Environment Systems Researcher

The consultant will deliver a comprehensive assessment of the health and biodiversity impacts of SMEP interventions in the textiles, tanneries, organic waste, and ULAB sectors grounded in robust quantitative and qualitative analyses.   2. To organize and facilitate field visits of SMEP Programme grantees in the context of World Circular Economy Forum 2025 in São Paulo, Brazil, with a focus on promoting cross-learning, technology transfer, and policy dialogue on circular economy practices for organic waste streams.

home based

15.02.25 to 30.12.25

Building on previous work assessing the health impacts of the SMEP Programme’s plastic pollution portfolio, additional analytical and organizational efforts are needed to produce structured insights on human health and environmental impacts of SMEP interventions across other project portfolios, as well as to leverage international dissemination and collaboration.  Under the supervision of the project manager - DITC, the consultant will: A. Conduct technical studies to estimate the health and environment (biodiversity) impacts from pollution avoided considering SMEP interventions in the Tanneries, Textiles, Organic Waste and Used Lead-Acid Battery Sectors The technical studies shall be developed based on quantitative evidence (of actual pollution discharges prevented) from SMEP projects under the respective thematic portfolios, Tanneries, Textiles, Organic Residues and Lead-Acid Batteries. All metrics, parameters and assumptions should be grounded in peer-reviewed publications, recognized life-cycle analysis (LCA) methodologies and depositories, with the goal of generating robust and data-driven evidence based on empirical data from SMEP field projects on the actual and projected health and environmental gains linked to their interventions under the four thematic portfolios under the SMEP Programme. The study results shall be validated in technical workshops with beneficiary governments under each portfolio.  The studies will serve to enhance policy influencing and impact from evidence produced in project portfolios, as well as foster collaboration with authorities from other domains (health, urban planning, water) to strengthen programme outcomes.   For the projects under the Tanneries, Textiles, Organic Waste and Lead-Acid Batteries SMEP programme portfolios, the consultant shall deliver (for each) on:  1. Pollutant discharges avoided:  A factual baseline of pollution avoided into the environment by project interventions (e.g., where applicable water discharges, chemical or metals discharges, solid residues / organic waste avoided, particulate emissions avoided), specifying specific material type.  This can (and will necessarily)  be built-in LCA methods as an intermediary step to estimate Health and Biodiversity impacts, but should be highlighted in the final analysis as a direct measurement of environmental toll avoided by SMEP projects.   2. Health impacts: Assess health impacts using LCA-DALY methodologies to estimate Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) gained through  pollution reduction and circular economy practices deployed  by  SMEP interventions.  This should be carried out  at three levels considering: 2.1 Actual pollution avoided by SMEP project interventions; 2.2 An expansion, sensitivity analysis, of project scales by 10- to 100- fold.  2.3 Dissemination of specific project solutions across part of the economy or within the manufacturing contexts of the projects.  3. Biodiversity impacts: Evaluate biodiversity impacts using LCA-derived biodiversity end-point impact metrics, ensuring compatibility with the 2030 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework as a proxy to estimate the potential environmental benefits of SMEP projects. This assessment will  inform, align with (directly and indirectly) and contribute to national biodiversity target settings under updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).  This should be carried out at three levels considering: 3.1 Actual biodiversity benefits resulting from pollution reduction and resource efficiency through SMEP project interventions; 3.2 An expansion (sensitivity analysis) of project biodiversity impacts at scales by 10 to 100 fold.  3.3 A modelled scenario of dissemination of specific project solutions across part of the economy or within the operational contexts where projects are operating. Specific methodological choices and impact pathway selections shall be backed by peer-reviewed technical literature, and discussed with the project officer and with SMEP Programme Management Agent representatives (where applicable),  prior to implementation.  B. Organize and facilitate participation of SMEP Programme grantees from West and East Africa in the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2025 in São Paulo (13-14 May 2025). This should focus particularly on value addition of organic waste streams, including the organization of a side-event at the WCEF 2025 (accelerator session) and field visits to commercial, research sites and government agencies active in organic waste upcycling in the São Paulo region (WCEF 2025 site). This can also involve organization of online meetings with policy-relevant authorities outside Sao Paulo/WCEF 2025 site to optimize interactions. The field visits shall involve 5 grantees under the SMEP Programme partaking in the WCEF 2025 accelerator session organized by UNCTAD, along with a provision for 5 additional participants from development organizations who are partners of the SMEP Programme and UNCTAD (total 10 participants). Focusing on up-cycling of organic residues, the visits shall involve: 1. Meetings with authorities managing large scale organic residues, promoting discussions on solutions uptake that avoid land-filling and promote value-addition to organic materials.  These may include SABESP or municipal level authorities in charge of organic waste management.   2. Engagement with policymakers working on national circular economy plan to explore policy support mechanisms enabling dissemination of circularity in organic sectors. 3. Visits to sites with tangible cross learning, technology transfer or commercial linkage potential, such as black soldier fly protein operators; bio-gas producers, research centres;  key international consultancies or investor groups interested in South-South investment in organic circularity; novel fibre producers (with technical similarity to banana and/or pineapple fibres as developed under SMEP);  stakeholders engaged in carbon sequestration and soil management (including compost and bio-char producers).  At least 4-5 site visits should be arranged and facilitated within 200km of the Sao Paulo metropolitan region.

Advanced university degree, Masters, in Environmental Engineering, System Analysis, Environmental Management or related field is required. A Ph.D would be an advantage. At least 10 years work experience in economic development, particularly in themes related to environmental sustainability is required. Experience with working on circular economy and relevant industrial waste-related pollution issues is required. Experience with coordination of multidisciplinary environmental, biodiversity and health reports as well as data implementation in public data-transparency dashboards is desirable

Fluency oral and written in English is required. Knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.

Not available.

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.