Climate-Induced Loss and Damage Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

UNEP's Ecosystems Division supports countries in conserving, restoring, and sustainably managing their terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, the biodiversity they contain, and the products and services they provide for human well-being and prosperity. It addresses the environmental causes and consequences of disasters and conflicts. It helps countries reduce pollution from land-based activities, increase resilience to climate change and reflect linkages between poverty and the environment in their development planning.

Climate-induced Loss and Damage:

Consequences arising from the unavoidable risks of climate change, like rising sea levels, prolonged heatwaves, desertification, the acidification of the sea, and extreme events, such as bushfires, species extinction, and crop failures will result in loss and damages being incurred by vulnerable countries across the work. As the climate crisis unfolds, these events will happen more and more frequently, and the consequences will become more severe.

Following the agreement on Loss and Damage at COP28, https://tinyurl.com/37xpvbpy UNEP is embarking on a journey to support members states in unpacking new agreement to the national contexts. UNEP is, therefore, exploring how it can effectively support its member states through (i) gathering of cases and evidence that provide along the adaptation-risk-reduction-loss and damage continuum solutions (e.g., environmental dimensions to climate-induced mobility) and (ii) development of policy and advocacy related input to UNFCCC Warsaw International Mechanism, including briefs, key messages, submissions, background document.

As a part of the Team in the Ecosystems Division, and directly under the Nature for Climate and Disasters and Conflicts Branches, the IUNV will collaborate with the Heads of the two Branches above to shape UNEP’s position and direction on Climate-Induced Loss and Damage and how UNEP will support its member states in applying Loss and Damage to diverse national contexts.

As a Climate Induced Damage and Loss Specialist you will: - Develop UNEP’s position/policy, messaging on damage and loss and lead the in-house consultation processes to ensure synergies on climate-induced loss and damage, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and humanitarian action - Lead formulation of UNEP policy and advocacy on Loss and Damage and provide related inputs to UNFCCC Warsaw International Mechanism, including briefs, key messages, submissions, discussion or background documents - Gather evidence and lessons that provide along the adaptation-disaster risk reduction-Loss and Damage continuum solutions (e.g, environmental dimensions to conflict and climate-induced mobility) and how these can also be applied in fragile and crisis-affected country contexts, as well as transboundary considerations - Track climate change negotiations and contribute to climate and disaster technical working groups and thought pieces towards the UNFCCC; - Convene stakeholder dialogues and other global outreach events e.g. working with PEDRR, Global Adaptation Network, and other partners to convene science-policy dialogues/workshop, bringing together scientists, researchers, practitioners, and poli-cymakers and developing an Action Agenda along the Loss and Damage agenda.

Results/Expected Outputs • Fully acquainted with UNEP’s approach to climate-induced damage and loss and supported the implementation of its projects and activities. • Coordination of UNEP’s work on climate induced damage and loss well facilitated. • Climate induced damage and loss projects contributed to the implementation of the UNEP Programme of Work. • Contributed to technical delivery of related project activities.

· Professionalism: Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations; shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. · Planning and organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. · Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly inter-prets messages from others and responds appropriately; proven interpersonal skills; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors lan-guage, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing infor-mation and keeping people informed; good spoken and written communication skills, in-cluding ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, artic-ulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, vol-unteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff, but objective, without showing personal interest; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of differ-ent target groups. · Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

relevant fields; of which a least two years are in climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and applying nature-based solutions. Execution: Reliable and efficient and knows how to organize themselves and coordinate their work. Mindset: Creative, enthusiastic, and willing to learn more, with a problem-solving mindset Strong interpersonal and communication skills: Ability communicate and convince many diverse audiences, and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of various actors. Autonomy: Ability to handle complexity and evolve in a fast-paced environment by yourself, and take impactful initiatives

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighboring Somalia, Ethi-opia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; Na-tional Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO). Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up-country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN HABITAT and UNEP. The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is highland cool and warm tropical climate.