Project Consultant

Result of Service Outputs:

1. Take the lead role in organization and delivery of the dialogue sessions, together with supporting personnel and interns. (throughout contract) Deliverables: Organization and delivery of the identified meeting sessions on a mutually agreed schedule, anticipated to be monthly.

2.Primarily responsible for the compilation of the meeting reports, and resulting policy brief (February 2022) Deliverables: Six meeting reports of approximately 7 pages each, one summarizing policy brief of approximately 20 pages

3. Delivery of summarizing event at the 9th session of the APFSD (March 2022) Deliverables: Meeting Delivery

Work Location Home based

Expected duration November 2021 - March 2022

Duties and Responsibilities Purpose:

Clean air is among the regional public goods that will contribute to a sustainable, resilient and inclusive recovery. Yet air pollution, a transboundary environmental challenge that threatens all countries in Asia-Pacific, continues to increase and actions to date have been insufficient to protect the health of populations, food and water security, and the emerging economies across the region. 70 percent of the nearly seven million deaths due to air pollution occur in the region, which has some of the highest recorded air pollution levels. Poor and vulnerable people are disproportionately affected as they are unable to access solutions to protect themselves. The economic burden of air pollution on countries in the region ranges from 5 percent to 14 percent of their GDPs.

Key sectors that contribute to air pollution include energy and transportation sectors (due to dependence on fossil fuels), agriculture and forestry sector (from biomass burning, chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides), industries (release of chemicals and toxic fumes) and waste management (toxic fumes from open burning and landfills).

The root causes of air pollution vary across the region, driven largely by differing economic conditions and development patterns. For example, in North and Central Asia, extensive mining, oil exploration and industrial activities, domestic heating with firewood and other solid fuels, as well as rapid growth of traffic in cities, contribute to that sub-region’s growing air quality issues. In South-East Asia, agricultural burning remains a primary source of air pollution, along with traffic congestion, industry and fossil-fuel powered energy. India and China routinely see considerable levels of air pollution in major cities and urban areas from industry, traffic, and energy production to meet demands of large populations.

The common threat of air pollution across the region requires multi-level interventions and more significant efforts to strengthen regional cooperation. However, the inadequate capacities of many national governments and local authorities to address their air quality issues has (1) limited the scale and pace of actions and interventions that are necessary to significantly reduce air pollution across the region and (2) also inhibited regional dialogue and cooperation that could lead to regional modalities for long-term actions.

This consultant will take the lead role to deliver a series of virtual thematic and sub-regional dialogues on innovative air pollution solutions and best practices, including policy interventions, the use of data and technologies, capacity needs and the opportunities to develop a regional modality or modalities on air pollution. The dialogues will raise awareness and build the capacity of stakeholders to identify the most appropriate innovations and utilize existing and emerging technologies in the development of their air quality policies. Subregional dialogues will be organized for North and Central Asia, East and North-East Asia, South-East Asia and South and South-West Asia, in coordination with the respective Sub-regional Offices. Thematic dialogues will focus on data and technologies, and health and gender implications.

Each dialogue will generate specific recommendations for the following: - Addressing knowledge needs/gaps and mechanisms (geo-portals, use of knowledge management hub, communities of practice) - Enhancing the use of data and technologies to inform policies - Identifying most appropriate clean air solutions and means to accelerate implementation - Further building the capacity needs to ensure policy development/implementation - Strengthening regional cooperation

The recommendations from the dialogues will be compiled in a policy brief that will be shared with member States to mainstream adoption of the solutions and provide the basis for a roadmap towards a regional modality or modalities. Materials, including country and expert presentations delivered during the dialogues and best practices and case studies compiled, will be shared through the Knowledge Management Hub and the Issue-Based Coalition on Climate Change Mitigation and Air Pollution (UN entities), UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams and with partner institutions. The dialogues will facilitate peer-to-peer and regional level sharing of lessons learned and allow the IBC members and other partner institutions to share specific technical solutions with country stakeholders and to strengthen the air pollution data generated by governments and partner institutions. Further, the dialogues will strengthen the community of practice on air pollution which will provide momentum and support for regional cooperation and action. The policy brief will serve as the foundation for a knowledge-sharing workshop/side event at the 9th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development and could inform potential discussions at the 78th ESCAP Commission Session on a regional modality/modalities to address air pollution (following ESCAP Resolution 75/4, Strengthening regional cooperation to tackle air pollution challenges in Asia and the Pacific).

Objective:

Under the direct supervision of the project manager and general supervision of the Chief, Sustainable Urban Development Section, the consultant will complete the following duties:

1. Deliver six virtual dialogues on the development of a regional modality for addressing air pollution in Asia. From this perspective, it is expected that the dialogues will include innovative air pollution solutions and best practices, including policy interventions, the use of data and technologies, capacity needs and the opportunities to develop a regional modality or modalities on air pollution. The dialogues will focus on intergovernmental, cooperative approaches to technical solutions such as air quality monitoring and forecasting, establishment of a publicly accessible geoportal for spatial information that integrates satellite and aerial data with ground-based sensor networks, as well as on health and gender implications.

2. Policy brief and roadmap to a regional modality or modalities for accelerating action on air pollution in Asia. The document will compile recommendations from the dialogue series to identify gaps/needs, enhance use of data/technologies, mainstream clean air solutions and to strengthen regional cooperation.

3. Deliver a knowledge-sharing workshop/side event at 9th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development

Qualifications/special skills ACADEMIC: Masters Degree in public administration, international affairs, environment, social science or related area required, P.h.D desirable

EXPERIENCE: 10+ years experience in intergovernmental processes or environment science required with a focus on air pollution and greenhouse gases desirable. Experience in Asia is beneficial.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: Experience working with UN agencies on intergovernmental processes dealing with air pollution desirable.

LANGUAGE: Fluent in English

Additional Information Travel(s): as required by the project

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.