Result of Service

Achievement of Key Project Milestones: – Successful contribution to the IKI-funded GPI and SAMPeat projects, ensuring key deliverables and outputs are met, with clear alignment to peatland conservation, policy development, and sustainable management goals in target countries of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina.Integration of Peatland Policies: Peru and Colombia effectively incorporate peatland conservation and sustainable management into their NDCs and NBSAPs, advancing national commitments on climate change and peatland protection. – Strengthened Global Peatland Collaboration: Successful signing of an MoU between Peru, Indonesia, and ITPC, and the inclusion of Colombia in the partnership, enhancing global peatland conservation efforts through strengthened South-South cooperation.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

UN Environment Programme 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. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI), led by UNEP, seeks to capture, and establish new approaches for the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of peatlands – linking science to practice and decision making. The six peat-rich tropical countries of Indonesia, Peru, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mongolia, and Colombia, are the pilot countries of the Global Peatlands Initiative. Due to the enormous amounts of carbon, they hold and the catastrophic consequences their drainage and degradation has generated in the past, a commitment by over 50 partners and tropical peatland countries to work together to halt the further destruction of peatlands is gaining international attention. The GPI supports its partner countries in identifying data gaps, addressing capacity needs, and developing robust and effective policies, legislation, and frameworks for peatlands and climate change. This assistance strengthens national climate strategies by aligning them with global commitments and ensuring the integration of peatlands into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs). By promoting South-South collaboration, the initiative facilitates the exchange of strategies and best practices to enhance peatland conservation, restoration, and sustainable management, ensuring comprehensive policy integration to effectively reduce peatland degradation. UNEP’s GPI is also engaged as an implementing partner in the IKI-funded South American Mountain and Patagonian Peatlands for People and Nature (SAMPeat) project, currently in its proposal development phase. The project aims to support Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing their Andean and Patagonian peatland landscapes. By enhancing the resilience of these ecosystems, the project will provide significant benefits to communities, including secure livelihoods and reliable water resources, while recognizing and valuing peatlands’ vital role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, cultural identity, and contributions to local, national, and regional economies. UNEP’s role focuses on supporting policy development, facilitating access to sustainable finance, raising awareness through outreach, and promoting knowledge sharing. This ensures robust frameworks, innovative funding, stakeholder engagement, and effective tools for peatland monitoring and management. The consultant will be home based located in LAC at the UN Environment / Ecosystems Division / Biodiversity, and Land Branch. He/she will report to Programme Management Officer, Biodiversity People and Landscapes Unit, UNEP, and will be engaged full time for 12 months, from start of contract. Specific tasks and responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Coordinator of the Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI), the consultant will support the ongoing IKI-funded GPI project and the development of the IKI-funded SAMPeat project with the following specific duties: 1. Compile environmental data and coordinate peatland monitoring and policy support in Peru and Colombia. The task involves compiling, organizing, and refining environmental data and information for Peru and Colombia, prioritizing sources such as UNEP’s World Environment Situation Room, verified independent sources, official national data, and other contributions from the GPI. The focus is on statistics, subnational indicators, and cartographic information, particularly for monitoring, mapping, and peatland conservation and restoration activities. Special attention will be given to data related to Peru’s and Colombia’s progress in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and the inclusion of peatlands in updating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the UNFCCC. The information must be documented with metadata and relevant for country analyses, aligned with UNEP guidance. The work also includes acting as a liaison between the GPI project objectives and the Environment Ministries of Peru and Colombia, based on project concept notes and outcomes. 2. Prepare and assist in drafting technical documents on the implementation of Peru’s NDCs concerning the conservation and sustainable management of Amazonian peatlands. Additionally, provide support for the preparation of other strategic documents for both Peru and Colombia to advance the integration of peatlands into national plans and public policy processes, including NDCs, NAMAs, and NAPs. 3. Coordinate with and provide information to the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership national facilitator in Ecuador and Colombia for the inclusion of peatland conservation in the NBSAPs. 4. Provide technical and policy assistance for the GPI project activities and objectives in Peru and Colombia, supporting the key outputs of the project: Output I: Knowledge and Science; Output II: Practice and Plans; Output III: Awareness & Upscaling. With key tasks including i) the coordination and development of thematic peatland maps for Peru and Colombia derived from the Global Peatlands Assessment (GPA) and the Global Peatland Hotspot Atlas, ii) supporting fundraising and resource mobilization efforts for peatland conservation in these countries, and iii) engaging in consultations with government stakeholders in Peru and Colombia, as well as other relevant actors, to gather input and foster alignment on the GPI 10-Year Strategy, ensuring its integration into national priorities and plans. 5. Provide technical and policy assistance for the SAMPeat project activities and objectives in Argentina, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, engaging in consultations with stakeholders from these countries and provide support to the key outputs of the project: Output I: Bridging Knowledge Gaps – by enhancing peatland inventories and mapping, and assessing their current status; Output II: Policy Analysis and Financial Framework Design – by ensuring the recognition of peatlands in relevant policies and legal frameworks, and developing incentives and financing for sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity, and climate goals; Output IV: Outreach, Knowledge Management, and Awareness – by strengthening capacities and building momentum for impactful action on peatland conservation and restoration. Additionally, contribute to capacity development efforts across these outputs to ensure long-term sustainability and engagement. Coordinate with the national partners from SAMPeat (universities, FAO country offices, CIFOR country offices, CBOs among others) to ensure the consultations and communication with focal point and stakeholders is coherent and aligned. 6. Support the Peruvian Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indonesia and the International Tropical Peatland Conservation (ITPC), with the support of CIFOR. This partnership will strengthen the collaboration between tropical peatland countries and enhance South-South cooperation by fostering the exchange of knowledge and best practices in peatland conservation. Additionally, facilitate the inclusion of Colombia as an ITPC partner country by liaising with the Colombian Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This collaboration will aim to protect Colombia’s peatlands while also enabling the country to contribute to global peatland conservation efforts and share its experiences and best practices with other tropical peatland countries. And contribute to the compilation and sharing of the lessons learned and best practices between pilot countries. 7. Participate in the UN Country Team meetings in the country office with the objective of raising the country’s environmental agenda, and raise the peatland profile and their conservation in particular. (10% of the consultants’ time).

Qualifications/special skills

First level university degree preferably with a specialization in environmental sciences, conservation biology, sustainable management, or related areas is required. A minimum of two (2) years of progressive experience in the field of environmental conservation, scientific research or science to policy work is required. Experience working on peatlands and/or ecosystems as a topic is required. Experience with the UN system especially with UNEP and on this issue is highly desirable. Skills and experience in networking, outreach, and engaging with multiple parties is desirable. Experience in peatlands work and coordinating research agendas, conducting analysis and possessing excellent drafting skills for scientific reports is desirable. A minimum of two (2) years of progressive experience in the field of environmental conservation, scientific research or science to policy work is required. Experience working on peatlands and/or ecosystems as a topic is required. Experience with the UN system especially with UNEP and on this issue is highly desirable. Skills and experience in networking, outreach, and engaging with multiple parties is desirable. Experience in peatlands work and coordinating research agendas, conducting analysis and possessing excellent drafting skills for scientific reports is desirable.

Languages

English and Spanish are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English and Spanish (both oral and written) is required. NOTE: ”Fluency” equals a rating of ”fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ”Knowledge of” equals a rating of ”confident” in two of the four area.

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.