Environmental Technical Expert

UNDP supports strategic capacity development initiatives to promote inclusive growth and sustainable human development. Together with national, regional and local authorities, civil societies, private sector, UNDP strives to support Ukraine in its efforts to eliminate poverty, develop people’s capacity, achieve equitable results, sustain the environment, and advance democratic governance. UNDP is in line with 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to achieve national strategic capacity development.

The purpose of the Environmental Damage Assessment project is to enable the State Environmental Inspectorate to effectively fulfil its responsibilities in calculating the damage, losses, and harm caused to the environment and state natural resources within its jurisdiction, as a result of accidents, emergencies, military aggression, terrorism, or other criminal acts, particularly since the onset of martial law.

The project involves creation of an Interactive Environmental Damage Register Platform as an information and analytical subsystem integrated into the State Inspectorate’s existing electronic document circulation system, and platform will facilitate and accurately document activities related to calculating the damage, losses, and harm caused to the natural environment and state natural resources within the Inspectorate’s jurisdiction, due to accidents, emergencies, military aggression, terrorism, or other criminal acts, particularly since the onset of the martial law.

Additionally, the upcoming module of the integrated information and analytical subsystem will equip state inspectors of Ukraine in environmental protection with the necessary information support, facilitate the preparation, approval, and processing of documents, and aid in the implementation of environmental measures to enhance control over environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources, and radiation safety.

To provide technical support for the implementation of the activities within the framework of the UNDP project “Mitigating the Risks of Long-Term Environmental Disasters in Ukraine Through the Establishment of a Coordination Centre on Environmental Damage Assessment” within the Energy and Environment portfolio.

To review and analyse the best international experience on existing methods (services) for detecting and assessing environmental damage using international remote sensing services, GIS technologies.

Tasks:

1) Review of the existing and planned environmental information and relevant environmental information systems (EIS), different electronic tools in USA and EU (EEA, EIONET, Copernicus, Inspire, Sentinels, and others) by institutional structures for environmental monitoring, environmental damage assessment, and environmental control. Preparation of recommendations on the use of those tools and structures that are possible for implementation and use in Ukraine, even before Ukraine's full accession to the EU;

2) Under the provisions of the resolution of the CMU dated March 20, 2022 No. 326 to use the results of remote sensing, including satellite images, OSINT results, and other structured sources of information to analyse and assess the environmental damage caused by military actions on the territory of a specific national park (NRF object). Prepare relevant methodological recommendations for the use of the results of remote sensing, including satellite images, OSINT results, and other structured sources of information;

3) Preparation of recommendations on the use of remote sensing results and services and OSINT results for collecting evidence of military activities and assessing environmental damage (chain of custody);

4) Development proposals for the technical requirements for the Register, that determine the dimensions and parameters necessary for calculating damage, the use of existing spatial data from the domestic and international sources of information.

5) Prepare a concept of training materials for civil servants of the State Environmental Inspectorate on the use of data or different electronic tools to determine the extent of damage caused and conduct appropriate training;

6) To analyse and create a list of information processing standards from (ISO/EN) that should be recommended to be applied in the State Environmental Inspectorate in the field of collection, analysis of samples and assessment of environmental damage, which should ensure the efficiency of these
processes;

7) Prepare proposals, technical requirements, and digital layers for cartographic display on modernized web portals of relevant and requested information of the State Information Service;

8) Prepare analytical or research papers in the area of environmental damage assessment;

9) Ensure that all project needs are met through the timely provision of technical support under the supervision of the Project Manager;

10) Perform other duties as may be required by UNDP management.

11) Preparation of the Report on the performed tasks above