed by the consultant:

• Work with the Department and national consultant to identify case analysis scope, terms of reference. Provide support to the national consultant in undertaking the case analysis.
• Review and assess current review guidelines related to urban drainage, rainwater harvesting, water retention and groundwater recharge.
• Drawing from international experiences, provide recommendations on adjustments that can be made to the above in order to better incorporate considerations of climate change risks and natural hazards.
• Upon agreement with the Department, make changes to the engineering guidelines
• Review international experiences to indicate cost implications from existing case studies and models to follow.
• Provide support to the national consultant for the identification of climate change risk “hot-spots” in key urban centers.
• Contribute to training and capacity building activities.
• In light of Nepal’s Climate Change Policy and the knowledge developed through the TA, assist DUDBC to review its policy and make recommendations for policy revisions.

Outputs:

• Revise urban planning guidelines, focusing on drainage, rainwater harvesting, water retention and groundwater recharge along water bodies
• Policy recommendations.

Skills required:

• Academic qualifications should be related to urban planning and hydraulic engineering.
• At least eight years experience developing guidelines and planning for urban drainage and water retention systems is required.
• Experience in assessing the vulnerability of urban centers to climate risks, including flood and drought management is essential.
• Strong knowledge of climate change and of ongoing global assessments of the impacts of climate change or urban centers must be demonstrated.