International Waters Cluster
The UNOPS International Waters Cluster specializes in executing projects to prevent and reverse the degradation of transboundary water systems, including multi-country rivers and large marine ecosystems such as oceans, lake basins and shared groundwater resources. The cluster is executing over 30 projects for its partners, helping countries to work together and share knowledge to reduce ecological stress, such as that caused by overfishing and industrial pollution.
Lake Tanganyika is a global hotspot of freshwater biodiversity and a natural resource of significant importance to the people in its riparian countries. The lake contains almost 17% of the world’s surface freshwater, and serves as a source of clean water, transportation and economic opportunities for over 10 million people.
The Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) is a regional body that is based on the arrangements of the Convention on the Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika, which aims to ensure the protection of biological diversity and sustainable use of the natural resources of Lake Tanganyika and its catchment basin by the Contracting States, on the basis of integrated and cooperative management.
The Convention on the Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika was developed with inputs from two key projects: i) the FAO and FINNIDA supported Research for Management of the Fisheries on Lake Tanganyika (1992-2000), which led to the development of a Lake Tanganyika Fisheries Framework Management Plan; and ii) the Global Environment Facility (GEF) financed, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supported project on Pollution Control and other Measures to Protect Biodiversity in Lake Tanganyika, which lead to the development of a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis, and a Strategic Action Programme.
The Convention on Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika was signed on 12 June 2003 by the relevant Ministers of the Republic of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Zambia. The Convention was subsequently ratified in November 2008.
The objective of the Convention is to ensure the protection and conservation of the biological diversity and the sustainable use of the natural resources of Lake Tanganyika and its Basin by the Contracting States on the basis of integrated and cooperative management.
In order to achieve the objectives of the Convention, the Contracting States are expected to: i) Co-operate in the development and implementation of harmonized laws and standards concerning the management of Lake Tanganyika and its basin; and ii) to accord particular attention to ensuring that present and future communities living near the lake will benefit from the sustainable use of the natural resources in the basin.
The Lake Tanganyika Convention takes into account the UN Declaration on Environment and Development from 1992 and the Convention on Biodiversity from 1992, as well as international and regional agreements and instruments relating to shared water resources. The Convention encompasses 44 Articles, of which 4 focus on the following key environmental issues:
· Fisheries management (Article 7)
· Prevention and control of pollution (Article 8)
· Prevention of sedimentation (Article 9)
· Conservation of biological diversity (Article 10)
Article 34 stipulates that the Contracting States shall cooperate in the formulation and adoption of any Protocols to the Convention that they consider appropriate to further the attainment of its objectives. Thus far, no Protocols have been developed, however, the Contracting States did contribute to the identification of priority topics relevant to the Convention that would be appropriate for protocol development.
To facilitate implementation of prioritized activities relevant to the Convention, a Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for Protection of Biodiversity and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Lake Tanganyika Basin was drafted in 2000. In 2010, the LTA with support from the GEF financed, UNDP supported Project on Partnership Interventions for the Implementation of the SAP, initiated an updating process through national, regional and international stakeholder consultations. This process included a revision of current and possible future threats to biodiversity and natural resources in the Lake Tanganyika basin, and as a result, the countries agreed on a revised set of key environmental priority topics:
· Adaptation to climate change impacts
· Sustainable fisheries
· Sustainable land management
· Critical habitat protection, restoration, and management
· Control and prevention of biological invasions
· Reduction of pollution and improvement of water quality
The Contracting States furthermore identified a need for a regionally harmonized, integrated environmental monitoring programme that allows identification of changes in environmental status indicators and informed management decisions at the national and regional levels.
To enhance the attainment of objectives identified under the Convention on the Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika, the LTA with support from the UNDP-GEF Project is currently looking for a consultant to support the development of Protocols, taking into account key topics as identified by key stakeholders in Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania and Zambia.
The topics identified as high priority for development of protocols are: i) fisheries management; ii) sustainable land management; iii) control and prevention of biological invasions; iv) reduction of pollution and improvement of water quality; and v) environmental monitoring. Protocols relevant to fisheries management are being developed under the responsibility of the LTA Directorate of Fisheries. Thus, the consultant will be expected to focus on development of protocols for the abovementioned topics ii-v.
Objective
The main objective of this consultancy is to formulate relevant Protocols to the Convention on the Sustainable Management of Lake Tanganyika, as identified by the Contracting States, in order to enhance the effective implementation and attainment of the objectives of the Convention. Specifically, this consultancy aims to develop Protocols related to the following priority topics: sustainable land management; control and prevention of biological invasions; reduction of pollution and improvement of water quality; and environmental monitoring.
Tasks
The consultant will work in close collaboration with the Directors of the Lake Tanganyika Authority Secretariat and the Regional Project Coordination Unit (PCU) of the UNDP supported, GEF financed Project on Lake Tanganyika. The consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks:
· Familiarise with the relevant topics by use of relevant documents.
· Prepare a draft workplan and outline for the development of the Protocols, and submit this for inputs to the Directors of the LTA Secretariat and PCU within the first week of the assignment.
· Analyse the possible scope and elements of Protocols to the Lake Tanganyika Convention for the following priority topics: sustainable land management; control and prevention of biological invasions; reduction of pollution and improvement of water quality; and environmental monitoring.
· Present the draft Protocols at a regional meeting of experts nominated by the LTA, facilitating the discussion towards an agreement on the possible scope and content of Protocols on the abovementioned topics.
· Finalise the Protocols on the basis of the discussions and recommendations adopted by the regional meeting, and submit to the Directors of the LTA Secretariat and PCU.
Timeframe and deliverables
The total period of time to produce the documentary will span 30 working days during the period of 1 May to 29 June, including travel and participation at the regional meeting.
The following deliverables will be expected from the consultant :
· Draft workplan and outline for the development of the Protocols, submitted to the Directors of the LTA Secretariat and PCU within the first week of the assignment.
· Analysis of the possible scope and elements of Protocols to the Lake Tanganyika Convention for the following priority topics: sustainable land management; control and prevention of biological invasions; reduction of pollution and improvement of water quality; and environmental monitoring.
· Presentation of the abovementioned analysis during a regional meeting at the end of May/first week of June, and active participation during this meeting to facilitate discussion towards agreement on the possible scope and content of the Protocols.
· Protocols on the abovementioned topics, taking into account the discussions and recommendations adopted by the regional meeting, to be finalised no later than 29 June.
Education
Advanced university degree in environmental law, natural resource management, or a relevant combination of academic and professional qualifications.
Experience
Minimum of seven years experience in the field of environmental law.
Demonstrated experience with the drafting of environmental Protocols.
Familiarity with local environmental and political factors that might have implications for reaching regional agreements on Protocols to the Lake Tanganyika Convention.
Language Skills
Fluency in English .
Fluency in French would be an advantage.
- Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
- Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
- Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
- Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
- UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below the advertised level of the post
Contract type: International ICA
Contract level: IICA-2
Contract duration: 30 working days over a 2-month period during 1 May – 29 June 2012
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH THE PROJECT IS BASED IN BURUNDI THE CONTRACTOR SHALL BE HOME-BASED, WITH ALLOCATION FOR MISSION TRAVEL
For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
http://www.unops.org/ENGLISH/WHOWENEED/CONTRACT-TYPES/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements-ICAs.aspx
Protocol Development Consultant
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