Waste Expert

Result of Service A document with detailed plan to carry out an assessment of IETC activities, including a annotated outline and a complete chapter of a desk study looking at the uptake of IETC produced reports and strategy documents.

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration 2 person-months over a 2-month period (full time), starting as early as possible

Duties and Responsibilities A. Background

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 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 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. UNEP-IETC provide technical and advisory support to national and local governments to enhance their use of environmentally sound strategies and approaches. UNEP-IETC also implement 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 functions as the Global Centre of Excellence on Environmentally Sustainable 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. Since 2018 IETC’s work on waste management have taken place under the project “Promotion and Delivery of Environmentally Sound Waste Management Technologies and Methods and in-Country Technical and Advisory Support”, which is coming to an end in December 2022. To better understand the full impact of the project, a study to assess the impact of the project will be designed and carried out.

The activities carried out under the project are all based on, and designed in accordance with: UNEP Assembly Resolutions: UNEP/EA.4/Res.7 Environmentally Sound Management of waste; UNEP/EA.5/Res.4 End Plastic Pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument; UNEP/EA.4 Res.21 Implementation plan “Towards a Pollution-Free Planet;” UNEA/EA.5/Res. Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste; UNEP/EA5/Res. Enhancing Circular Economy as a contribution to achieving sustainable consumption and production; UNEP/EA.5/Res. Science-Policy Panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution; and UNEP Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) 2022-2025 and Programme of Work for 2022-2023.

B. Duties

Objectives: This outputs of this consultancy’s consist of (1) Complete assessment plan for the full assessment of IETC’s activities (which will be carried out in 2023) including an annotated outline, and (2) conduct the first component of the assessment which is a desk study to compile all activities under the project, including outputs and envisioned impacts, and to estimate the impact of the project by using bibliographic data and trawling the internet for use of reports and guidelines developed under the project.

Output expectations: A final annotated outline of an assessment plan for IETC’s activities, including a annotated outline, and an initial assessment based on bibliographic data and internet searches.

Performance indicators Both outputs have been developed and finalized to a high standard, so that the full assessment is ready to get started (under a different contract in 2023).

C. Specific Tasks and Responsibilities

The consultant will, in consultation with UNEP staff, design an assessment which will be used to see the reach and impact of activities carried out under the UNEP project “Promotion and Delivery of Environmentally Sound Waste Management Technologies and Methods and in-Country Technical and Advisory Support”. The assessment itself will mainly take place in 2023, but a desk study segment of the assessment will also be undertaken by the consultant.

Output 1 – Designing assessment plan The assessment plan must be designed to address and include: - Annotated outline of final report - Overview of all activities by reporting indicators and project outputs - Methodology for impact assessment - Timeline for implementation - Design questionnaire to collect evidence for identifying governments, businesses, industries, and civil society organizations addressing waste issues through the use of the Guidelines along with other IETC’s activities - Identify questionnaire respondents and provide contact details - Uptake and dissemination of outputs o reference and bibliography data o Interviews with stakeholders - Analysis of the results and Identification of recommended follow-up activities - Compilation of findings in terms of success stories, lessons learned, and recommended follow-up activities.

Output 2 – Desk study assessment The consultant will conduct a desk study in accordance with the plan developed under output 1. The desk study will provide a overview on what the uptake of outputs developed under the project have been. The data used for this analysis will be collected through trawling through academic databases, reference matching, contacting relevant stakeholders. The findings and will be summarized in a report which will in turn be inserted in the annotated outline from output 1. Analysis on the findings, and recommendations for future outputs, are to be included. I similar report was developed in 2017 and will be shared with the consultant at the briefing at the beginning of the contract.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Graduate degree in the field of environmental management, environmental engineering, environmental policies and strategies, and other related areas. Experience: At least 7 years of professional experiences in environmental management of waste, waste regulations and policies, waste technologies and other waste related fields. Language: Demonstrated capacity to write UN documents in English.

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.