| Description |
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Offices in Western Balkans has developed a regional environmental programme in nine locations in the Western Balkans countries/territories suffering from the legacy of polluting industries and requiring industrial renewal, environmental cleanup and new economic initiatives. The Programme started in 2008.
The goal of this three year Programme (http://www2.undp.org.yu) is to improve the environmental situation and the quality of life for citizens living in and around polluted areas in the most economical way, to improve local and national policy dialogue and increase the supply of domestic professional services in the environmental management sector. While the main focus will be the physical works needed to mitigate the ecological problems, institutional strengthening and capacity building are also an important priority for this Programme.
As part of the Albanian component of the Regional Programme, a Market Survey of Professional Environmental Services was carried out in 2008. An objective of the Survey was to mobilise and enhance the supply of professional consultancy services in the country. The professional capacity and the supply of market based environmental services are important factors for policy development and implementation, and at the same time provide important economic opportunities. In order to efficiently meet its objectives and secure sustainability and multiplication of its results, the implementation of the Programme will be based on the involvement of domestic/regional professionals (individuals, private sector and public institutions) in project demonstration activities at the local (hot-spot) and national (policy analysis) level. A growing number of such practitioners have been developing their careers in recent years through work with donors, NGOs or government institutions. They could provide for a significant multiplier effect in disseminating project results at the same time as developing their services as an important sector of economy in its own right, offering employment opportunities for young practitioners in the countries themselves and thus mitigating the ongoing brain-drain at the local and national level.
The Market Survey was conducted on domestic practitioners already working in the field of policy development and implementation, with particular emphasis on those with experience directly related to environmental management, sustainable development and environmental remediation. Appropriate practitioners who responded to the survey were incorporated into a roster (database) of qualified practitioners.
Practitioners who have been incorporated into the regional database are proficient in their field of technical expertise. However, experts from environmental monitoring institutes are subject of the coming training as well.
Effective environmental monitoring is essential to understanding, managing, and improving the quality of air of Albania. Monitoring is a crucial factor to improving the quality of the decision-making that will, lead to human health protection, and will support a healthy sustainable economy.
Environmental monitoring is a tool used to describe the processes and activities that need to take place to characterize and monitor the quality of the environment. Environmental monitoring is used in the preparation of environmental impact assessments, as well as in many circumstances in which human activities carry a risk of harmful effects on the natural environment. It is commonly included as a requirement in laws and regulations, first, for compliance assessment, and second, for the environmental reporting of industrial emission. However, monitoring can be cost effective when monitoring data obtained for one purpose can be used for other purposes too. This data will be reviewed, analyzed statistically and will result with adequate conclusions about the status of the monitored environment/ media. Parameters which will be monitored depends on the media that is subject of the environmental monitoring, from the processes that are influencing and material/ substance inputs that are changing the chemistry of the media. To determine the risk the measurement is usually directed toward those elements that are likely to exceeding the accepted limit values and which therefore represent the main risk to human and environmental health. In relation to this, the data produced after the lab analysis has to be compared against the relevant limit values which are different for each media and are presented in the relevant legal framework (the EU Directives are to be used as reference in Albania’s case), or in other relevant standards (WHO or other). In addition to limit values, there are also warning thresholds and margin of tolerance which should trigger further investigations. | Duties and Responsibilities | Objective of the assignment
The objective of this short assignment is to raise the standard in monitoring of air in Albania towards internationally accepted standards, through training of practitioners selected from the database, as well as of experts working in state institutions that are responsible for monitoring. It is expected that the groups will then be able to provide higher quality service to clients in the public and private sectors, and also to train more junior colleagues in internationally accepted monitoring methodologies.
Duties and Responsibilities
The consultant will carry out the following tasks: - Prepare and deliver a training programme for approximately 25 experts (from the practitioners database, Agency of Environment and Forests, Institute of Public Health, University etc ) on air quality monitoring topic for minimum 3 days;
- Present the most frequently used air monitoring methods and methodologies;
- Present the most frequently used air monitoring equipment and sampling methods and methodologies with the related criteria;
- Present the laboratory and other needs for a proper air monitoring and analysis.
The presentation during the training session must refer to (please note that this list is indicative): - Overview of the relevant EU legislation in air quality sector: including the Air Framework Directive (96/62/EEC) and the daughter Directives 1999/30/EC on limit values for NOx, SO2, Pb and PM10, 2000/69/EC on limit values for benzene and CO; Council Directive 82/884/EEC on lead;
- Council Directive 94/C 216/04, Ambient air quality assessment and management; Council Decision 93/389/EEC on Monitoring mechanism of Community CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions;
- relevant guidelines, standards, laws and regulations on environmental monitoring and field surveillance;
relevant WHO standards and documents on environmental monitoring;
Also, during the training sessions the following should be addressed: - Identify the key air quality parameters required for effective air monitoring at the local, national and regional level with specific reference on data collection for broad compatibility at each level;
- Make recommendations for development and standardization of data collection, analysis and reporting techniques as well as requirements for planning and air monitoring study or network.
- Agree with UNDP and project team on the agenda of the training.
- Prepare the training report in English language; the content of the report will be agreed on together with UNDP and project team.
Note: The translation facilities, the venue and other logistic issues will be the responsibility of the project team and not of the consultant. However, close cooperation with the project team is highly recommended. Deliverables and Timeline - Provision of the training curricula 5 days after the contract signature.
- Deliver the Training on air quality monitoring for minimum 3 days.
- Preparation of the training report within 5 days after training completion.
Please note that all interested candidates are requested to submit updated CV, Financial proposal and Work plan. Proposals should provide details of the planned training programmes and the financial proposal. The successful candidate will be required to provide his/her own transport, working space, translation facilities and office equipment (computers etc). | Competencies | - Training experience in the field of implementation of environmental conventions and agreements.
- Excellent lecturing and communication skills.
- Knowledge of MS Word, Excel and email communication software.
- Fluency in written and spoken English.
- Ability to work in a difficult environment.
| Required Skills and Experience | - Graduate level qualification in chemistry, environmental science or a related discipline relevant to air monitoring.
- At least 5 years practical experience in air monitoring.
- At least 5 years experience in training in the field of environmental monitoring.
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