Land and Vegetation Cover Expert
Result of Service Development of policies and strategies for land restoration and vegetation cover for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Work Location Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Expected duration 24 months
Duties and Responsibilities Organization Setting:
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 West Asia Office of UNEP delivers advisory services and capacity building support to countries to achieve environment and sustainable development objectives. This consultancy announcement is meant to solicit applications for rostering purposes to serve as the pool of expertise that UNEP West Asia Office is creating within the framework of the long-term strategic partnership and the Saudi Environment Sustainability Programme with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia.
Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager in UNEP West Asia Office and in coordination with the respective department in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Saudi Arabia, the expert will carry-out, inter alia, the following duties and responsibilities:
1. Technical guidance for the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) on the compressive situation analysis, baseline assessment and diagnostic studies on the status of land desertification in KSA to give directions on its monitoring and control. 2. Review and assess the current strategies, plans and initiatives for combating desertification and reducing sand encroachment in KSA. 3. Undertake technical diagnoses and analyses of the current institutional framework for dealing with vegetation cover and combating desertification. 4. Engage stakeholders and establish multi stakeholder platform for engagement on land degradation, combating desertification and reducing sand encroachment. 5. Technical guidance on the development, testing and implementing of techniques and tools for monitoring, assessing, and analyzing land desertification and land restoration in KSA. 6. Technical guidance on the development and implementation of a capacity development programme for Government and stakeholders on developing and implementing strategies and plans for combating desertification and reducing sand encroachment. 7. Develop a strategy and action plan for combat desertification, reduces sand encroachment and assists in its implementation. 8. Provide technical inputs to the development and operation of a system for monitoring desertification and land restoration in KSA including relevant indicators. 9. Technical guidance on the development of demand driven and responsive partnerships to benefit Saudi Arabia from proven innovation and good practices in the south and north for land degradation and desertification control. 10. Technical guidance on the development and dissemination of information and knowledge products for land desertification control.
Outputs / Work Assignments (Deliverables): 1. Inception report and situation analysis report. 2. Capacity building programmes identified and approved by MEWA. 3. Staff trained and training reports for the different thematic areas. 4. Final Project report.
Qualifications/special skills Master’s degree or PHD in land restoration, ecosystems, agriculture, environmental science, natural sciences, or related fields is required. Minimum of 10 years of professional technical experience in the field of land restoration and vegetation cover is required. Experience working in West Asia is desirable.
Languages Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic is required.
Additional Information This consultancy announcement is meant to solicit applications for rostering purposes to serve as the pool of expertise.
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.