Consultant, Qanat system video footage and related content

Result of Service The result of the services will support UNEP’s work under the SIP and PAGE in order to raise awareness of infrastructure’s centrality to the 2030 Agenda, develop and share knowledge related to sustainable infrastructure, build country capacity to adopt integrated approaches to sustainable infrastructure, and help countries integrate sustainability into their policy making. Key to this consultancy will be to visually present strategic and compelling details of the Iranian case study from the publication Integrated Approaches in Action: A Companion to the International Good Practice Principles for Sustainable Infrastructure.

Work Location Remote

Expected duration The duration of the contract is from 22 September to 21 November 2022.

Duties and Responsibilities Infrastructure systems are drivers of economic growth and enable access to basic services and economic opportunities that improve livelihoods and well-being. The OECD has estimated that US$6.9 trillion will need to be invested in infrastructure every year to meet achieve the SDGs by 2030. This will be even more significant in the post-COVID-19 context, as infrastructure investments are likely to play an important role in the socio-economic recovery and government stimulus packages as one of the most effective ways to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. In response to these challenges, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) created the Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership (SIP) in 2018 as a platform to promote and support integrated approaches to sustainable infrastructure planning and development. Integrated approaches recognize the centrality of infrastructure to the 2030 Agenda, and can help deliver optimal environmental, social, and economic outcomes of infrastructure development by considering the complex interlinkages between different infrastructure systems, sectors, phases, governance structures, and aspects of sustainability. In collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders, the SIP provides knowledge, facilitates international collaboration, and supports capacity-building at the country-level to foster systems-level approaches, which more fully exploit the complex interlinkages between infrastructure and the SDGs.

Purpose

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment. UNEP's Economy division plays a leading role in the Green Economy Initiative (GEI), launched by UNEP in 2008. The GEI aims to transition national economies onto a new path, in which jobs and output growth are driven by increased investment in green sectors, and by a switch of consumers’ preferences towards environmentally friendly goods and services. Located within the Economy Division, the Resources and Markets Branch examines how economics, trade and finance interact with the environment and contribute to sustainable development at the local, national, regional and global levels. Located in Geneva, it heads the Green Economy Initiative to assist countries in integrating environmental considerations into economic and trade policies.

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) was conceived at Rio+20 in response to the call to support those countries wishing to embark on greener and more inclusive growth trajectories through the three economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainability. PAGE seeks to put sustainability at the heart of economic policies and practices to advance the 2030 Agenda by providing foundation for delivery and achieving SDGs and national efforts to address climate change. Bringing together the expertise of five UN agencies – the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) - PAGE has been assisting partner countries to embark on inclusive green economy trajectories since 2013.

In February 2021 UNEP launched the International Good Practice Principles for Sustainable Infrastructure and an accompanying set of illustrative case studies. The International Good Practice Principles for Sustainable Infrastructure set out ten guiding principles that policymakers can follow to help integrate sustainability into infrastructure planning and delivery. They are focused on integrated approaches and systems-level interventions that governments can make to create an enabling environment for sustainable infrastructure. The principles are complemented by a second publication, Integrated Approaches in Action: A Companion to the International Good Practice Principles for Sustainable Infrastructure, which is a selection of case studies that illustrate each of the ten guiding principles.

The overall communications strategy of the SIP is to raise awareness about the centrality of infrastructure for the 2030 Agenda, and SIP needs to reach a wide network of key stakeholders and new audiences. Doing so will help facilitate implementation of the International Good Practice Principles for Sustainable Infrastructure and enable long-term global support and action. In this context, SIP and PAGE are developing audio-visual assets to present strategic aspects of selected national case studies from the publication Integrated Approaches in Action: A Companion to the International Good Practice Principles for Sustainable Infrastructure. To be clear, this effort is part of PAGE global activities and not PAGE in-country work—which is a separate workstream. Selected case studies will be showcased via two videos each–one long version and one short version—that highlight critical details and strategic elements of each particular case.

The specific objective of this consultancy is to create raw footage audiovisual content and materials related to a single case study from the publication. The raw footage developed through this consultancy will be integrated into the videos being developed and edited by SIP and PAGE.

Specific tasks and responsibilities per outputs:

1) The consultant will be responsible for gathering, obtaining, and recording footage and related materials. Consultant will also be responsible for scheduling and conducting any and all interviews with practitioners, researchers, and/or community members. The consultant will provide enough raw footage and materials that could be used to at least produce five (5) minutes of video.

Footage shall include some or all of the following categories of materials:

• Produce three interviews with Qanat practitioners, researchers and community members of approximately 45 seconds each, discussing the importance of Qanats in Iran and in local communities
• Create one video that documents of Qanat systems in use, Qanat system design, irrigation history in Iran, of approximately 90 seconds
• Deliver ten photographs that document Qanat systems in use, Qanat system design, irrigation history in Iran,
• Produce one video that shows areas surrounding Qanat system and the wildlife of the area of approximately 90 seconds
• Take ten photographs that document areas surrounding Qanat system and the wildlife of the area.
• Produce one video that documents the relationship between water supply, water conveyance, economic development, employment opportunities and agriculture in Iran, of approximately 90 seconds.
• Deliver ten photographs that document the relationship between water supply, water conveyance, economic development, employment opportunities and agriculture in Iran.
• Submit PDF’s or digital photographs of planning/engineering documents, drawings, other depictions of Qanats and Iranian irrigation systems, or other content as needed

All images and audio shall be transmitted in the highest-possible resolution, for example 320k and MP3 for audio, 1080p and MP4 format for video, 640 x 480 pixels minimum for jpeg/photos and .PDF format for documents.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree in geography, economics, natural resources management, political science, international development, engineering, planning or equivalent; Experience: At least ten years of experience related to Iranian geography, water resources planning and research, sustainable infrastructure, planning, qualitative/quantitative analysis, infrastructure planning tools, and a good understanding of infrastructure from an integrated, “systems” perspective. Experience producing high-quality narrative reports, in all formats, related to Iranian water-political dynamics, community planning and cooperation, and/or irrigation and water systems is essential Language: Excellent speaking and writing skills in English.

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.