Mitigation Expert on Sand and Dust Storms

Client of United Nation careers

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 regional Office for West Asia delivers advisory services and capacity building support to countries to achieve environmental and sustainable development objectives. This consultancy is established at the West Asia Office within the framework of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between UNEP and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Consultant will report to the Project Manager at the UNEP West Asia Office. Within the above context, UNEP and the National Centre for Meteorology (NCM), through its Regional Centre on Sand and Dust Stoms (SDS), will collaborate to develop the Regional Master Plan to Combat Sand and Dust Storm in West Asia. The Master Plan will capitalize on the resources and knowledge available at the Regional SDS Centre. Furthermore, The Master Plan will serve as a policy and technical document to guide actions at the regional, national and local levels to tackle the sand and dust storms across the full cycle. Considerable meteorological work has been done to monitor SDS and identify sources (hot spots). However, noticeable gaps are still apparent in identifying root causes and designing micro-scale mitigation measures and evidence-based monitoring. The consultant scope of work entails collaborating with the Regional SDS Centre, relevant regional and national institutions in the analysis of root causes and designing location-specific SDS reduction strategies/plans as well be responsible for the overall writing up of the Master Plan. The job is one-year full-time consultancy, based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager in UNEP West Asia Office, and in collaboration with the Regional SDS Centre, relevant regional and national entities, the Consultant will carry out the following duties and responsibilities.

1. Develop Environmental Profiles for Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) Hotspots

1.1 Review the list and general characteristics of the national and regional hotspots identified by the SDS Centre with view to enhancing the criteria for selection and developing detailed environmental profiles

1.2 Conduct detailed analysis and assessment of each of the identified SDS hotspots in the West Asia region, including but not limited to the identification of main causes, land cover/use, water management, agricultural practices, topography, climatic conditions, frequency, anthropogenic drivers, impacts, etc.

1.3 In coordination with and support from UNEP and NCM/SDS Centre, conduct site visits to selected hotspots to validate data and assessments.

1.4 Compile and establish a list of experts at the national level who will serve as technical point of reference for the hotspots. Together with list of stakeholders institutions, these lists will constitute the regional network of hotspots.

1.5 Coordinate the organization of national meetings/workshops to consult on hotspots profiling. Write up summary reports on these consultations.

2. Design Mitigation Strategies to Combat SDS

2.1 For each of the hotspots, propose/design site-specific integrated mitigation intervention(s) to prevent, reduce and mitigate the generation of sand and dust storms. The ultimate objective is to reduce the intensity and frequency of such storms at the source. Interventions may include depending on the root causes, but not limited to, sustainable land and water management, agriculture, mining, etc.

2.2 Design evidence-based monitoring and evaluation plan for the group of hotpots to measure the effectiveness of the proposed interventions in reducing the intensity and frequency of the SDS. The plan will include a list of relevant KPIs with means of versification.

3. Draft of the Regional Masterplan to Combat Sand and Dust Storms for West Asia

The Master Plan will serve as guiding document for countries, addressing SDS from multiple dimensions, especially root causes and prevention. It should contain guidelines for countries on how to develop local/national level action plans, including standardized methodologies to guide assessment, monitoring, and implementation to address sand and dust storms, especially at the hotspot level. The guidelines will also promote the integration of SDS mitigation and adaptation measures into national environmental and development policies

3.1 Propose annotated outline for the Regional Master Plan and consult with UNEP, SDS centre and other partners to finalize.

3.2 Compile data, information and findings for various sections of the Master Plan

3.3 Coordinate closely with the other experts developing different sections of the Masterplan (such as economic valuation and health impacts), to ensure coherence between different sections and avoid duplication.

3.4 Compile and consolidate the various sections into one comprehensive and well-structured document.

4. Regional Consultations

4.1 The consultant will coordinate the organization of regional consultations, present the findings of the above tasks, and gather input and feedback from the relevant stakeholders and institutions to reflect in the final Master Plan

5. Final Version of the Regional Masterplan to Combat Sand and Dust Storms for West Asia

5.1 Refine and finalize the Masterplan, with all comments and feedback fully incorporated and addressed. Submit a final version ready for publishing.