Safeguards, Environment and Climate Change Specialist 

Name: Tashi Pem

Date of Birth: 24th Oct 1980 Nationality: Bhutanese

Education:

School, college and/or University Attended

Degree/certificate or other specialized education obtained

Date Obtained

The Australian National University,

Canberra, Australia.

Masters in Environmental Management and Development

2010

Hindustan College of Engineering, Madras University, Chennai, India

Bachelors in Civil Engineering,

2004

Professional certification or membership in Professional Associations:

  • Water Advisory Technical Committee, RGoB, 2018 – 2021
  • Member Secretary to the Empower Joint Group of Royal Government of Bhutan and Government of India, 2016 – 2019.
  • MINDA – Malaysian Directors Academy, 2016 – 2018.
  • Technical Committee on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Bhutan, 2014 – 2017

    Other Relevant Training:
  • Tools and Methods for Implementing Projects and Policies with Climate and Sustainable Development Co-benefits – 2021, ADB
  • Application of QGIS – 2018, JICA
  • Hydrological modelling (HEC RAS, HEC HMS) – 2016, US Army Corps of Engineers, New Jersey
  • GLOF Risk Assessment and Reduction – 2014, ICIMOD
  • Water and River Basin Management – 2007, UNESCO-IHE, Delft
  • Integrated Water Resources Management – 2007, UNESCO & SaciWATERs

    Countries of Work Experience:
  • Bhutan

    Languages

Language

Speaking

Reading

Writing

English

Good

Good

Good

Dzongkha

Good

Good

Good

Hindi

Good

Nepali

Good

Employment Record

From:

February 2022

To

Till date

Employer:

Asian Development Bank

Position Held:

Safeguard Specialist

From:

September 2021

To:

December 2021

Employer:

IIED

Position Held:

Senior LDC Group Coordinator

From:

May 2021

To:

December 2021

Employer:

Asian Development Bank

Position Held:

Safeguard Specialist

From:

January 2018

To:

April 2021

Employer:

Department of Hydropower and Power Systems

Position Held:

Chief Engineer

From:

2011

To:

2018

Employer:

Department of Hydropower and Power Systems

Position Held:

Executive Engineer

From:

2004

To:

2008

Employer:

Department of Energy

Position Held:

Engineer

Work Experience

Name of assignment or project: Improving Safeguard Implementation in South Asia

Year: Feb 2022 – Till date (intermittent)

Location: Phuentsholing, Sarpang, Samdrupjongkhar, Tashigang and Thimphu

Client: Asian Development Bank

Main project features Ensure compliance of the ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement 2009 and the national laws

Positions held: Safeguards Specialist

Activities performed:

–        Ensured the compliance of ADB’s safeguard requirements and the national laws in all ADB funded projects in Bhutan.

–        Provided capacity building to the executing and implementing agencies on the safeguard requirements.

–        Reviewed QPRs, environmental and social monitoring reports, progress reports, etc.

Name of assignment or project: Climate Ambition Support Alliance

Year: Sept 2021 – Dec 2021

Location: Thimphu-Bhutan, Glasgow-UK

Client: International Institute for Environment and Development, London

Main project features: Support to the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group to meet the Paris Agreement Objectives and Goals.

Positions held: Senior Coordinator for LDC Group Chair to the UNFCCC

Activities performed:

–        Oversaw and facilitated the overall activities of the LDC Group.

–        Led the coordination within the constituencies (LDC Group) and with other negotiation groups like EU, G77 and China, ANG, SIDS, AOSIS, etc.

–        Managed and carried out all coordination for the LDC Group at the COP26 – UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, UK from October – November 2021.

Name of assignment or project: Improving Safeguard Implementation in South Asia

Year: May – Dec 2021

Location: Phuentsholing, Sarpang, Samdrupjongkhar, Tashigang and Thimphu

Client: Asian Development Bank

Main project features Ensure compliance of the ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement 2009 and the national laws

Positions held: Safeguards Specialist

Activities performed:

–        Ensured the compliance of ADB’s safeguard requirements and the national laws in all ADB funded projects in Bhutan.

–        Provided capacity building to the executing and implementing agencies on the safeguard requirements.

–        Reviewed QPRs, environmental and social monitoring reports, progress reports, etc.

Name of assignment or project: Development of Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) for Import of Labors for Hydropower Projects

Year: 2020 – 2021

Location: Bhutan

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features Given the border closure in March 2020 due to COVID-19, the construction of hydropower projects were severely impacted due to manpower shortage. A SOP for import of expat workers for hydropower projects was developed for safely importing foreign workers without compromising the COVID-19 protocols.

Positions held: Key Counterpart from DHPS

Activities performed:

–        Formulated the SOP for import of expat workers for hydropower projects.

–        Closely liaised with COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group (TAG), RGoB.

–        Collaborated with DDM, MoHCA for site selection of quarantine facilities and stakeholder consultation including mainstreaming disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness and response into the SOP such as evacuation plans during natural disaster.

–        Conducted capacity building program on implementation of SOP to the various Project management and local government functionaries.

–        Monitored the successful implementation of the SOP which led to import of more than 600 expat workers in various hydropower projects between March – August 2021.

Name of assignment or project: Power System Master Plan – 2040

Year: 2017 – 2019

Location: Bhutan

Client: JICA and Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features: Development of power system masterplan of Bhutan 2020 – 2040 for sustainable development of hydropower resources.

Positions held: Project Manager and Chief Engineer

Activities performed:

–        Spearheaded and managed the overall project by coordinating a group of over 20 Japanese and Bhutanese experts.

–        Formulated the Power System Master Plan 2040.

