Environmental Affairs Assistant

Details

Mission and objectives

Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the 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. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works through its divisions as well as regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence.

Context

The United Nations 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. This post is located in the Secretariat for the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Ozone Secretariat) at the Nairobi duty station. Project results will lead to enhanced capacity of the Ozone Secretariat in dealing with scientific and technical issues through in-depth understanding of the reports of the Assessment Panels and the underlying, peer-reviewed material; increased number of high-quality briefing notes, public awareness materials, documents and publications on scientific and technical issues produced by the Secretariat and relevant partners; increased efficiency and effectiveness of the Secretariat in organizing and running the meetings.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Environmental Affairs Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: • Review technical and scientific reports with a view to preparing briefing notes on issues of importance to the work of the Secretariat and identifying possible follow-up actions, as appropriate, also viz-a-viz relevant decisions of the Parties; • Compile information received by the Secretariat on various matters for the consideration of parties and relevant Committees. • Draft relevant correspondence to parties and stakeholders and respond to general queries, when necessary; • Participate in various Committee meetings, as appropriate, taking notes and drafting meeting reports; • Provide substantive and organizational support for the meetings and associated events under the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, organized by the Secretariat, assisting in coordination with relevant partners and Conference Services, as necessary; provide contact group support; assist in the issuance of conference room papers and in the review of meeting reports; • Contribute to the preparation of various written outputs such as presentations, meeting documents, briefing notes as well as to the content and design of the public awareness materials produced by the Secretariat; • Perform other duties as required. Results/expected outputs: As an active UNEP/Ozone Secretariat team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to the Secretariat and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Briefing notes on issues of importance to the work of the Secretariat; • Follow-up actions, as appropriate, also viz-a-viz relevant decisions of the Parties identified; • Information received by the Secretariat on various matters for the consideration of parties and relevant Committees compiled. • Relevant correspondence to parties and stakeholders and response to general queries, when necessary, drafted; • Participated in various Committee meetings, as appropriate, taking notes and drafting meeting reports; • Provided substantive and organizational support for the meetings and associated events under the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, organized by the Secretariat, assisting in coordination with relevant partners and Conference Services, as necessary; provide contact group support; • Assisted in the issuance of conference room papers and in the review of meeting reports; • Contributed to the preparation of various written outputs such as presentations, meeting documents, briefing notes as well as to the content and design of the public awareness materials produced by the Secretariat;