Climate Change and Environmental Expert

Result of Service

To provide normative and technical expertise on topics of territorial and urban planning, finance and economy, and their linkages with climate change adaptation and mitigation to the Urban Lab and Country Offices.

Work Location

Paris, France

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

About UN-Habitat UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable and resilient towns and cities. It is the focal point agency for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat envisions well-planned, well-governed and efficient cities and towns, with adequate housing, infrastructure and universal access to employment and basic services such as water, energy, and sanitation.

The Regional Programme Division (RPD) is the operational arm of UN-Habitat supporting regional and country-level implementation, ensuring coherent, demand-driven and coordinated assistance across Member States. It brings together the Urban Lab programme, the Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation (RPTC), and the Inter-Regional Advisors to enhance collaboration with field offices and improve the effectiveness of technical cooperation and programme delivery.

The Regional Advisory & Projects Support Section is responsible for providing cross-cutting technical assistance, quality assurance and operational support to Regional and Country Offices through the development and delivery of climate and environment-related projects, the formulation of proposals and engagement with vertical funds, with particular emphasis on supporting Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to strengthen access to expertise, financing and capacity for sustainable urban development and climate resilience.

The Urban Lab is the integrative facility of the Agency where innovative processes and partnerships are translated into tangible and transformative solutions to complex urban challenges Throughout, the Urban Lab acts as a neutral broker, managing knowledge in complex stakeholder settings to resolve multi-sectoral, multi-scalar and multi-stakeholder challenges. The Urban Lab brings together a multidisciplinary team of urban planners, environmental, data-science, mobility, legal and financial experts, providing a holistic and proactive approach to sustainable urbanization. In this context, the Urban Lab applies an integrated approach to systemic and strategic planning to deliver transformative change for sustainable urbanization and to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda.

The Lab is currently working on concrete projects joining international and local expertise in more than 60 countries and 80 cities in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

The Urban Lab serves as the cornerstone of the Global Network of Planning and Design Labs, an initiative supported by member states during the 25th Governing Council of UN-Habitat.

The Network of the Urban Labs promotes the collaboration between international and local partners in different countries to propose and prepare implementable projects and plans. To enhance country operationalisation and expand support globally, the Urban Lab is establishing integrated urban labs within country and multi-country offices and in close collaboration with governments and ensures close cooperation with its headquarters. Further integration of urban labs at country level is also required to address gaps in local and city-level capacities and entails increased efforts to enhance policy influencing on the national and local level whilst aligning with partner’s strategic ambitions.

Reporting and Communication The Climate Change and Environmental Expert will be hired to work with the Urban Lab and work closely with regional and country offices. The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Urban Lab Coordinators and the overall supervision of the Chief, Regional Advisory & Projects Support Section Section.

Duties and Responsibilities As part of the Urban Lab, the consultant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Provide technical expertise and input on climate change and urban resilience;
• Develop analysis, collection, interpretation and representation of data and spatial analysis for climate vulnerability analysis;
• Support the review of climate and environmental, political and regulatory frameworks;
• Produce desk and field research on sustainable and climate-resilient urban development and infrastructure;
• Support the preparation and implementation of participatory processes, workshops and events;
• Advise and develop materials for events, outreach, communications, capacity building sessions and workshops;
• Develop normative materials and publications;
• Support the development of project proposals for international climate funds and financial partners;
• Support environmental, social and project risk monitoring and reporting;
• Provide inputs for progress reports regarding the implementation of projects;
• Support effective communication and dissemination of projects and results, ensuring visibility of technical and normative work across global, regional and local platforms and partners.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic Qualification:

Advance university degree in environmental engineering, environmental policy and climate change, or a related field is required. A first level university degree with (2) two years qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the first level degree.

Work Experience:

At least 2 years of relevant work experience in the field of urban and territorial planning or climate change is required. Experience in climate resilient urban and territorial planning, and urban water resilience is required Work experience within the United Nations System or similar organization is desirable

Languages

English and Spanish are required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.