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 overall objective of the UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities.

As part of the Industry and Economy Division, UNEP International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) works with developing countries to implement sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, with focus on holistic waste management. The Centre promotes and advocates sustainability of waste management and disposal, based on the circularity principles and through the life-cycle approach. Sound management of waste contributes to all three pillars of sustainable development. In particular, UNEP-IETC provides technical and advisory support to national and local governments to enhance their use of environmentally sound strategies and approaches. UNEP-IETC also implements in-country demonstration projects using innovative waste prevention and management methods and technologies to improve human well-being, reduce the impact of climate change, increase resilience and create jobs. Working with a wide range of partners and in line with relevant multilateral environmental agreements, UNEP-IETC mission is to serve as a global centre of excellence on environmentally sound technologies with focus on holistic waste management. UNEP-IETC is also contributing to the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee processes from the waste management perspective.

Purpose:

Under the MTS 2022-2025, UNEP developed a new project on integrated solid waste management towards zero waste to combat pollution crises as one of the three planetary crises. While UNEP continues to support the Member States and their local governments to improve their waste management practices by introducing new measures, it is important to invest in, introduce, and operate environmentally sound waste management technologies within the context of existing waste management practices in each Member State. Based on the resolutions adopted by the Member States, UNEP has prioritized implementing project activities on plastics as one of the main sources of pollution.

In order to combat plastic pollution at a global level, the International Negotiating Committee (INC) on a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution has begun, and waste management issue is one of the topics discussed under INC. UNEP has prepared documents for the initial sessions of the INC, which touch inter alia on technologies related to environmentally sound plastic production, plastic waste disposal and recycling, and plastic alternatives.

The proposed consultancy with UNEP staff and other experts will prepare a report on the environmentally sound management of plastic waste. This report will serve as an information document for INC 3. UNEP-IETC has produced various technical documents related to waste management, including a report on plastic waste management technologies, which will be prepared in 2023. The proposed consultant will use these technical documents to reflect current situations and needs surrounding plastic waste management. This will include the classification of sources of plastic waste, its end-process, and its resource value among different economic situations and Member States. The aim of this technical document is to provide guidance on the environmentally sound management of plastic waste.

B. Duties

Objectives: To prepare a report on environmentally sound management of plastic waste to be used as an information document for INC by the member States.

Output expectations: A core document (up to 50 pages), with additional information in annexes as indicated. A summarized 10-page version.

Performance indicators: The production of the scoping paper, first draft and final draft of the quality satisfactory to UNEP and an updated report based on comments and new information after INC3.

C. Specific Tasks and Responsibilities

The consultant will work directly with and will be supervised by the Programme Officers responsible for plastic waste, UNEP-IETC. Also, the consultant will work with other consultants as a UNEP-IETC team.

The tasks of the consultant are:

1. Collect and compile technical information of environmentally sound management of plastic waste, including source of plastic waste generation, types of plastic wastes, composition of plastic waste, types of plastic waste management technologies, scale of plastic waste management technologies and relevant factors surrounding plastic waste management technologies (such as costs of implementation and operation). 2. Review and organize the collected information in structured manner involving categorizing the information by technology type, cost, scalability, environmental impact or other relevant criteria. 3. Identify key criteria to identify options and conditions among plastic waste management technologies be used to develop a matrix or tool. These criteria should be relevant, measurable, and objective, and should capture the most important factors that influence the selection of plastic waste management technologies. 4. Develop a matrix or tool. Once the key criteria are identified, a matrix or other tools to analyze and visualize the information would be developed. The matrix or tool should be designed to facilitate comparison and evaluation of the different plastic waste management technologies based on the identified criteria. 5. Draft a report on environmentally sound management of plastic waste, including 1) Clarification of the sources of various types of plastic waste generated and the types of plastic waste; 2) Clarification of the form of final disposal, recycling and reuse of plastic waste; and 3) Study of the resource value of each type of plastic waste. 6. Finalise a report on environmentally sound management of plastic waste based on comments and latest available information after INC3 and prior to INC4.

Qualifications/special skills Education - Masters or equivalent in the field of environmental management, environmental engineering, environmental policies and strategies, and other related areas.

Professional Experience - At least 7 years of professional experiences in environmental management of waste, waste disposal and recycling, waste technologies, plastics production and recycling and other plastic related or waste related fields. - Experiences in UN technical report writing.

Special knowledge and skills - Capacity to gather, analyze and synthesize data and generate relevant information (asset). - Prior experience working with international organizations (desirable). - Willingness to promote gender equity. - Cultural sensitivity / Appreciation of diversity.

* People from under-represented groups and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. * Gender considerations included: yes.

Languages - Fluency in both oral and written English is required. - Demonstrated capacity to write UN documents in English is an asset.

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 11 months ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: careers.un.org