Carpathian Convention Network Analysis Expert

Result of Service The ultimate results of service constitute the following:

1. Analysis and overview of and learnings from the exiting Carpathian Convention networks (S4C, CWI, CNPA), participatory discussion with Convention stakeholders and written recommendations for ESD network based on other Carpathian-level networks 2. Identification of key ESD actors and support provided to the development of the database of key actors in the Carpathians, written recommendations for ESD network development based on actor analysis 3. Mapping of actors’ interest, objectives and written recommendations for the development of the ESD network based on these events 4. Presentations of the research findings in several meetings and events 5. Support with following up on the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Carpathian Convention, as needed.

Work Location Remote/home based

Expected duration The expected duration of the assignment is 4 months, 01 November 2021 – 28 February 2022, with the possibility of being extended. Payment will be made in four installments, after submission of deliverables and completion of tasks.

Duties and Responsibilities The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP has the mandate to keep the state of the global and regional environment under review, in order to inform decision making on the state and trends of our changing environment, and to foresee emerging environmental problems and threats, particularly those of a transboundary nature.

The Carpathian Region:

The countries of the Carpathian region decided to cooperate in a framework of a regional Multilateral Environmental Agreement, the Carpathian Convention (CC) – a regional treaty, which supports cooperation on protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians. The Convention is coordinated by the UNEP – Vienna Programme Office, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention. The Convention helps its members implement international and EU biodiversity and sustainable development provisions, and can be a helpful mechanism for regional and local authorities. However, there is a lack of awareness about the Convention and low participation in its activities on the local and regional level. The recent Conference of the Parties (COP6) took place in November 2020. Poland assumed the presidency over the Convention for 2021 – 2023 and announced its strategic priorities, including “Cooperation with regional and local authorities and relevant stakeholders” (DECISION COP6/2). This gives the Convention Secretariat a mandate to deepen the participatory implementation at the local level. The Carpathian Convention parties agree on the importance of awareness raising and public participation, reflected in the Article 13 of the convention “Awareness raising, education and public participation”. This is a cross-sectional issue, which is meant to contribute to capacity building in all aspects of sustainable development, and is in line with the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Strategy of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the global process led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), including the recently adopted ESD 2030 Framework. The CC Secretariat, focal points and many local partners understand the importance of ESD as fundamental for long-term environmental protection and sustainability transformations in the region, however, integration of ESD into the Convention, as well as the implementation of the Convention provisions related to ESD requires cooperation between the many actors working in the field of science, policy and practice. In order to facilitate this cooperation the first Carpathian ESD seminar was organized in April 2019, co-organized by the Ministry of Human Capacities of Hungary, the Ministry of Agriculture of Hungary and the CC Secretariat. During the seminar ESD experts from all seven countries met for the first time, exchanged knowledge and expressed interest, as well as the need to continue regular cooperation on the regional level. They have recommended establishing “a Convention Working Group / network of experts to coordinate activities related to education and Education for Sustainable Development”. In order to facilitate the establishment of a Carpathian ESD expert network, the project “Carpathian ESD: Strengthening the ESD network in the Carpathian Convention via science-policy-practice interface” has been developed by the Secretariat with support from several partners, and funded by the German Federal Environment Ministry’s Advisory Assistance Programme (AAP) for environmental protection in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia and other countries neighboring the European Union. It is supervised by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and by the German Environment Agency. The initial project activities included strengthening exchange on ESD and science-policy-practice interface at the 6th Forum Carpaticum, organized by the Science for the Carpathians (S4C) network in close collaboration with the Convention Secretariat on 21-25 of June, 2021. The Forum served as the next step in the process of integrating ESD into the Carpathian Convention, via discussions during the Session “Best practices of education for sustainable development in the Carpathians and other mountainous regions” and the Workshop “Towards the Carpathian ESD Expert Network: Integrating Education for Sustainable Development into the activities of the Carpathian Convention”. The results of the ESD Session and Workshop, organized during the Forum, indicated that in order to establish an active and robust network, fitting the needs of the Convention stakeholders, it is important to learn from the experience of other networks created in the framework of the Convention, such as the S4C and the Carpathian Network of Protected Areas, as well as better understand the existing regional and national ESD actors.

The role of the UNEP – Vienna Programme Office

UNEP– Vienna Programme Office, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (UNEP Vienna) is implementing the project “Carpathian ESD: Strengthening the ESD network in the Carpathian Convention via science-policy-practice interface”, funded by the German Federal Environment Ministry’s Advisory Assistance Programme (AAP) and supervised by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and by the German Environment Agency. Based on the agreement with the project partners and other relevant stakeholders the UNEP Vienna Office, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, is planning to engage a consultant with expertise in the field of network analysis and network building. Moreover, the Secretariat will closely work with the Convention Focal Points and other stakeholders to follow up on the priorities announced by the Polish Presidency.

The consultant will support the UNEP – Vienna Programme Office, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention in:

1. Analysis of exiting Carpathian Convention networks (S4C, CWI, CNPA) and outlining recommendations for ESD network based on other Carpathian-level networks 2. Identification of key ESD actors in the Carpathian region and supporting the creation of a database of key actors. 3. Mapping actors’ interest and objectives 4. First steps to establishing the network 5. Support with following up on the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Carpathian Convention, as needed.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: An advanced academic degree (Master’s degree) related to the fields of network analysis, sustainable development, education, environmental policy, environmental science, or a similar field is required. A PhD degree in one of these fields is desirable.

Experience: A minimum of 10 years of experience in the field of sustainable regional development, education, academia and multilateral environmental agreements is required. Network Analysis expertise is required. Experience in the field of Education for Sustainable Development is desirable. Working experience in diverse sectors (non-governmental, academic, private sectors) is an asset.

Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of a Carpathian language is desirable.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.