–        Formulated the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the masterplan.

–        Liaised with other RGoB agencies and led all stakeholder consultation and workshops related to the project including focus group discussions.

–        Facilitated and coordinated capacity building programs.

Name of assignment or project: Climate Change Policy 2020

Year: 2018

Location: Bhutan

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features: Review of the draft Climate Change Policy

Positions held: Team member

Activities performed:

–        Analyzed the draft policy within the larger context of achieving energy security, reduction of climate induced disasters and transfers and adoption of clean technologies.

–        Engaged in nation-wide policy consultation, stakeholder consultation and policy screening exercise.

–        Mainstreamed the cross-sectoral themes and issues such as energy, disaster, gender and technology into the draft policy.

Name of assignment or project: Cumulative Impact Assessment of the Kuri-Gongri River Basin

Year: 2018

Location: Bhutan

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features: Assessing the cumulative socio-environmental impacts in the Kuri-Gongri River basin.

Positions held: Executive Engineer

Activities performed:

–        Assessment of the basin-wide socio-environmental, geomorphology and hydrological baseline data for the Kuri-Gongri basin.

–        Review of existing and planned infrastructure development in the basin.

–        Assessment of disaster risk posed to the lower riparian due to climate induced disasters such as GLOF and extreme flood events.  

Name of assignment or project: UNFCCC Climate Negotiation

Year: 2018 – 2019

Location: Poland and Glion

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features: Climate negotiation

Positions held: Climate Negotiator for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (PA)

Activities performed:

–        Negotiated on all matters related to Article 6 of the PA on behalf of the LDCs at COP-24 in Katowice, Poland, November – December 2018

–        Prepared and submitted National Report on the outcomes of the COP-24 to the Royal Government of Bhutan highlighting recommendation on the required national level coordination and action.

–        Represented Bhutan for the session on Article 6 in Glion, Switzerland in the lead up to the 50th   Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) in Bonn, Germany.

Name of assignment or project: Formulation and Implementation of Bhutan Hydropower Guidelines

Year: 2017 – 2021

Location: Bhutan

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features To develop technical, environmental and social standard for harnessing the hydropower resources in a sustainable manner.

Positions held: Focal Point and key counterpart for environment and social aspect of the guideline development.

Activities performed:

–        Assessment and incorporation of climate induced disaster risk reduction and preparedness such as extreme monsoon and flood events, GLOF, Dam break scenarios including climate proofing of hydropower project.

–        Development of comprehensive guideline on environmental and social standards for ensuring sustainable development of hydro resources.

–        Strengthened environmental management plan and monitoring requirements.

–        Monitored the implementation of the guidelines in four hydropower projects that were under construction from 2019 – 2021.

Name of assignment or project: Prefeasibility of 107MW Jhomori-I Hydropower project

Year: 2014 – 2016

Location: Bhutan

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features: Carrying out techno-economic and socio-environmental feasibility of the 107MW Jhomori-I hydropower project

Positions held: Project Manager

Activities performed:

–        Overall management and coordination of project activities.

–        Liaising with government stakeholder such as National Land Commission, Department of Culture, Department of Disaster Management, Bhutan Power Corporation, Druk Green Power Corporation, etc.

–        Assessment of hydrology studies including disaster risk assessments of extreme flood events.

–        Assessment of environmental and social impact.

Name of assignment or project: Prefeasibility of 170MW Dangchhu, 566MW Chamkharchhu-II and 382MW Chamkharchhu-IV Hydropower projects

Year: 2012 – 2014

Location: Bhutan

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features: Carrying out techno-economic and socio-environmental assessment of the three hydropower projects

Positions held: Project Manager

Activities performed:

–        Overall management and coordination of project activities including facilitation of the stakeholder consultations.

–        Assessment of hydrology, flood and sedimentation studies.

–        Assessment of disaster risk such as dam break analysis, extreme flood events.

–        Assessment of environmental and social impact including formulation of monitoring plans.

Name of assignment or project: Strengthening of Energy Sector – Phase IIV

Year: 2013 – 2015

Location: Bhutan

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features: Capacity building of the energy sector, optimization of the Khomachhu Hydropower Project, Reconnaissance study of three projects and institutional collaboration with Norwegian Energy and Water Resources Directorate (NVE)

Positions held: Project Manager

Activities performed:

–        Facilitation and coordination of both in-country as well as ex-country training activities for the energy sector in areas such as geotechnical engineering, hydrology and hydraulic analysis, dam and foundation engineering, GIS and remote sensing, power system engineering, etc.

–        Spearheaded the established of institutional linkages between DHPS, RGoB and NVE, Norway for collaboration on hydrology and flood studies, GIS application, glacier mass monitoring including regulatory aspects of electricity.

–        Carried out the optimization and reconnaissance studies of three hydropower projects.

–        Prepared annual progress reports including financial status of the project for the donors.

Name of assignment or project: Strengthening of Energy Sector – Phase III

Year: 2011 – 2013

Location: Bhutan

Client: Royal Government of Bhutan

Main project features: Assessing climate Change impacts on the flow regimes of water in Bhutan and its possible consequences on the hydropower development.

Positions held: Project Manager

Activities performed:

–        Collaborated with the scientists from Norwegian Water Resources Directorate in the formulation of the report.

–        Review of regional climate assessment studies on surface runoff.

–        Data acquisition and sorting.

Certification

I certify that (1) to the best of my knowledge and belief, this CV correctly describes me, my qualifications, and my experience; and (2) that I am available for the assignment for which I am proposed.I understand that any willful misstatement or misrepresentation herein may lead to my disqualification or removal from the selected team undertaking the assignment.

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[Tashi Pem]