Result of Service
- Objectives.
The main objective of the consultancy is that of assisting the Secretariat of the Forum (UNEP) in the full implementation of Decision 5 of the XXII Meeting of the Forum of Ministers, related to the design and elaboration of the first edition of Part I (Context) of the Biennial State of the Environment Report for the Forum of Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean (hereafter SOER LAC).
Outputs:
- Organization of and participation in meetings with relevant stakeholders, including data producers and data providers, to update the existing information mapping of the SOER-LAC.
- Advanced Outline of SOER-LAC (Part I) for validation by Countries.
- Phase 1 of relevant data compilation and analysis, including related sources, charts, figures and maps, to feed the narrative of each Part I of the SOER-LAC (Spanish version).
- Phase 1 of relevant data compilation and analysis, including related sources, charts, figures and maps, to feed the narrative of Part I of the SOER-LAC (English version).
- Phase 2 of relevant data compilation, standardization and analysis, including related sources, to feed the WESR LAC platform database (Spanish version).
Deliverables:
Product No. 1: Document reporting for each meeting with stakeholders, their role in the SOER-LAC narrative, expected actions (if any) and potential contributions.
Product No. 2: A document containing and advanced Outline of Part I of the Regional State of the Environment Report for LAC (SOER-LAC) for the Forum of Ministers of Environment LAC (MS Word document)
Product No. 3: Part I of the Regional State of the Environment Report for LAC (SOER-LAC) for the Forum of Ministers of Environment LAC (MS Word document in Spanish)
Product No. 4: Part I of the Regional State of the Environment Report for LAC (SOER-LAC) for the Forum of Ministers of Environment LAC (MS Word document in English).
Product No. 5: Digital file containing standardized datasets and geoinformation layers, to be uploaded to the WESR LAC platform database.
Work Location
Home-based
Expected duration
8 months
Duties and Responsibilities
- Purpose.
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 UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LACO), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).
Since 1995, UNEP has been conducting an ambitious integrated environmental assessment project known as GEO (Global Environment Outlook). GEO reports have an established methodology to detect trends in the state of the environment and to monitor progress towards the achievement of environmental policy targets. The GEO methodology employs a matrix of the Driver Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) indicators to answer these questions as an analytical instrument that permits factors that act on the environment to be organized and grouped in a logical manner.
Along these lines, this consultancy represents a step forward in the implementation of a series of Decisions of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean including those endorsed by Ministers at the XX Meeting in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia (2016), reinforced at the XXI Meeting in Buenos Aires (2018), the inter-sessional meeting in Bridgetown, Barbados (2019) and more recently, through the approval of Decision 5 at the occasion of the XXII Meeting in Bridgetown (February 2021) (see at: https://www.unep.org/events/unep-event/xxii-forum-ministers-environment-latin-america-and-caribbean).
In addition, other achievements around environmental information, such as the recent Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean, known as the Escazú Agreement, have laid the groundwork for the development of solid environmental information systems that directly reach out to citizens, who are increasingly eager for this information. This context provides an opportunity to move forward in strengthening environmental information networks at the regional level to increase and facilitate the development of capacities and tools that make it possible to measure and investigate the state of the environment, as well as to identify trends, pressures, and impacts.
In this framework, the Forum of Ministers of Latin America and Caribbean (LAC), through Decision 5 of the XXII Meeting (2021), has recognized the need for a solid framework of environmental information for the entire region, based on updated, reliable, disaggregated, and open data. This consultancy is published in response to Forum’s Decision n. 5/XXII proposing the designing, development, and elaboration of a Biennial State of the Environment Report for the Forum. Following up on this decision, CAF and UNEP have established a strategic alliance to contribute to the strengthening of instruments that increase the incidence of the use of scientifically-based information in the formulation of environmental public policies at the regional level, in accordance with Decision 5 of the XXII Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to facilitate and accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda, La Senda de Samoa, the Paris Agreement, ILAC and other multilateral agreements.
The consultant will perform his/her contractual obligations under the direct supervision of the Programme Officer of the Sub-programme Environment Under Review of UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office and will work from home.
Qualifications/special skills
ACADEMIC:
- Bachelor Degree in Environmental Sciences, Natural Sciences, Statistics, Mathematics, Physical Geography, Agriculture / Forestry Engineering, Economy, Natural Economy or related fields is required.
- Master degree in Environmental Sciences, Natural Sciences, Statistics, Mathematics, Physical Geography, Agriculture / Forestry Engineering, Economy, Natural Economy or related fields is required.
PROFESSIONAL:
- A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Analysis for Sustainable Development, Environmental Data and Statistics is required.
LANGUAGE:
- Fluency in Spanish and English is required.
SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Professionalism:
- Narrative capacity combined with knowledge of environmental and sustainable development issues, combined with knowledge of Environmental Assessments (at regional/national and or/local levels)
- Documented experience in the development of reports, briefing and discussion papers.
- Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to environmental reports related the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals, Multilateral Environmental Agreements and other relevant international treaties and conventions is desirable.
- Knowledge of the GEO Methodology and DPSIR framework is desirable.
- Knowledge and familiarity with UNEP and the Forum of Ministers of Environment of LAC is a clear asset.
Communication:
- Good communication skills, written and spoken as well as ability to draft or edit a variety of written reports
including publications, summaries, concept notes and briefing notes.
Teamwork:
Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others, and able to work in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment
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.
