Sustainable Consumption and Production, Plastics

Result of Service Ultimate result of the service is the Plastics section of the Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plan for the State of Kuwait.

Work Location Lebanon

Expected duration 10 Months

Duties and Responsibilities 1. Organizational Setting, Purpose and Objective:

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 Regional Office for West Asia delivers advisory services and capacity building support to countries to achieve environment and sustainable development objectives.

This consultancy is under the supervision of the Regional Coordinator of the Finance and Economic Transformations subprogramme of the UNEP West Asia Office (UNEP ROWA).

UNEP’s work in Finance and Economic Transformations focusses on supporting regions, countries, and businesses in their transition to inclusive green economies and to sustainable consumption and production patterns. This involves promoting green finance and investments, sustainable trade, mainstreaming of green economy pathways into sustainable development planning and sectoral policies in order to decouple (i.e. delink) economic growth and activity from environmental impact while improving human well-being and job creation.

This contract aims at contributing to the preparation of the Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plan (SCP NAP) for Kuwait. The national counterpart of the project is KEPA (Kuwait Environment Public Authority). The waste sector is a priority to shift towards sustainable consumption and production patterns in Kuwait, and it can set the foundation for several interconnected and cross-cutting actions to develop policies. Two waste streams will be in the focus of the SCP NAP: construction and demolition waste (CDW) and plastics. According to official statistics, CDW is estimated as high as 51% (including quarrying and mining activities), while the plastics account for 17% of the total solid waste. Targeting CDW waste and plastics will allow to drive sustainability in several interconnected sectors from business and policy perspective. Circularity will be put in the focus as a driving model.

The objective of this contract is to contribute to the Plastics component of the SCP NAP.

The consultant will be leading on the situation analysis, stakeholder consultation, scenario projections, definitions of actions, and elaboration of a monitoring plan to track progress about the action plan implementation, focusing on the Plastics management.

2. Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Finance and Economic Transformations Regional Coordinator, a.i, in UNEP West Asia Office, the consultant will take the overall responsibility of the following:

1) Mapping of ongoing and planned interventions intended for improving Plastics management in Kuwait a) Conduct situation analysis on the Plastics generation and management in Kuwait (desk research), including the regulatory and institutional governance framework for Plastics, as well as any initiative led by the private sector. Focus will have to be put on packaging and Single Use Plastic items. b) Review of ongoing and planned initiatives intended for improving Plastics management in Kuwait, highlighting the circular economy perspective, as well as collecting good practices from other countries that may be adapted to the local context. c) Stakeholder mapping, identifying the key actors across that may play a role in reducing and managing plastics.

2) Identify actions and develop scenarios a) Identify policy actions that can reduce the negative impact of plastics on the environment and drive sustainability in key sectors responsible for plastic generation. Policy actions will have to target both the consumption and production side. b) Develop scenarios with projections against action implementation. c) Consult key stakeholders, in close coordination with KEPA and UNEP.

3) Monitoring Plan a) Development of a monitoring plan to track progress on the action plan implementation about Plastics. b) Propose a framework for measuring performance of Plastics management including indicators, targets, tools, etc. Circularity must play a key role.

4) Draft the action plan for Plastics a) Draft the Plastics chapter of the SCP NAP, including the list of actions identified to drive sustainability targeting both the consumption and production side.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Master’s degree in environment sciences, engineering, waste management, or economics is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree is required. Experience: PROFESSIONAL:

• Minimum of 8 years progressive experience on waste management, circular economy, resource management issues is required.
• Solid background in resource efficiency, circular economy, green economy, and other related fields is required.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Solid overall computer literacy.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.

• Excellent analytical skills. Language: Proficiency in English and Arabic is required.

  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.