National Consultant – Targets, policy, and institutional alignment

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

Under the overall supervision of the Project Coordinator, the National Consultant for Target, policy and institutional alignment will support the review of the NBSAP, update and develop new national targets in line with KMGBF and conduct a comprehensive analysis of the policy alignment and institutional setting. The National Consultant for Target, policy and institutional alignment will be responsible for the following: • Conducting a comparative analysis of the KMGBF and Montenegro's Biodiversity Strategy to identify areas of coherence and potential misalignment. • Providing recommendations and guidance on necessary revisions, amendments, or additions to Montenegro's Biodiversity Strategy to ensure coherence with the KMGBF and SDGs. • Collaborating with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, environmental organizations, and experts in the field of biodiversity conservation, to gather input and foster consensus on necessary changes to the national strategy. • Preparing a comprehensive report on new targets reflecting the KMGBF and inputs from consultations with all relevant stakeholders. • Conducting a comprehensive gap analysis of the institutional setting and regulatory frameworks, including recommendations for improvements to ensure coherence with the KMGBF, followed by active stakeholder engagement. • Assisting in organization of at least two workshops to present findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders and facilitate discussions to obtain feedback and address concerns – one related to developed targets and the other one related to policy and institutional gaps and recommendations for improvements. • Drafting the relevant chapters of the updated NBSAP. • Providing inputs to the updated NBSAP summary 1) for policy makers and 2) for public dissemination. The Consultant will work in collaboration with the other consultants engaged under Montenegro’s Early Action Support project.

Work Location

Montenegro

Expected duration

6 Months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme 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. Under its Western Balkan portfolio, it facilitates the implementation and execution of numerous projects pertaining to climate change, biodiversity protection, land degradation and other environment-related aspects. The consultant will be engaged for the purposes of providing expertise to a project implemented in Montenegro focused on the preparation of an updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), to align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), executed with support from UNEP’s Early Action Support programme team in Nairobi, Kenya. UNEP’s Early Action Support programme team is currently supporting the execution of the GEF funded project implemented in Montenegro focused on the preparation of the update of Montenegro’s NBSAP. The NBSAP and biodiversity frameworks in Montenegro are not fully aligned with the KMGBF. Furthermore, lessons learned from the last round of updating NBSAPs indicate that challenges persist in terms of non-alignment of national targets with global targets, lack of a financing plan for NBSAP implementation, inadequate implementation due to delays in updating NBSAPs, as well as inadequate monitoring. Alignment will help catalyze implementation of the KMGBF and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its protocols. There are now only six years remaining for Parties and the global community to achieve the agreed KMGBF targets. Within this context UNEP and the Government of Montenegro are implementing this project, with the specific objective to fast-track readiness and early actions to implement the KMGBF. The project provides financial and technical support to GEF-eligible Parties to the CBD in their work to review and align their national targets, NBSAPs, policy frameworks, monitoring frameworks and finance with the KMGBF. Under the overall supervision of the Project Coordinator, the National Consultant for Target, policy and institutional alignment will support the review of the NBSAP, update and develop new national targets in line with KMGBF and conduct a comprehensive analysis of the policy alignment and institutional setting. The National Consultant for Target, policy and institutional alignment will be responsible for the following: • Conducting a comparative analysis of the KMGBF and Montenegro's Biodiversity Strategy to identify areas of coherence and potential misalignment. • Providing recommendations and guidance on necessary revisions, amendments, or additions to Montenegro's Biodiversity Strategy to ensure coherence with the KMGBF and SDGs. • Collaborating with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, environmental organizations, and experts in the field of biodiversity conservation, to gather input and foster consensus on necessary changes to the national strategy. • Preparing a comprehensive report on new targets reflecting the KMGBF and inputs from consultations with all relevant stakeholders. • Conducting a comprehensive gap analysis of the institutional setting and regulatory frameworks, including recommendations for improvements to ensure coherence with the KMGBF, followed by active stakeholder engagement. • Assisting in organization of at least two workshops to present findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders and facilitate discussions to obtain feedback and address concerns – one related to developed targets and the other one related to policy and institutional gaps and recommendations for improvements. • Drafting the relevant chapters of the updated NBSAP. • Providing inputs to the updated NBSAP summary 1) for policy makers and 2) for public dissemination. The Consultant will work in collaboration with the other consultants engaged under Montenegro’s Early Action Support project.

Qualifications/special skills

• A first-level degree in biodiversity conservation, environmental sciences, ecology, or a similar field is required. The years of experience will be reduced by two for candidates who possess a Master's degree in the same field. • For the post advertised, a minimum work experience of at least 7 years of relevant professional work experience is required. • In-depth knowledge and understanding of biodiversity conservation, the KMGBF, and Sustainable Development Goals is required. • Familiarity with Montenegro's biodiversity context, national policies and institutional setting, and strategies related to biodiversity conservation is required. • Strong analytical and research skills to identify relevant KMGBF recommendations and align them with national targets is desirable. • Excellent communication and presentation skills to effectively convey complex concepts and recommendations to diverse stakeholders is desirable. • Experience in capacity building and conducting training sessions on biodiversity-related topics is required.

Languages

For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English and Montenegrin 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.