Senior Environmental Science and Policy Advisor

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

To develop a conceptual framework and proof of concept platform for an environmental policy tracker with a focus on air quality and pollution in the first instance.

Work Location

Home and Office based

Expected duration

9 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background: 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 conceptualisation and elaboration of actions in support of developing an environmental policy tracker will be conducted under the overall leadership of the Chief Scientist in close collaboration with the Director of the Law Division and in consultation with other relevant UNEP divisions and offices.

UNEP has been working on enhancing the Science Policy Interface, a key component of which is the development of approaches to enhance the uptake, and development and implementation of science, policy and law. There is a recognised need for new constituency building mechanisms, society’s support for reform and new mechanisms, channels, and tools to foster improved knowledge exchange, and capacity for evidence-informed decision-making processes. There is a crucial need to improve the use of science in environmental decision-making and to improve environmental outcomes. The time lapse between knowledge, available solutions, and action must be shortened.

As part of the commemoration of 50 years since the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), (UNEP@50), UNEP proposed recommendations for a more effective science-policy interface to support better environmental decision making, in a report Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future: A contribution to the dialogue on the Science-Policy Interface. The report also calls for a new science-policy interface to engage more meaningfully in implementation and track progress. As one of the avenues proposed to achieve this goal, UNEP aims to work with partners to explore the development of a customized environmental policy tracker to help assess the uptake and implementation of policy designed to address the triple planetary crises, including adopting a “theory of change” or “impact value chain” approach.

In support of its work on science-policy interfaces, UNEP is currently developing an environmental policy tracker, with an initial pilot scale activity focusing on air quality and pollution. The tracker aims to improve understanding of how science, policy and action are influencing environmental change, and to support improved environmental governance globally. The pilot will build on existing UNEP initiatives such as the first Global Assessment of Air Pollution Legislation (GAAPL); the World Environment Situation Room, in particular planned actions to build a ‘solutions hub’; and ongoing work with the UNEP Law and Environment Assistance Platform (UNEP LEAP) to develop an online air pollution toolkit, which will include a legislative development guide and a linked legislative database of ambient air quality standards legislation.

Preliminary UNEP work on developing the policy tracker in 2022 and 2023 points to several possible models. For example, the tracker could focus narrowly on gathering, organizing and presenting information on national legislation and targets on air quality and pollution. Alternatively, it could take a broader and more ambitious approach that addresses the broad range of regulatory instruments (i.e. policies and laws) at different scales of governance that influence air quality and seeks to evaluate them against specific criteria. These contrasting models appear to reflect different understandings of key issues, such as the tracker’s objectives and target audiences, the underlying theory of change, and the resources available for maintaining the tracker in the long term. An essential next step in further developing the pilot will therefore be to map out the different potential models, identify their strengths, limitations and resource implications, and secure alignment within UNEP senior management on a preferred approach. This work will be based on and build on analysis already undertaken for this purpose.

Under the overall leadership of the Chief Scientist in collaboration with the Director of the Law Division a consultant will develop the conceptual framework for the tracker considering the available policies and assessments at global and national level and produce a proof-of-concept platform.

The responsibilities of the consultant will be to: 1. Assess available policy tracking tools and methods focusing on the focal area (air quality and pollution), in terms of their structure, design, inputs, methodology, resource needs, impacts and effectiveness. 2. Assess the potential partners and identify, engage and coordinate strategic collaborator(s) who will assist UNEP to implement and deliver a user-centric design/ architecture to present the content for web-based digital proof-of-concept EPT platform. 3. Take into account other related environmental issues; reporting processes such as UNEP GAAPL; UNEP initiatives such as the World Environmental Situation Room; and platforms such as INFORMEA and those of MEAs and other UN entities, including collaborating centres. 4. Develop and present an overview of alternative models for the pilot policy tracker, setting out the objectives, advantages, limitations and resource implications of each, as a basis for UNEP senior management to identify a preferred model. 5. Develop a conceptual framework for UNEP’s preferred model for the environmental policy tracker on air quality and pollution considering the further development of the tracker. 6. Undertake discussions with key users to develop both use cases and potential personas. 7. Elaborate the data, information and knowledge needed to support a tracker and an overall approach to the development and implementation of a policy tracker. 8. Coordinate the content management for the proof-of-concept and beta-test the tracker with key audiences. 9. Facilitate the development of a proof-of-concept tracker, including management of a contractor to develop the platform and visualization of the tracker. 10. Undertake testing and consultations on the proof-of-concept tracker with stakeholders to guide further refinement of the tool and inform analysis of further development, implementation and maintenance of the tracker.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree (Master’s level) in environmental science, policy, law, economics, administration, computing, data analytics, or related area is required. A Bachelor’s degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Minimum of10 years of professional experience in programme or project development, environmental science, administration, environmental law or policy, or related area is required. Experience in data and information management and analytics is desirable. Work experience in dealing with knowledge management tools will be an advantage. Experience in science writing and community engagement.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

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.