TECHNICAL SPECIALIST, GREENING

Location: New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Application Deadline: 02-Aug-12

Additional Category Millennium Development Goals

Type of Contract: FTA International

Post Level: P-3

Languages Required: English

Starting Date: 03-Sep-2012

Background

Climate change is emerging as an important concern in UNDP as well as the broader UN system. More than a core environmental issue, climate change is seriously undermining efforts to achieve the MDGs. Its adverse impacts are already in evidence and are likely to disproportionately affect the developing countries where UNDP operates, particularly LDCs.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon states that "The UN’s ability to walk the talk on climate change is defining our credibility and, thereby, our ability to deliver our mandates" and pledged on World Environment Day 2007 that the United Nations system would become climate neutral. The UN agencies, funds and programmes have recognized their particular responsibility to ‘walk the talk’ on climate change mitigation and have decided to take action by joining forces to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions collectively. In October 2007, the UN Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) adopted a decision to move towards a climate neutral United Nations. In particular, it was committed to:

Estimate the greenhouse gas emissions of UN system organizations consistent with accepted international standards;
Undertake efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
Analyze the cost implications and explore budgetary modalities of purchasing carbon offsets to eventually reach climate neutrality.

Furthermore the 17th Senior Officials Meeting of the Environment Management Group (EMG SOM) on 19 September 2011mandated the development of a Strategic Plan for Sustainability Management in the UN system and the adoption of agency-specific Environmental Sustainability Management Systems (SMS).

Within this scope, UNDP, as a leading organization in the fight against climate change, has made considerable progress over the past few years on ‘greening’ its operations: A rigorous GHG reporting mechanism has been established and GHG emissions from global UNDP operations have been assessed and reported annually since 2008. A comprehensive ‘Greening UNDP’ intranet space has been developed in teamworks to provide UNDP offices with background and guidance for taking action to reduce their environmental footprint. Furthermore, an Emission Reduction Strategy (ERS) has been approved for UNDP HQ and a ‘Green Pilot’ has been launched in which around 15 UNDP Country Offices and Regional Centers develop similar greening strategies under the guidance by Headquarters.

So far, ‘greening’ initiatives in UNDP are undertaken on an ad-hoc basis and depending on personal commitment of individual staff. UNDP is committed to mainstream environmental considerations systematically into its global operations and implement a comprehensive Environmental Sustainability Management System and to take action towards significantly reducing (and ultimately, offsetting) its GHG emissions towards a target of institutional climate neutrality.

BDP and BOM will continue their partnership in leading the ‘Greening UNDP’ initiative. The Technical Specialist will manage and coordinate day-to-day ‘greening’ operations, support UNDP offices in implementing environmental strategies and contribute to and ensure compliance with ‘greening’ in the UN-wide context.

Duties and Responsibilities

Develop proposal for an Environmental Sustainability Management System (SMS):

Coordinate consultation with all relevant experts including UNDP colleagues at HQ, in Country Offices and Regional Centers, colleagues from other UN agencies and external experts. In particular, support BOM in reviewing and where relevant adjusting operational guidelines and frameworks and consult with BDP colleagues to ensure the SMS reflects accurate, latest and relevant technical expertise.

Manage the ‘Green Pilot’ project including analyzing experience gained and lessons learnt to incorporate in the SMS proposal. Identify gaps and obstacles to implement ‘greening’ activities in various UNDP operational scenarios and develop proposals to overcome these.

Support the required procedure for obtaining senior management approval for the SMS proposal

Key result: A SMS that describes how environmental performance of global UNDP operations is managed, monitored and reported and which might be used for external communication and potentially verification of ‘UNDP greening’.

Coordinate implementation and manage the SMS:

Support Country Offices and Regional Centers in developing and implementing Greening Strategies and ensure compliance with UNDP and UN-wide approaches, methodologies and targets.

Support BOM in reviewing leases, contracts and agreements to incorporate ‘greening’ considerations and consult with UNDP, UN and external experts to facilitate best practice guidance and reflect latest developments in organizational greening.