Expert in global supply, trade and demand of mercury

Result of Service Produce a final report of a global assessment of the supply, trade and demand of mercury and mercury compounds: Based on previous work carried out during the current and previous intersessional periods, including a draft outline of the report, national reports by parties, and existing literature and databases, the consultant is expected to prepare a global assessment containing latest information on the global supply, trade and demand of mercury and mercury compounds, including waste flows and stocks, to support evaluation of the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention. Specifically, the consultant is expected to develop, in consultation with the Secretariat, parties and other stakeholders and partners, a global assessment of the supply, trade and demand of mercury, including waste flows and stocks, as well as an analysis of existing gaps and proposed actions to address the identified gaps.

Work Location Work from home

Expected duration 8 months

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. The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. The Convention was adopted in Kumamoto, Japan in 2013 and came into effect in 2017. The Secretariat functions of the Convention are performed by the UNEP. This post is located in the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention in Geneva.

The Minamata Convention is a global legally binding instrument with the objective to protect the human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. The Convention provides for controls on the entire life cycle of mercury, including supply, trade, mercury-added products, industrial processes using mercury, artisanal and small-scale gold mining, emissions to air, releases to land and water, interim storage, waste and contaminated sites. The effective implementation of the Minamata Convention is underpinned by the ability of Parties to periodically assess changes in the global supply, trade and demand of mercury, including waste flows and stocks. The last comprehensive report on the global mercury supply, trade and demand was published by UNEP in 2017, mostly based on information spanning a 5-year period from 2010 to 2015. At its fourth meeting, the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention agreed to start the first effectiveness evaluation of the Minamata Convention. The COP also agreed that a report on supply, trade and demand of mercury will be among the streams of information to form the basis for the first effectiveness evaluation. The report is expected to be considered by the Effectiveness Evaluation Group in 2023. Furthermore, the global assessment, along with other relevant information, may serve as baseline for future evaluations of the effectiveness of the Convention’s provisions and control measures throughout the mercury lifecycle and, ultimately, progress towards the objective of the Convention. The consultancy will build upon work carried out in the intersessional period to develop an outline for the report, as well as the first national reports, the UNEP report “Global mercury supply, trade and demand”, the UN Comtrade Database, as well as other available information, and will lay out the basis for the development of the global assessment. The consultancy will be carried out in the context of Activity 6 (Effectiveness evaluation) of the Convention’s Programme of Work and Budget for 2022-2023.

Under the supervision of the Programme Management Officer, the consultant will perform the necessary tasks for the development of a global assessment of the supply, trade and demand of mercury, including waste flows and stocks, as well as an analysis of existing gaps and proposed actions to address the identified gaps. To achieve the goal, the consultant will carry out tasks including, but are not limited to, the following: - Compiling and analyzing available information. - Conducting interviews with parties, relevant stakeholders and experts. - Developing, in consultation with the Secretariat, an initial draft for the global assessment. - Gathering information and input through various means to improve the initial draft and produce a revised draft (version 1) of the global assessment. - Planning and participating in wider consultations, e.g. workshop, with Parties and external experts. - Revising and finalizing the global assessment report on supply, trade and demand of mercury, including waste flows and stocks, as well as an carrying out an analysis of existing gaps and proposed actions to address the identified gaps.

Qualifications/special skills An advanced university degree in economics, chemistry, environmental science or related field. A bachelor’s degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying working experience in economics, trade and environmental policy may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. At least ten years of experience in the field of environmental economics, international trade, chemical pollution, or closely related field.

Languages Fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of other official United Nations languages is an advantage.

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.