Stakeholders Engagement and Nature Protection Policy Consultant

Job title:

Stakeholders Engagement and Nature Protection Policy Consultant

Company

United Nations

Job description

1. Criteria developed and applied to inform potential demonstration destinations for pilot projects. 2. Validation of the approach and approval of proposed pilot projects.Work LocationHome-basedExpected duration73 working days over a 5 months period.Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe 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. UNEP has the mandate to keep the state of the global and regional environment under review, in order to inform decision making on the state and trends of our changing environment, and to foresee emerging environmental problems and threats, particularly those of a transboundary nature. The Western Balkans (WB) is one of the regions in Europe that is most severely affected by the impacts of climate change. This trend is projected to continue, with estimated temperature increases of 1.7°C – 4.0°C, and even exceeding 5.0°C by the end of the century, unless global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are intensified. The signatories of the Paris Agreement, which includes five WB partners (with the exception of Kosovo), have pledged to pursue efforts to limit global warming to between 1.5°C and 2°C. In line with the European Climate Law, climate neutrality will be on the agenda of the European Union’s (EU) bilateral relations and accession negotiations with the Western Balkans. The countries’ societies need to be transformed accordingly. Achieving climate neutrality by 2050 implies introducing far-reaching changes, which is why the European Commission (EC) has proposed cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 within the EU as a whole. Following the results of the project “Enhancing Environmental Performance and Climate Proofing of Infrastructure Investments in the Western Balkan Region from an EU integration perspective” (ClimaProof) and having in mind persistent challenges such as low climate-related awareness in the region, as well as challenges with the practical application of climate-proofing tools, a new initiative has been launched by UNEP titled “Climate Proofing for Sustainable Development in the Western Balkans” (hereinafter the Project). The overall objective of this project is to establish a comprehensive knowledge and information base tailored to the needs of Western Balkan stakeholders and is supplementary to other existing platforms. The planned activities to achieve the project objective are organized under two corresponding Outcomes, each one of them having two Outputs. Outcome I will provide general access to climate change knowledge, best practices and adaptation solutions by establishing a regional Western Balkans Climate-Proofing Platform (WB-CPP), which will be the key information base for evidence-based decision making. Outcome II will facilitate incorporation of climate considerations in planning and development processes through targeted stakeholder empowerment to apply climate-proofing principles and use the WB-CPP as well as piloting practical adaptation approaches in selected tourism destinations. According to ClimaProof’s GAP analysis, no systematic and consistent approach has thus far been applied to legal and policy analyses that address the integration of climate change adaptation approaches, such as Nature-based Solutions (NbS) or Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), into development strategies, sectoral policies and legal instruments to address climate change and disaster risks. To close this gap, IUCN developed a novel methodology to conduct such an analysis based on the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions and tested this methodology in six countries of the Western Balkans region. The lessons learnt from the ClimaProof project need to be implemented in the region and enhanced with novel approaches to climate proof economic development and implement NbS wherever possible as an approach to climate change adaptation. This position is located in the Vienna Programme Office, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (SCC) of the Regional Office for Europe and reports to the Head of SCC of UN Environment Programme. The consultant will provide technical and expert support to UNEP, in relation to the achievement of the Project Outcome II. This will include: 1) Desk assessment and identification of demonstration sites for pilot projects, and 2) consultation with the key stakeholders and experts at the country level to ensure final decision on the selection of pilot demonstration projects. The consultant will be supported by the project team, with an ultimate aim to select two, ideally cross-border, touristic hotspot regions, one in a coastal area and another one in a mountainous environment. Under the supervision of the Head of UNEP Vienna Programme Office – SCC, the consultant will carry out the following activities: 1. In consultation with the key stakeholders and experts, including those involved in the development of the WB-CPP, develop criteria for selection of demonstration sites for pilot projects, taking into consideration planning/strategy development processes, ecological value, severity of climate change impacts to date and respective projections, etc. 2. Based on a list of selected criteria, identify potential demonstration sites for pilot projects, consulting relevant stakeholders and experts at the national and local level. 3. Once the pilot demonstration destinations have been determined, conduct a preparatory stock-taking, which will involve local communities and planners/experts, and opportunities for climate proofing that are context- and location-specific. 4. Organize a validation workshop with representatives of relevant governmental institutions in order to select two, ideally cross-border, tourism regions, one in a coastal area and another in a mountainous area.Qualifications/special skillsA master’s degree in management, public participation, sustainable development, nature protection, tourism, education, environmental policy, or a similar field is required. A minimum of five years of work experience in the field of sustainable regional development, and environmental policy is required. Experience in working in transboundary set-up is desirable. Working experience in diverse sectors (non-governmental, academic, private sectors) is desirable.LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of a Serbian language is an asset.Additional InformationNot available.No FeeTHE 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.

Expected salary

Location

Wien

Job date

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 06:17:11 GMT

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