Regional Policy Expert to analyze the global and regional policies and legally binding measures relevant to LBS Protocol, including Marine Litter (level B)

Consultant Environment Finance & Economy

Contract

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Result of Service

The ultimate objective of this assignment is to develop a shortlist of key pollution prevention and reduction measures for inclusion in the updated NAPs (2025-2035).

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

8 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 levels. 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. United Nation’s Environment Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This consultancy assignment is for the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP)/Programme for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean (MED POL), Athens, Greece. The Land Based Sources (LBS) Protocol to the Barcelona Convention Protocols was adopted in 1980 and amended in 1996. The amended Protocol entered into force in 2006. As stipulated in Article 5, the LBS Protocol requires the Contracting Parties to elaborate and implement, individually or jointly, as appropriate, national and regional action plans and programmes, containing measures and timetables for their implementation. The principal objective of the NAP development is to identify and prioritize a national programme of measures to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) concerning pollution-related ecological objectives under the ecosystem approach (EcAP) in the framework of the LBS Protocol and the Regional Plans adopted in line with Article 15 of the LBS Protocol. The “Programme of Work and Budget for 2024-2025,” adopted by COP 23 (Portorož, Slovenia, 5-8 December 2023), mandated the MED POL to take national and regional actions including enabling investments, to implement the adopted Regional Plans (Activity 1.2.2). Moreover, the EU-funded Marine Litter MED PLUS Project (2024-2027) aims to further support and expand the implementation of the updated Regional Plan on Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean, the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme for Marine Litter (EO10) including its upgrade, as well as to enhance interregional cooperation for enhanced and effective marine litter management across the seas. In this regard, the project aims to support the Southern Mediterranean countries in implementing and developing/updating National Action Plans (NAPs) addressing Marine Litter in the context of the updated Marine Litter Regional Plan and the ongoing negotiation for the Global Treaty on Plastic Pollution and further expand the implementation of key measures. To support the development of National Action Plans (NAPs) vis-à-vis the global and regional policies and legally binding measures relevant to LBS Protocol, there is a need to recruit a Regional Policy Expert to analyze the global and regional policies and legally binding measures relevant to LBS Protocol to develop a region-wide agreed short list of key prevention and reduction measures for inclusion to the updated NAPs, including for marine litter. The consultant is expected to perform the following tasks: 1. Prepare a detailed work plan accompanied by a timetable for completion. 2. Review MAP policy documents especially COP Decisions since 2015 and map recent regional developments on the following themes: A. Pollution/Marine Litter Reduction and Prevention B. Waste and marine litter management C. Plastic Pollution; D. Climate change and climate vulnerability 3. Review UNEP/UNEA policy documents (UNEA Decisions)) since 2015 and map global developments on: A. Land-based pollution B. Zero Waste/single-use plastics C. Plastic pollution and microplastics D. Sustainable Consumption and Production E. Nutrient Management F. Nature-based solutions. 4. Based on Task 2 and Task 3 above, cluster the main elements of the policies by themes and prepare a list of agreed measures on: A. Pollution prevention/reduction B. Waste and plastic pollution management C. Sustainable consumption and production / Extended Producer Responsibility D. Climate change and climate vulnerability including NbS 5. Propose to streamline the provisions and needs of the updated Marine Litter Regional Plan, as well as those which will result from the Global Treaty on Plastics, into the updated NAPs, with regard to marine litter and plastic pollution. 6. Prepare a list of key prevention and reduction measures for land-based sources of pollution, including marine litter and plastic pollution for inclusion in the updated NAPs; 7. Provide substantive inputs (meeting documents and presentations) for and during the meeting related to the development of NAPs; 8. Prepare a Policy Analysis Document including: A. Mapping of regional policies versus global policies B. Gap analysis between regional policies and global policies underlining the main elements of the Mapping (8A) that should be taken into consideration under the upcoming MED POL PoW C. Recommendations per thematic area to close the gaps identified under 8.B including specifically Task 5. D. Propose a shortlist of measures addressing land-based sources of pollution for their potential inclusion in NAPs, including those identified as per task 6. 9. Prepare and submit the final report of deliverables for the consultancy.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (MSc. degree or equivalent) in, environmental sciences, engineering, or other relevant social science areas is required; At least 5 years of relevant professional working on marine litter, sustainable production and consumption is required; A very good understanding of the global and regional initiatives related to the environment and sustainable development in the Mediterranean in the last 5 years is highly desirable; Very good understanding of the UNEP/MAP system, its structure and operation are highly desirable;

Languages

Fluency (written and oral) in English is required; Working knowledge of French is desirable;

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.

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Added 10 hours ago - Updated 1 hour ago - Source: careers.un.org