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Title

International Consultant: Expert on Coastal Environmental Restoration
Posted
Reference   (Please mention Stopdodo/Environment Jobs in your application)
Sectors Terrestrial / Aquatic Ecology & Conservation
Location Albania - Europe
Town/City Home-based with missions in Tirana, ALBANIA
Type Temporary / Contract / Seasonal
Status Full Time
Level Mid Level
Deadline 18/02/2010
Company Name United Nations Development Program
Contact Name Human Resources
Website Further Details / Applications
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Directory Entry : UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. For environmental jobs with UNDP visit their website. Or for more environmental jobs search environmentjobs.com
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Description
The Drini and Mati River Deltas (DMRD) are 2 of 3 deltas in the northern Adriatic coast which harbors significant biodiversity values. Based on assessments of impacts of climate change, including variability, the DMRD has been identified as a region of critical vulnerability to climate change and variability. Climate change scenarios for Albania have predicted an increase in sea surface temperature and sea level rise of up to 61 cm. This is expected to place additional stress on marine and littoral biodiversity as well as livelihoods of local communities. Climate change, including variability, could undermine biodiversity conservation efforts under the protected area regime in the DMRD. Currently, there are no efforts underway to address climate change impacts on the DMRD ecosystem. However, due to the importance assigned to the target ecosystem the government plans to expand already existing network of protected areas to cover the entire region of Shengjin (from Kune-Vain to Tale to River Mati to Patok to Fushe Kuqe to River Ishmi). This calls for consideration of climate change impacts to these efforts.
 
The overall development goal of this project is to assist Albania in establishing a mechanism by which strategies to moderate, cope with, and take advantage of the consequences of climate change are enhanced, developed, and implemented. The specific objective of the project is to build adaptive capacities in the DMRD to ensure resilience of the key ecosystems and local livelihoods to climate change. One of the main outcomes to achieve this objective is to develop capacities to monitor  and respond to anticipated climate change impacts in the DMRD at the institutional and community levels.
 
Further background information on climate change issues can be obtained from the UNDP Climate Change Programme in Albania website at http://www.ccalb.org/.
 
Specific background information for the assignment:
 
An important project component is to assist in restoring highly degraded elements of the DMRD as a means to increasing ecosystem resilience to short-term climate change impacts. This would in turn contribute to a long-term reduction in vulnerability.
 
Environmental restoration approaches are not widely used in Albania. Consequently, the role of the international expert on coastal environmental restoration will also involve mentoring a national consultant counterpart and delivering a training programme to members of the project team and key project stakeholders. 
 
Objective of the assignment:
 
The key assignment objective is to lead the analysis of practical coastal environmental restoration measures for application in the DMRD – in particular for dune and wetland systems – and to provide critical expert inputs to ensure the effective implementation of chosen restoration options.
 
The international expert’s overall task will be to develop, in cooperation with the national counterpart (expert in environmental restoration), a set of well justified, prioritized and costed environmental restoration options. The international expert will then be responsible for leading the implementation of the chosen restoration options in the DMRD. The process of selecting restoration options will be lead by the international expert, in close consultation with the other Project Experts (PE’s) and consultants, including ones in environmental economics, ecology, agriculture, tourism and Integrated Coastal Zone Management.
 
Another important task for the international expert will be to deliver a training programme related to coastal environmental restoration, with specific reference to climate change adaptation. The training programme will be targeted at key stakeholders within national and regional government departments (estimated number of participants 15 – 20), and will aim to broaden the understanding of coastal environmental restoration within a climate change context.
The successful applicant will work closely with the other Project Experts (PE’s) and consultants, under the overall supervision and guidance of the Project Coordinator, with input from the International Project Consultant, where appropriate.

