Local Consultant for The Development of National Digital Green Transition Framework (Jordan)

ULTIMATE RESULT OF SERVICE • The report prepared should be in English and in electronic format. • The report submitted should not be less than 30 pages. • A 2 to 4 pages executive summary of the report. The completed parts should be edited and saved in MS-Word (*.docx file) or an alternate compatible format. Note that PDF format will not be accepted. It should include a table of contents to be automatically updated followed by a list of all tables and figures. The various parts should be submitted in electronic form and sent to the email of the designated focal point. Attention is kindly drawn to the need to ensure that the final draft of the outputs be thoroughly reviewed prior to submission and to indicate the sources of tables and diagrams. References to reports and other substantive material should be clearly indicated within the text and noted at the end. It is also essential to send, with the completed output, photocopies or scans of at least the first page of books, reports and bulletins, used as reference material as well as copies of the pages quoted. The content of the generated document shall be the sole property of ESCWA. Their contents cannot and must not be presented, discussed or published without the express authorization of ESCWA. The consultant shall keep in mind that UN-ESCWA routinely checks all deliverables for plagiarism using readily available electronic tools. All previously published content, even if written by the selected consultant, must be clearly referenced where required within the text and end-noted at the end of the study. The report submitted by the consultant must not contain quoted, previously published text equalling more than 20 per cent of the total number of pages. The consultant shall not publish, announce, or reveal the content of the report, partly or entirely, on social media or any other public channel, without ESCWA and MoDEE permission. The content of the generated document shall be the sole property of ESCWA.

GENERAL SCOPE The digital green transition is important because it brings together the world’s two most consequential structural shifts: digital transformation and the transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient development. According to the ITU’s 2024 Facts and Figures, 5.5 billion people, or 68% of the world’s population, were using the Internet in 2024, meaning digital systems now shape production, services, and resource use at global scale. At the same time, the World Economic Forum estimates that digital technologies could help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 20% by 2050 in high-emitting sectors such as energy, mobility, and materials. In the Arab region, the case is even more urgent: the ITU reports that internet use in the Arab States reached 70%, while the region also faces acute environmental stress, with the World Bank noting that region’s annual water availability averaged only 480 cubic meters per person in 2023, less than 10% of the global average, and UNDRR warning that temperatures in the region are rising by around 0.5°C per decade. These trends make the digital green transition essential for resilience, competitiveness, and sustainable job creation. The United Nations plays a central role in the digital green transition by setting norms, convening partnerships, and supporting implementation. Globally, the Global Digital Compact, adopted in 2024 as part of the Pact for the Future, gives the UN system a clear mandate to ensure that digital technologies support sustainable development while limiting their harms. The UN would provide support to governments to advance climate action through digital innovation and stronger monitoring and accountability frameworks. The expected impact of the digital green transition is broad: it can improve energy and water efficiency, strengthen climate and disaster monitoring, optimize transport and public infrastructure, support cleaner production and circular economy models, and generate new markets and skills demand. However, digital technologies also have their own environmental footprint, which requires appropriate policy responses. Countries therefore need comprehensive frameworks that maximize the positive enabling effects of digitalization while managing associated trade-offs. . A national framework should therefore cover the multiple dimensions, such as: whole-of-government governance and coordination; green digital infrastructure and connectivity; data, standards, and measurement; sectoral deployment (such as energy, water, transport, agriculture); reduction of the ICT sector’s own footprint through efficiency and circularity; skills development and green digital jobs; innovation and finance; and inclusion. Such a framework should address the direct and enabling effects of digitalization in order to capture sustainability gains while limiting risks such as rising electricity demand, water use, and e-waste. In Jordan, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship (MoDEE) plays a central role in leading and coordinating national digital transformation efforts. The development of the proposed framework presents an opportunity to further position digital transformation as a key enabler of the green transition, a driver of a low-carbon economy, and a contributor to the creation of green jobs and the advancement of future innovation. Building on this context, MoDEE has requested the support of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) to develop a national framework for the digital green transition, aligned the Digital Transformation Strategy 2026–2028. The requested framework is expected to provide strategic guidance on governance arrangements, institutional coordination mechanisms, and implementation priorities, while addressing emerging future needs, including green innovation opportunities, future skills requirements, technological trends, and capacity-development needs, with a view to advancing an inclusive, resource-efficient, and sustainable digital economy, including through the promotion of green digital jobs, innovation ecosystems, and future-ready skills. The provision of this advisory service is the subject of these terms of reference. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The consultant shall propose to the designated ESCWA focal point a detailed version of the national digital National Digital Green Transition Framework. To produce the draft doc, the consultant is requested to conduct, among others, the main following tasks: 1. Review the national digital documents and the existing policies in Jordan related to digital transformation, innovation, digital technologies, and other related national plans; 2. Review best regional and international best practices related to digital green transition frameworks and policies (at least 2 selected regional and 2 international cases); 3. Identify main national stakeholders, hold, in coordination with MoDEE team, interviews and meetings with the main national stakeholders and realising minutes of each meeting/interview summarizing the discussed points, their remarks, observations and proposals; 4. Contribute to sectoral workshops to discuss needs and priorities, if needed; 5. Assess and define the alignment between digital transformation and the green transition; 6. Prepare the needed framework based on international and regional best practices, gap analysis, national needs (SWOT analysis). In addition, the consultant would also ensure the following activities: (1) Contribute to national workshop (physically or remotely) and capture the main comments and discussions. (2) Update the draft proposal according to all received feedback and comments during the reviewing process by ESCWA and MoDEE teams. ESCWA promotes gender equality and integration of youth through its publications and therefore the consultant should pay attention, with the help of ESCWA staff, to gender considerations and youth dimension throughout the research work to ensure that the report gives equal attention to the needs of both men and women, as well as girls and boys. Writing should use gender-sensitive language.

A Master's degree in information and communications technology, engineering, computer science, economics, public policy or a related field is required. A multidisciplinary background is desirable All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. At least 7 years of experience in industry or applied research in the domain of digital technologies or economic policies is required. Previous experience in management and planning is required. Previous experience in the delivery of research papers is desirable. Previous experience in the development of green transition plans, sustainability or environmental studies is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, Fluency in Arabic and English are required. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Not available.