Expert on circular economy metrics and partnerships

Contract

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Result of Service

• Substantive contribution is delivered for the development of the landscape and impact analyses, and good technical support provided informing the development of the Global Circularity Protocol for business. • GO4SDGs sectorial best practices are replicated at least in 2 new regions. • New partnerships with private sector are in place (at least 2) supporting the replication of best practices across regions. • Development of new training programs and engaged tourism businesses in piloting solutions related to food waste reduction, leveraging the insights from Recipe of Change and Green Ramadan initiatives. • Strategic partnerships on education and product design under the One UNEP Textile Initiative formed. • Resource mobilized to ensure sustainable and long-lasting impact building on GO4SDGs legacy. (3 concept notes ).

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

10 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established in 1972, 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. Its mandate is to be the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimensions of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division addresses environmental issues at global and regional levels, provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and people to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. The Industry and Economy Division also works with many partners, including Member States, to advance the organization’s global goals as well as national efforts to transition to a low-carbon, green economy.

Within the Industry and Economy Division, the Resources and Markets Branch is focused on resource efficiency, inclusive green economy, and circularity. It leads the UNEP Green Economy Initiative and the Partnership for Action on Green Economy, One Planet Network, International Resource Panel, Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals (GO4SDGs) and many other initiatives. All these aims to shift national economies on to a more sustainable 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. GO4SDGs initiative is an accelerator of the SDGs, SDG12 and SDG8. GO4SDGs focuses one 3 main action areas: 1) supporting governments to strengthen policy coherence; 2) support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to increase capacities and access for financing innovation and circularity; and 3) empower youth to amplify their voices and embrace sustainable lifestyles. GO4SDGs has developed best practices and sectoral flagships in different regions, including the “Recipe of Change”, “Sustainable Ramadhan” that aim at reducing food waste, and has engaged the hospitality sector. Other initiative is “Sustainable Fashion Academy” in West Asia bringing circular economy in the textiles and fashion industry with multi-stakeholder engagement. The objective of this consultancy is to scale up and replicate these initiatives across regions (Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and West Asia).

GO4SDGs is also working closely with the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP) in the areas of sustainable tourism, sustainable food systems and the development of “Global Circularity Protocol for Business” as well as digital tools to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

Duties and Responsibilities: The home-based consultancy is under the supervision of the GO4SDGs Initiative and will provide technical expertise to develop the Global circularity Protocol and to scale up sectoral flagships initiatives across regions and increasing engagement from governments and relevant stakeholders. Specific duties include: 1. Provide technical support for the development of the “Global Circularity Protocol for Business” (50%) a) Work closely with the 10YFP Secretariat and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) providing technical and science-based knowledge for the development of the Global Circularity Protocol for Business (GCP). b) Carry out research on circular economy metrics and methodologies for private sector and provide technical support for the development of the GCP. Build cooperation with key actors/initiatives to enhance interoperability of the GCP in high impact sectors. c) Contribute with technical expertise to the GCP work stream on “Circular Transition Impact Analysis” analysing the impact of a circular transition on climate, nature and social aspects. Indicators. d) Provide technical support to the second work stream on “Corporate performance and accountability system (CPAS) for circularity”, providing inputs and support to develop harmonized circularity methodologies and accounting metrics for reporting and disclosure.

2. Scaling up regional best practices across regions and engaging new stakeholders, including private sector (40%) a) Scale up and replicate GO4SDGS sectoral best practices, including the Recipe of Change, Sustainable Ramadhan, and the Sustainable Fashion Academy in West Asia and replicate them across-regions; this in close coordination with the regional GO4SDGS coordinators, the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on SCP (10YFP)/ One Planet Network, the regional offices, and other relevant teams at the Resources and Market Branch and Industry and Economy Division, and engagement of relevant external partners and stakeholders. b) Engaging in private sector partnerships and pilot projects focused on food waste reduction and the integration of sustainable food systems into the tourism sector. This could include scaling up and replicating initiatives such as the 'Recipe of Change' and 'Green Ramadan', as well as promoting the 'Global Roadmap for Food Waste Reduction in the Tourism Sector'. To this end carry out the following activities:

i. Facilitate exchange of information, knowledge and lessons learned to other regions and identify interested partners (at least in two regions) ii. Identify relevant global and regional stakeholders and institutions to join the initiatives. iii. Coordinate global, regional and cross regional workshops, webinars and events to implement the agreed roadmap and to give visibility to the strategy iv. Support One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme trainings and pilot interventions on food waste reduction targeting tourism businesses in at least two destinations v. Research to provide solid data on benefits, challenges and indicators to measure progress of this initiatives

c) Support and scale up the work on sustainable fashion and circularity in the textile sector, working closely with UNEP’s team on sustainable textile and co-develop a strategy to scale up the “Sustainable Fashion Academy”, ensuring that is aligned to UNEP’s MTS and the One UNEP Textile Project. This will include as well the following activities: i. Work closely with GO4SDGs Regional coordinators and Regional office to replicate the Sustainable Fashion Academy in other regions (at least one more), identifying existing interested partners and relevant initiatives. ii. Co-develop funding proposals to implement the Academy in different regions. iii. Support trainings on sustainable textile design in countries and regions, building on training materials developed through the West Asia Academy and UNEP's broader work, focusing on circular business models, overproduction and overconsumption, and/or eliminating hazardous chemicals. iv. Coordinate work on education/ with textile universities under the One UNEP Textile Project, replicating successes of the West Asia Academy, including formalization of partnerships with textile universities through Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) v. Ensure GO4SDG alignment with One UNEP Textile Initiative and priorities and identify opportunities for further collaboration. Supporting global activities of GO4SDGs (10%) – dialogues, preparing of documents, project proposals , etc. a) Support the Head of GO4SDGs in preparing briefing note, PPT, background documents and information to support the work on circularity, initiatives on high impact sectors and the Global Circularity Protocol. b) Aligning the GO4SDGs implementation with UNEA resolutions, MEAs and ensuring visibility in strategic international fora, to increase the impact of GO4SDGs and UNEP’s work on SCP and circular economy. c) Identify resource mobilization opportunities, as well as stewardship, leadership, and economic-finance mechanisms to ensure sustainable and long-lasting impact building on the GO4SDGs legacy. d) Builds cooperation and new partnerships to move implement GO4SDGs work plan, focusing on systemic change in high impact sectors. e) Identify synergies between the sectorial flagships initiative and the Green Jobs for Youth Pact.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, environmental management/engineer, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. • A minimum of ten years work experience of progressively responsible experience in sustainable development, green or circular economy; resource efficiency, sustainable consumption and production, and demonstrated experience on sustainability in high impact sectors such as textiles/fashion, food systems, and/or buildings and construction is required. • Experience in project management, development of partnerships with government and private sector. Technical knowledge on circularity, sustainable consumption and production in high impact sectors (textile, food systems) and proven analytical skills and demonstrated experience in these areas are required • Two years or more of experience in data analytics or related areas is required.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable. NOTE: "Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.