Global Environment Outlook (GEO) Consultant

Contract

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Result of Service

Successfully delivered First and Second Order drafts of the GEO-7 report, resulting in an evidence-based and credible scientific GEO-7 report, including the assessment of the state of the environment and emerging environmental problems of international significance as well as solutions pathways and outlooks to support policymakers in their decision-making.

A well-coordinated Adhoc Global Assessments Dialogue which helps ensure good coordination and synergies across UN-led assessments.

Work Location

Home Based

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action.

UNEP's Early Warning and Assessment Division is responsible for analyzing the state of the global environment, providing early warning information and assessing global and regional environmental trends to catalyze and promote international cooperation and action on the environment.

The Scientific Assessment Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Early Warning and Assessment Division (thereafter, the Branch) regularly produces a broad range of integrated and thematic assessment reports as part of Science Policy core mandate. The Branch is expected to deliver a number of major reports, including the Seventh edition of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7). This product aims to provide evidence-based and credible scientific assessments of the state of the environment and emerging environmental problems of international significance as a basis for informed decision- and policy-making on all global environmental matters.

GEO-7 will focus on assessing solutions pathways for policymakers, providing them with sufficient guidance on the practical steps for policy development and adoption, implementation, timing, potential challenges, ways to assess and manage synergies, trade-offs, unintended consequences and harness the potential socio-economic benefits of these transformations. GEO-7 will also continue to assess the state and trends on the global environment as well as providing an outlook that provides useful guidance on the possible environmental and socio-economic implications of the needed transformational changes. Climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and land degradation will be crosscutting issues across the state of the environment section of GEO-7 report.

The Branch is now recruiting a home-based consultant to support the GEO Secretariat with the production of the GEO-7 report and the coordination of the Ad-hoc Global Assessments Dialogue.

This consultancy will report to the Senior Programme Officer, Global Assessment Unit, EWAD.

Specific tasks and responsibilities

• Successfully coordinate various chapters of the GEO-7 assessment. • Successfully support the processes for the development of the GEO-7 report. • Effectively support the development and implementation of Supporting Services for GEO-7. • Coordinate selected collaborating centers to sustain long term outreach and engagement. • Coordinate the participation of GEO-7 fellows in the GEO-7 process. • Successfully support the coordination of the GEO-7 Multidisciplinary Expert Scientific Advisory Group. • Plan and execute outreach activities related to the GEO-7 messages and key outcomes to Member States and stakeholders. • Support the GEO process in the planning and organization of technical meetings, workshops, and stakeholder consultations. • Liaise and provide support to groups of experts in the development process of the GEO-7. • Successfully support the coordination of the Ad-hoc Global Assessment Dialogue. • Research, analyze and present information on environmental issues gathered from diverse sources. • Prepare various written outputs, e.g. outcomes documents, background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications. • Participate in field missions, including provision of guidance to external teams, government officials and other parties as well as drafting mission summaries, etc., as applicable. • Assist in the production of other environmental assessment reports and summaries in the unit as directed by the supervisor.

Qualifications/special skills

A master’s degree in an environment-related field, sustainable development, environmental science, social science or a similar related field is required. a first level degree with two years of qualifying experience maybe accepted in lieu of master’s degree. At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience at the international level in project or programme management and implementation, monitoring and reporting and administration or related areas is required. Experience in supporting the coordination of global environmental assessments including the coordination of external expert authors and preparing various written outputs such as outcomes documents and background papers is required. Experience in inter-agency coordination and organization of high-level events, as well as in interacting with and presenting to high-level officials, are desirable. Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities under tight deadlines is desirable. Demonstrated familiarity with the UN system, its rules and regulation is required. Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include the willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinion and views. Must be able to work with minimum supervision, while being an integral part of a team involving members of staff from a wide range of cultures and disciplines.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required.

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.