Consultant - Biodiversity

Result of Service
I. All relevant UN entities have been involved in the follow up and implementation of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the EMG report and the Common Approach to Biodiversity, contributing to enhanced implementation and coherence and shared ownership of the Framework;
II. Knowledge and information is shared within the UN system to create opportunities for collective action and joint delivery in support of the implementation of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; awareness is increased about the importance of integrating biodiversity and nature-based solutions for sustainable development into UN policies, programmes, facilities, operations and activities.

Work Location
Homebased

Expected duration
The Consultant will be expected to deliver agreed-upon outputs and services within a period of 6 months starting May during which the consultant will work for 40 days.

**Responsibilities**:
The United Nations Environment Management Group (UNEMG) was established in 1999 by the UN General Assembly as a UN system-wide coordination body on the environment. Its main goal is to integrate the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into the policies, plans and strategies of United Nations entities. As one of its activities, the EMG works to strengthen the biodiversity agenda in the UN system.

With a mandate from the Open-ended Working Group (WG2020) on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, the UN Environment Management Group (EMG) established in September 2019 an interagency Consultative Process on Biodiversity with representatives from 51 entities to provide coordinated inputs across the UN system to the preparation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and its implementation. One of the outputs of this Consultative Process was the report “Supporting the Global Biodiversity Agenda: a United Nations System Commitment for Action to assist Member States delivering on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework”, which describes the UN system’s commitment to assisting Member States in delivering on the global post-2020 biodiversity framework.

The work of the EMG Consultative Process and its report paved the way for the development of the Common approach to integrating biodiversity and nature-based solutions for sustainable development into the United Nations policy and programme planning and delivery (UN Common Approach to Biodiversity), which was launched at a High-level Dialogue in May 2021 and approved by the UN Chief Executives Board. Through the Common Approach, the UN system commits to mainstreaming biodiversity in its programming, catalysing collective actions to address the drivers of biodiversity loss and restoring biodiversity in view of achieving the 2050 Vision of ‘living in harmony with nature’.

As a multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral convener, the EMG has been mandated to coordinate and mobilize UN system-wide implementation of the Common Approach. In that regard, the 27th EMG Senior Officials Meeting established an Issue Management Group (IMG) on Biodiversity in October 2021. Co-chaired by UNDP, UNEP and UNESCO, the Group’s mandate is to prepare the ground for effective UN-system collaboration on the global post-2020 biodiversity framework by supporting the implementation of the UN Common Approach to Biodiversity.

The EMG Secretariat is seeking a consultant to support the Secretariat with activities related to the follow up of the EMG biodiversity report, the EMG Issue Management Group as well as the follow up of the UN Common Approach to Biodiversity in the UN system.

Objectives:
To provide secretariat support to collective and interagency action by the UN system to implement the Common Approach to Biodiversity and further the implementation of internationally agreed goals and targets on nature, with a focus on the global and regional levels.

Outputs:

- Substantive inputs to the development of the monitoring framework for the Common Approach to Biodiversity;
- An updated strategy and action plan to follow up on the EMG biodiversity report and the Common Approach to Biodiversity in the UN system in line with the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework;
- A resource mobilization strategy for funding the long-term implementation of the EMG biodiversity report and the Common Approach;
- Knowledge brokering /information exchange on biodiversity in the UN system;
- Identification of opportunities for EMG members to contribute to the implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

Specific tasks and responsibilities
- Plan and organize events of the Issue Management Group on Biodiversity, including preparation of the IMG’s meetings and reports;
- Assist in coordination of the IMG’s three working groups;
- Assist in organization of related events, such as EMG Nexus Dialogues or side-events at international meetings and conferences;
- Prepare in