Communications and Outreach Facilitator – Consultant

Result of Service

• Maintained Carpathian Convention website, including the respective pages on Carpathian ESD Expert Network and related events • Contribute to organization of the Carpathia Convention meetings • Provided guidance to and follow up, as necessary, to relevant background documents, including related to the Carpathian Biodiversity Framework • Updated Carpathian ESD Expert Network database • Coordination among partners and networks, planning and communication as well as promotion of Carpathian Day activities • Prepared draft policy and practice recommendations based on Carpathian Day • Written inputs to and follow up, as necessary, on project applications and background documents, as well as provided guidance in implementation as necessary • Provided guidance for communication and dissemination activities

Work Location

Vienna, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention

Expected duration

Ten months

Duties and Responsibilities

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. UNEP has the mandate to keep the state of the global and regional environment under review, in order to inform decision making on the state and trends of our changing environment, and to foresee emerging environmental problems and threats, particularly those of a transboundary nature. The importance of mountain ecosystems and sustainable development of the mountainous areas as well as the challenges faced by mountain communities have been recognized in a number of international policy documents, such as Chapter 13 of Agenda 21 (1992), the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2003), and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN 2015), as well as numerous scientific publications. A number of processes and mechanisms for cooperation on protection and sustainable development of the mountainous regions have emerged, including regional cooperation efforts in the Caucasus and the Carpathian mountain region. The Vienna Programme Office was established in 2004 with the main purpose of acting as the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention. Moreover, the Office is UNEP’s European focal point for environmental cooperation with Central and South-Eastern European countries. It coordinates the delivery of UNEP’s programme of work in this part of Europe and liaises between UNEP and organizations based in Vienna and in the sub-region. The Carpathian Convention Secretariat promotes ratification and facilitates cooperation between signatory states, as well as other relevant international bodies and conventions. It furthermore encourages and supports research, communication and information exchange between partners, coordinates the preparation and implementation of the Convention’s work programme, prepares relevant documentation and supports further institutional development. The Carpathian Convention and ESD: The Carpathian Convention parties agree on the importance of awareness raising and public participation, reflected in the Article 13 of the convention “Awareness raising, education and public participation”. This is a cross-sectional issue, meant to contribute to capacity building in all aspects of sustainable development, and is in line with the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Strategy of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the global process led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), including the recently adopted ESD 2030 Framework. The implementation of the Convention provisions related to ESD requires cooperation between the many actors working in the field of science, policy and practice. During the first Carpathian ESD seminar, which took place in April 2019, and where for the first time ESD experts from all seven countries met, exchanged knowledge and expressed interest, as well as the need to continue regular cooperation on the regional level. They have recommended establishing “a Convention Working Group / network of experts to coordinate activities related to education and Education for Sustainable Development”. In October 2023, the 7th Conference of the Parties (COP7) of the Carpathian Convention, held on October 11-12, 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia, officially welcomed the Carpathian ESD Expert Network. The Parties adopted Decision COP7/19 on Awareness raising, education and public participation , which expressed that the Conference of the Parties: • Welcomes the Carpathian ESD Expert Network as a cross-sectoral network of diverse actors, thus facilitating cross-thematic linkages, expanding and strengthening Convention networks, and communication within the Convention and awareness-raising about the Conventio, encourages the Parties, who have not done so yet, to nominate Carpathian ESD experts to the network, and requests the Secretariat to support the process, furthermore invites the Carpathian Troika to continue collaborating on supporting the Carpathian ESD Expert Network and its activities. The COP 7 furthermore welcomed “the idea of establishing the Carpathian Day to further promote the protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians and the Carpathian Convention activities at various levels” and invited “the Parties, relevant stakeholders, and the Secretariat to contribute to the process, as appropriate” . The Carpathian Biodiversity Framework The 7th COP7 of the Carpathian Convention adopted the Carpathian Biodiversity Framework (CBF) – the first officially adopted regional biodiversity framework. The CBF has been recognized as vital to the local-level implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and as a model for other regional mechanisms by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Through its 8 strategic objectives, the CBF aims to foster synergies with all important areas of work of the Carpathian Convention, as well as with regional, European and global climate, biodiversity and sustainable development objectives and platforms. The role of the UNEP– Vienna Programme Office. The UNEP– Vienna Programme Office continues to provide the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (UNEP Vienna) and in this role will coordinate the implementation of the CBF and further integration of the Carpathian ESD Expert Network into the Convention activities and networks. It will furthermore continue strengthening the science-policy-practice interface in the Carpathian region and cooperation between the relevant scientific and inter-sectoral networks. This position is in the Vienna Programme Office, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (SCC) of the Regional office for Europe at the Vienna Duty Station and reports to the Head of Vienna Programme Office of UN Environment Programme. The consultant will collaborate the UNEP–Vienna Programme Office, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention in providing guidance to its services, including in particular the management of Carpathian ESD Expert Network-related activities, the Carpathian Day, as well as with synergies between the Carpathian ESD and CBF implementation activities, including, but not limited to: • Development and maintenance of related websites, platforms and database • Contribution to organization of relevant meetings • Contribution to the drafting of relevant background documents • Management of communications and coordinated planning with Convention partners and networks for the celebration of Carpathian Day • Contribution to the drafting and implementing of project/s • Communication and dissemination activities, as necessary. Specific tasks and responsibilities. • Maintenance of the Carpathian Convention website, including the respective pages on Carpathian ESD Expert Network and related events • Providing contribution in organization of the Carpathia Convention meetings • Providing inputs to and follow up, as necessary, to relevant background documents, including related to the Carpathian Biodiversity Framework • Coordination among partners and networks, planning and communication as well as promotion of Carpathian Day activities • Drafting policy and practice recommendations based on Carpathian Day • Contribution to the drafting of and follow up on project proposals and background documents as well as official communication • Contribution to the project/s implementation, as necessary • Providing guidance to the Carpathian Convention Secretariat with the communication and dissemination activities, as necessary

Qualifications/special skills

A completed Master’s degree in social science, sustainability sciences, environmental policy, environmental sciences, or a similar field is required. • At least 3 years of experience in the field of Education for Sustainable Development, Biodiversity, and Communication related to sustainable development • Familiarity with International ESD and Biodiversity Frameworks is required • Experience participating in Carpathian Convention activities is an asset.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.

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