Specialist on waste management financing

Result of Service

The objective of this consultancy is to assist in establishing enabling frameworks and instruments to facilitate investment and sustainable financing of waste management in the Caribbean, by contributing to a regional guidance framework on this matter, and supporting target countries in the region.

Under the overall supervision of UNEP Regional Coordinator of Chemicals and Pollution programme, LAC Office, in coordination with the head of UNEP's Sub-regional Office in the Caribbean and the UNEP Regional Coordinator of Finance and Economic Transformations, LAC Office, and in coordination with other key partners, the consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

1. Analyse and assess existing frameworks and instruments to facilitate investment and sustainable financing of waste management in the Caribbean countries, including a review of existing work and information on the possible enabling frameworks and instruments, and their level of adoption by Caribbean countries. This shall include regulatory and market-based instruments, such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and other polluter-pay based instruments, deposit-refund schemes, regional approaches to waste recycling value chains and infrastructure, considering trade related considerations, suitable mechanisms to establish rates or service fees in accordance with the population’s ability to pay, promotion of public-private partnerships, and potential linkages with climate finance.

2. Contribution to a regional guidance on frameworks and instruments to facilitate investment and sustainable financing of waste management in the Caribbean countries, based on previously conducted analysis and evaluation of the enabling frameworks and instruments for solid waste management in the Caribbean countries. This work will complement and contribute to an on-going work by UNEP on a regional guidance on regulatory and policy frameworks. This will be developed to serve as a reference for Caribbean countries, that can be tailored to specific national and local circumstances. The guidance shall be compiled and designed in a form that will facilitate converting it into a virtual toolkit at a later stage, for ease of targeted utilization and updating.

3. Identification of eight (8) pilot countries in the region to assist with the establishment of enabling frameworks and instruments to facilitate investment and sustainable financing of waste management. Target countries will be selected based on a range of priority criteria, such as high-level expressed interest, policy, regulatory and financing gaps, capacity needs, existing work on enabling frameworks and instruments and their level of adoption, amongst others, in collaboration with the other project partners.

4. Provide technical assistance to target countries to establish frameworks and instruments to facilitate investment and sustainable financing of waste management. This shall include methodologies to calculate actual and indirect management costs, as well as on the possible instruments, tools, and strategies to facilitate investments and to progressively cover the costs of waste management operations, particularly waste recovery and diversion from landfill, as well as regulatory and market-based instruments, such as EPR and other polluter-pay based instruments, deposit-refund schemes, suitable mechanisms to establish rates or service fees, promotion of public-private partnerships, among others.


Expected Deliverables:

Product No. 1: Report with (a) the methodology, workplan, and preliminary outline of the design and structure of the guidance framework, and (b) the mapping of available national and regional information and assessments on enabling frameworks and instruments to facilitate investment and sustainable financing of waste management in the Caribbean.

Product No. 2: Report with the assessment of waste management enabling frameworks and instruments in the Caribbean countries, including key gaps and recommendations, as well as a mapping of relevant stakeholders and identification of case studies.

Product No. 3: A regional guidance document for the development or updating of waste management enabling frameworks and instruments in Caribbean countries, that can be tailored to specific national and local circumstances. The guidance shall include relevant sections such as key terminology, regulatory and market-based instruments, considerations of the process to develop these enabling frameworks and instruments, model provisions, templates, examples and case studies with lessons learnt from the region. This shall be compiled and designed in a form that will facilitate its inclusion in the overall regional guidance and then its conversion into a virtual toolkit.

Product No. 4: A document describing (a) the eight countries identified, and the justification based on the selection criteria, including the consultation process with the countries, and (b) the technical assistance work plan, including key stakeholders to be engaged.

Product No. 5.1: Report on the technical assistance provided to at least 4 target countries to date.

Product No. 5.2: Report on the technical assistance provided to up to 4 additional target countries to date.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

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 UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LACO), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The UNEP Caribbean Sub-Regional Office, located in Kingston, Jamaica, is a catalyst, advocate, educator, and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the Caribbean environment.

UNEP is an implementing partner in the European Union (EU) Action programme or the Caribbean, financed by the 11th European Development Fund on circular economy in general and of solid waste management, in particular. The Action seeks to improve the resource efficiency of Caribbean economies and is aligned with the EU’s Green Deal, including green economy approaches and obligations regarding Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). UNEP’s support will focus on the normative, knowledge and policy engagement components of the Action, strengthening national legislative frameworks and facilitating sub-regional and Caribbean wide action.

The geographic scope of the Action includes the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) Member States (Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago). Other partners of the Action programme include the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) and the Agence Francaise de Developpment (AFD), who will be focused on piloting technical interventions in selected countries. UNEP will promote uptake of best practices, lessons learned and appropriate and successful technology options.

A key objective of the Action Programme is to “strengthen solid waste management legal and strategic frameworks”, including support with the establishment of enabling frameworks and instruments to facilitate investment and sustainable financing of waste management.

To this end, UNEP is seeking a specialist in sustainable environmental finance, with a focus on waste management and circular economy. This is a home-based product-based consultancy, and the work and outputs of the consultant will be supervised by the UNEP Regional Coordinator of Chemicals and Pollution programme, LAC Office, in coordination with the head of UNEP's Sub-regional Office in the Caribbean and the UNEP Regional Coordinator of Finance and Economic Transformations programme, LAC Office.

Qualifications/special skills

- Master’s Degree in Economics, Business, Management, Trade, Engineering, Environmental and natural Sciences, Policy, International Law, or related areas is required.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the related fields of studies with two additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree
- Additional studies or specific training on waste management or environmental finance and policy is an asset.
- At least five (5) years of professional experience in areas related to environmental finance, sustainable development, drafting public policies or plans is required.
- Experience on environmental policy and regulation, particularly on waste management and circular economy, is desired.
- Working experience in the Caribbean region and knowledge of regional and national stakeholders is an advantage.
- Familiarity with the goals and procedures of international organizations, in particular those of the UN and EU, is an asset.

Languages

For the post fluency in English is required. Confident in Spanish is an asset.

No Fee

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.