Result of Service
The ultimate service of the consultancy is to show how the urban dimension can be highlighted in global biodiversity frameworks and urban approaches can be funded for use in subnational strategies, plans and projects.
Work Location
Home-based
Expected duration
6 months
Duties and Responsibilities
The consultancy is located in the Programme Development Branch and may coordinate with colleagues in the UN-Habitat’s Regional and Country Offices. Under the overall guidance of the Branch Coordinator, and direct supervision by the Programme Management Officer, the consultancy will involve the following typical main duties leading to the ultimate requested outputs:
1. Undertaking a desk review of documents and publications including but not limited to: UNHA resolution 2/7 on biodiverse and resilient cities: mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services into urban and territorial planning, the Global Biodiversity Framework, Plan of Action on Subnational Governments and Cities for Biodiversity, Cities and Nature: Planning for the Future, BiodiverCities by 2030: transforming Cities; relationship with nature, Swiss Re Institute’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Nature in the Urban Century, The Hotspot Cities project, The Atlas for the End of the World, the UN Biodiversity Lab, Cities and Biodiversity Outlook: Action and Policy, Urban Patterns for a Green Economy: Working with Nature, and the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity.
2. Tracking and analyzing urban content of new/revised National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)
3. Tracking formulation of new Local Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (LBSAPs) and coordinating in-house advice to same
4. Researching and flagging new funding opportunities, including under the new Global Biodiversity Fund
5. Analyzing prevention-oriented interventions in white paper on Cities and Nature to long-list successful multiscalar planning and governance models
6. Compiling data that will contribute to projections of urban expansion, biodiversity loss, and climate risk
7. Supporting expert group meeting on prevention-oriented methodologies and multiscalar spatial planning and management for biodiversity
Qualifications/special skills
A master’s or advanced degree in urban planning, landscape architecture, or related field is required. First degree with two additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
A minimum of five years’ experience in urban or landscape planning or architecture is required.
Experience on projects in the developing world is desirable.
Experience with intergovernmental and/or multilateral organizations is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in oral and written English is required. Fluency in other UN languages is an advantage.