 

Duties and Responsibilities
Specifically, the expert’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Critically review existing methods and tools for coastal ecosystem restoration, within the context of climate change adaptation, with specific reference to coastal systems in the South Eastern Mediterranean region. The review should, in consultation with the national counterpart, also assess current availability of information, technical capacities and capabilities within Albania to ensure that implementation of the selected restoration options is feasible.
  • Advise on the optimal coastal ecosystem restoration assessment methods for the DMRD to enhance coastal resilience building for the reduction of climate change vulnerabilities. This advice should be based on outcomes of the review completed in Task 1, field-based assessment, together with advice provided by the project team. The advice should include analysis of both in-situ restoration, and the potential for using ecosystem restoration techniques to restore systems currently reclaimed for agriculture and other purposes. The advice should provide detailed resourcing estimates (cost, equipment and staff time) for environmental restoration activities and a detailed workplan to ensure effective implementation.
  • Advise the national consultant counterpart and broader project team (responsible for data collection and coordination) on data collection requirements to support coastal ecosystem restoration activities.
  • Undertake one mission to Tirana and the DMRD to deliver a coastal ecosystem restoration training workshop, with respect to climate change adaptation, to selected representatives of key stakeholders (planned for mid 2010).
  • Review and analyze coastal ecosystem restoration activities coordinated by the national consultant counterpart, providing ongoing mentoring support as appropriate.
  • Closely coordinate with the project’s International Expert on Environmental Economics who will provide cost-benefit assessment of proposed adaptation measures in the target coastal areas.
  • Undertake a second mission to Tirana to present findings of the coastal ecosystem restoration work, and to be involved in a workshop for the selection of adaptation options (planned for mid 2011).
  • Prepare a final report on coastal ecosystem restoration activities, including recommendations on the mainstreaming of coastal ecosystem restoration approaches in Albania.
 
List of deliverables and timeline:
 
The deliverables for this assignment include, but are not limited to the following:
 
Deliverable 1:
 
Review report on existing methods and tools for coastal ecosystem restoration, with particular reference to dune and wetland systems of the SE Mediterranean. The report’s contents should include an assessment of the current availability of information, technical capacities and capabilities within Albania. The report should conclude with lessons learned from international experience in coastal ecosystem restoration to provide justification for the practical restoration approaches selected in later stages of the assignment. Report is to be completed working together with the national counterpart (2 months after signing the contract).
 
Deliverable 2:
 
Report detailing the optimal practical coastal ecosystem restoration methods and tools for DMRD within the context of climate change adaptation. The report should be based on outcomes of the Review, field-based assessment together with advice provided by the project team. The report should include analysis of both in-situ restoration, and the potential for using ecosystem restoration techniques to restore systems currently reclaimed for agriculture and other purposes. The report should provide detailed resourcing estimates (cost, equipment and staff time) for environmental restoration activities and a detailed workplan to ensure effective implementation. The report should also include a detailed work plan for data collection and mentoring/support of the national counterpart (6 months after signing the contract).
 
Deliverable 3:
 
First training course on coastal environmental restoration targeted at national specialists. The package of training deliverables should include presentations (in PowerPoint format) and a brief training guide. A summary report on the lessons learned from the training course, including participant evaluation, is required (8 months after signing the contract).
 
Deliverable 4:
 
Second   workshop on coastal environmental restoration targeted at national specialists. The package of training deliverables should include findings of the coastal ecosystem restoration work assessment, recommendations for the selection of adaptation options  to ensure their effective implementation (14 months after signing the contract).
 
Deliverable 5:
 
Final project report. The contents of the report should summarize activities undertaken by the international expert on environmental coastal restoration, and include recommendations on the mainstreaming coastal environmental restoration approaches in Albania. A critical component of the report will be an evaluation of the lessons learned from the implementation of coastal environmental restoration measures in the DMRD. The report will be completed working together with the national counterpart (22 months after signing the contract).
 
Timeline and implementation arrangements:
The total duration of assignment will be up to 50 working days for the period 1 March 2010 to 30 December 2011. The assignment will be accomplished working with a national counterpart (environmental restoration expert). The successful consultant will work working together with the other Project Experts (PE’s) and consultants in selecting the appropriate restoration planning measures. The successful expert will report directly to the Project Coordinator.
 
The assignment will also involve at least two missions to Albania. Throughout the assignment, the expert will provide online technical support and advice as per the aforementioned tasks.

 

Competencies
  • Extensive conceptual and practical knowledge of coastal environmental restoration
  • Demonstrated ability of analytical and report drafting work
  • Demonstrated ability to conduct training programmes
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
  • Familiarity with computers and word processing
  • Fluency in English

 

Required Skills and Experience
  • A University degree in ecology, biology, earth sciences, environmental science or other related disciplines
  • Minimum 5 years working experience in coastal environmental system restoration
  • Working experience on coastal dune and wetland restoration is preferred
  • Working experience in the South East Mediterranean is preferred
  • Working experience with local stakeholders
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