Bhujang Dharmaji Rao

With an advanced degree in a field of environment and development, I had been serving at national, regional and global levels providing Climate Resilient Infrastructure Governance and Policy Advisory service to many developing country governments with special focus on Green Bonds, Sustainable & Green Infrastructure, Climate Proofing Human Health, Agriculture & Food Security, Water Resources Development, Capacity Development and Climate Change (Adaptation, Technology and Finance) over the last three decades. My current work as a Senior Resilience Adviser (Climate Change) is to provide substantial policy and financial and technical advisory services to Asian Development Bank (ADB) Member Countries across South and East Asia with specific reference to climate adaptation capacity enhancement services to the various ministries of Government of Lao PDR including MONRE, MAF and Ministry of Health. As a matter of fact, I have worked closely with Dr Thaipasavanh, Director of MoH and other senior officials of MoH, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and MONRE till recently in Lao PDR. This work is going hand-in hand with the World Bank- Climate Investment Funds supported Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) for Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR) in Cambodia through implementing Partners Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank to support and advice Government of Cambodia on Environmental Governance with special focus on enhancing climate finance and adapting to climate variability. Prior to ADB, I served United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New York as a Policy Advisor supporting over 80 countries across Africa, Asia and LAC regions to enhance the knowledge on Investments and Financial Flows (I & FF) required to address climate change in key adaptation and mitigation sectors (Infrastructure, Energy, Transport, Water, Forests, Health and Agriculture). As a part of the project, I have co-supervised development of a UNDP methodology to build capacity of developing countries for key Adaptation and Mitigation sectors. As part of capacity development effort for improved E-Governance and informed decision making to address climate change, I had taken lead in organizing in-country National Policy Dialogues in over 20 countries across Asia, Africa and LAC region bringing together the key actors and players not only from the Ministries of Environment but also strategic ministries such as Ministry of Finance, Planning and Prime Minister’s Offices. I led the communications team of IUCN-The World Conservation Union to develop their CSR policy mainstreaming gender, International Waters and Biodiversity to achieve carbon neutral approach in all its business activities. I was the Chief Editor of IUCN's newsletter - BIOLOG for strengthening policy and programme coherence at national, regional and global levels. This experience has covered management and administration, training and communication/awareness-raising programmes and national inter-ministerial dialogues, and includes good experience of project management procedures, monitoring and reporting. I am on the international roster of the GEF for National Capacity Building at Individual, Institutional and Systemic levels. I have experience in financial management, project evaluation, M&E process, Administration, Programme Coordination and mentoring junior staff for achieving high project implementation efficiency. I also gained significant experience in participating in global negotiation processes specially covering Climate change, Biodiversity and Land Degradation. In the process, I have good exposure to proposal review / development, programme management, team leadership and organized many training/capacity development events for strengthening policy and programme coherence at national, regional and global levels. As an advocate and practioner of Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development policy, I am currently providing strategic advice on substantive policy and technical issues to many developing countries, especially in Asia and the Pacific on developing and advocating custom designed policy and development tools to realize not only Green LECRD but also achieve critical targets under the MDGs by 2015. I have worked with many development partners and key Corporate/Private Sector players in developing resource kits and knowledge products that promote low emission pathway and achieve green LECRD through synthesizing lessons and stimulating the uptake of best practices and knowledge. I have good working relationships not only with the Ministries of Environment but also strategic ministries such as Finance and Planning in addition to key scientific and research institutes, NGOs, Civil Society and Academia across the region. In the context of developing LDCF / SCCF projects across Africa, Asia and LAC regions, I have worked closely not only with the Ministry of Environment & Forest / Department of Environment but also with strategic ministries such as Planning and Finance. Some of the key national projects developed include National Strategies for Sustainable Development (NSSD), National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA), and National Adaptation Programme of Actions (NAPA) in the LDCs. Having worked closely with the developing country Governments, I am sensitive and responsive to the national priorities and needs rendering technically sound and politically correct policy advice considering the prevailing intra and inter-ministerial dynamics and thus gaining confidence from “all parties” as an international expert who can ‘deliver’. I am familiar with concepts and approaches related to capacity development and conversant with RBB/RBM approaches. I have proven ability not only to be a Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) of knowledge but also in nurturing partnerships with national institutions and other organizations involved in the development process May I herewith submit my Credentials for the position, as I see myself confident in fulfilling the ToRs for the position given the opportunities I had to serve Lao PDR, Vietnam and Cambodia country governments as well as rich experience of working with Multilaterals, bilaterals, Civil Society Organizations, NGOs and Academia.