Consultant – Maritime Extractive Industries Assessment and Risk Mitigation

Job Description

Title: Consultant – Maritime Extractive Industries Assessment and Risk Mitigation

Company Name: Wildlife Conservation Society-Bangladesh

Vacancy: --

Age: At least 23 years

Job Location: Dhaka

Salary: --

Experience:

• At least 7 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Geology

• Advanced degree in Geological Sciences with special focus of natural resources management, marine/coastal science, environmental management, environmental law, chemical engineering, or natural resource economics (or equivalent).

• At least 7 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• Age At least 23 years

• At least 7 years’ professional experience in marine conservation, maritime affairs, ocean governance, blue economy and international maritime diplomacy, extractive industry development and management, and/or marine environmental risk assessment.

• Strong knowledge of offshore oil and gas sector and/or mineral extraction, particularly in Bangladesh and/or South Asia.

• Experience in policy analysis, policy advocacy, legal frameworks, stakeholder consultation, and environmental impact assessment.

• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality technical reports and strategy documents.

• Excellent communication skills in English; knowledge of Bengali desirable.

Reports to : WCS Bangladesh – Manager, Marine Conservation Program

Duration: Maximum 35 days over a period of 12 months

Internal Liaison: Legal Advisor, Senior Marine Advisor, Blue Action Fund Project Manager, International Technical Advisor, and Country Director.

Background

• Bangladesh’s maritime estate is fully divided into exploration blocks for offshore hydrocarbons, creating potential conflict with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Additionally, other maritime extractive industries such as sand mining may pose significant ecological risks. This consultancy will conduct a comprehensive assessment of risks to MPAs posed by maritime extractive industries (excluding fisheries), focusing on marine hydrocarbons (oil and gas) and offshore mineral extraction, particularly in the Swatch of No Ground and Nijhum Dwip Marine Regions.

• The consultancy will also provide guidance for the later development of a Risk Mitigation Strategy to guide WCS and government partners in addressing threats from these industries to MPAs and the broader marine environment.

Objectives

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of current and planned maritime extractive industries in Bangladesh’s waters.

• Identify risks and potential impacts of these industries on MPAs and other conservation areas, particularly in the regions in and around Swatch of No Ground and Nijhum Dwip MPAs.

• Oversee and provide technical guidance to the WCS Legal advisor conducting a legislative gap analysis relevant to maritime extractive industries and environmental governance.

• Provide a high-level guidance on the structure and components of a future Risk Mitigation Strategy

Scope of Work / Tasks

• The consultancy will focus on two interrelated workstreams: Technical Assessment, and Policy and Strategy Guidance. The roles are expected to combine the review of existing policies, analysis, environmental and social safeguards, strategic planning, and formulation of draft strategies for strengthening a national framework for marine conservation planning to ensure adequate long-term protection from maritime extractive industries especially oil and gas sector.

Technical Assessment of Maritime Extractive Industries

• Conduct a review of existing offshore oil, gas, and mineral extraction policies, legal framework, plans and activities, including main associated environmental, operational, social, economic, and health and safety risks.

• Analyze current and planned licensing and tender processes for offshore development blocks.

• Based on existing information and contacts with key stakeholders especially Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla), Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, any other government or private sectors, review available information that might indicate the location of potential reserves.

• Based on the information outlined above, conduct a spatial analysis to identify areas of overlap or potential conflict between extractive industry activities and existing or proposed MPA, particularly in the Swatch of No Ground and Nijhum Dwip Marine Regions.

• Assess management plan provisions for existing Swatch of No Ground and Nijhum Dwip MPAs and identify opportunities to incorporate explicit exclusion zones or restrictions on oil and gas extraction.

• Develop a ‘menu of technical solutions’ and an “action plan” to strengthen MPA management in light of potential oil and gas exploration pressures.

Policy and Engagement Guidance

• Review policy and legal frameworks (e.g., wildlife, fisheries and environment acts and rules, EIA legislation, and any other offshore resource laws or policies) relevant to extractive industries and conservation.

• Oversee and provide inputs to the WCS Legal advisor conducting a detailed legislative gap analysis to identify policy reform opportunities and governance entry points.

• Provide strategic recommendations for engaging government counterparts (e.g., Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources; Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Petrobangla) to ensure that MPA core zones are protected from extractive activities.

• Outline an action plan for advancing dialogue and policy reform toward exclusion of oil and gas extraction from MPAs.

Framework for Risk Mitigation Strategy

• Based on assessment findings, provide a draft framework to WCS on the proposed structure or table of contents for a future Risk Mitigation Strategy Plan.

Deliverables

• Inception report including methodologies and operational plan for carrying out assignment

• Gap analysis, including Technical and Policy assessments and guidance

• Draft framework for the risk mitigation strategy that includes a ‘menu of technical solutions’ and an “action plan”