International Consultant for the Preparation of Inventory of Banks of Waste-Controlled Substances, and the Development of a National Management Plan in Bhutan & Mongolia

The consultant will deliver 2 fully compliant, high-quality project documents on the national inventory of banks of waste-controlled substances and the development of a national plan for the management of these substances in Bhutan and Mongolia. These outputs will enable the countries to: 1. Develop a robust data analysis methodology and validate inventory projections of waste-controlled substances, ensuring accurate estimates for RAC/MAC equipment and recovery practices. This provides a solid foundation for informed decision-making on managing existing and future banks of controlled substances. 2. Prepare a comprehensive review of the national legal framework and organizational capacity for managing waste-controlled substances, identifying gaps and opportunities for alignment with international conventions such as the Basel Convention. 3. Develop actionable policy recommendations and a national plan incorporating a sustainable business model for waste management. This approach ensures long-term viability and integration with existing Montreal Protocol initiatives. 4. Prepare a detailed country report in collaboration with NOUs and UNEP, combining the national inventory and management plan for waste-controlled substances, following Executive Committee and Multilateral Fund guidelines. This report serves as a strategic roadmap for implementation and resource mobilization.

Home based

8 months (May to December 2026)

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The Law Division works with international and non-governmental organizations, national and local governments, businesses, and industry to develop and implement policies, strategies and practices that are cleaner and safer, incorporate environmental costs, use natural resources efficiently, reduce pollution and risks for humans and the environment, and enable the implementation of Conventions and international Agreements. UNEP serves as an Implementing Agency of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Through its OzonAction Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP), UNEP delivers targeted technical and policy support to empower National Ozone Units (NOUs). This assistance enables NOUs to effectively implement activities approved by the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund, meet their compliance obligations under the Montreal Protocol, and address the evolving technological and operational needs of stakeholders involved in national-level implementation. Background: At the 91st meeting of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund, the Committee decided (decision 91/66) to establish a funding window for the preparation of national inventories of banks of used or unwanted controlled substances and a plan for the collection, transport and disposal of such substances, including consideration of recycling, reclamation and cost-effective destruction to assist Article 5 Parties to understand the potential banks of used/unwanted controlled substances, existing infrastructure as well as to develop policy and action plans needed in managing these controlled substances. At the 95th meeting of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund, the “Preparation of national inventory of banks of waste-controlled substances and development of a national plan for management of these substances” projects were approved for Bhutan (BHU/DES/95/PRP/35) and Mongolia (MON/DES/95/PRP/41) with UNEP as the implementing agency. To support the development of this initiative, UNEP will engage a consultant to assist in the preparation of a national inventory of banks of waste-controlled substances and the development of a national plan for management of these substances in Bhutan and Mongolia. Duties and Responsibilities: Under the day-to-day supervision of the South Asia Regional Network Coordinator, the consultant will undertake the following tasks Task 1: Analyze the actual and prospective inventory of banks of waste-controlled substances under the Montreal Protocol a) Develop a data analysis methodology, including detailed descriptions of required inputs and parameters. Present the methodology to, and consult with, NOU, OzonAction CAP South Asia, and local consultants. Provide guidance to the NOU and local consultants on data collection. b) Using available datasets from previous projects and complementary data collected by the local consultant, develop an inventory and projection of banks of waste-controlled substances in the country. The comprehensive inventory should include: - Inventory of RAC/MAC equipment in the country. - Practices and recovery rate of waste-controlled substances (i) during operation - installation and servicing of RAC/MAC equipment and (ii) during equipment decommissioning at end-of-life. The cost elements of recovery practices should be analyzed in detail. - Inventory of actual and potential banks of waste-controlled substances. - If applicable, review previously implemented or ongoing projects relevant to refrigerant recovery, recycling, reclamation programs or ODS/HFC disposal/destruction projects in the country. c) Where possible, include analysis of waste-controlled substances that could be recovered from and collected from fire suppression systems and foam products. d) Validate the data analysis results using an appropriate methodology. Task 2: Conduct a comprehensive desk review of the existing national legal framework, organizational structure and capacity for managing waste-controlled substances, and challenges/gaps a) Assess the current national legal framework related to recovery, collection, safe handling, transportation, storage, recycling, reclamation, and destruction of substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol. b) Review the legal framework governing trade and boundary movement of waste-controlled substances, including requirements and linkages to the Basel Convention. c) Evaluate current servicing practices related to the management of waste-controlled substances. d) Assess the country’s existing practices, organizational structure, and infrastructure for managing waste-controlled substances. This should include potential opportunities for co disposal of waste-controlled substances with other hazardous waste. e) If applicable, analyze recycling/reclamation and destruction opportunities in neighboring countries, including an estimated cost analysis. f) Identify challenges and gaps in the management of waste-controlled substances. g) Where possible and applicable, conduct a similar analysis for waste-controlled substances originating from fire suppression systems and foam products. Task 3: Develop policy recommendations and national action plans incorporating a sustainable business model for managing waste-controlled substances. a) Based on the comprehensive desk review and identified challenges/gaps, develop policy recommendations that enable or mandate the proper management of waste-controlled substances. This should include stakeholder mapping and institutional coordination. b) Develop a national action plan for managing waste-controlled substances, incorporating a sustainable business model for waste management. - The business model must include an executable action plan taking into consideration the volume of unwanted waste substances and the technologies available within the country. Key elements of the business model should include, among others: stakeholder roles, revenue streams, cost components, sustainability measures, and risk management. - The model also should consider end-of-life appliances (EoL) decommissioning, extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, and synergies with other policies such as cooling action plans and energy efficiency initiatives. Where necessary, the business model may incorporate recycling, reclamation, and destruction capacities in neighboring countries. - In addition to the business model, the national action plan must include proposals and a budget for required policy development, capacity building activities, awareness raising initiatives, and other technical assistance measures. The developed action plan should align with HPMP, KIP, and other Montreal Protocol implementation activities in the country. Task 4: Develop a comprehensive country report combining the national inventory of banks of waste-controlled substances and a national plan for management of these substances a) Based on the above tasks, the consultant, in close collaboration with the relevant NOUs and UNEP, shall prepare a comprehensive country report that combines the national inventory of banks of waste-controlled substances and a national plan for management of these substances. The report must be prepared in accordance with the guidelines and template formats provided by the Executive Committee and Multilateral Fund Secretariat. b) Once submitted for consideration by the Executive Committee, support UNEP in responding to comments from the Multilateral Fund Secretariat and to revise the report as necessary based on comments and feedback of the Multilateral Fund Secretariat.

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environmental sciences, or environmental management, natural sciences, engineering, or any related discipline is required. A first level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable. Minimum 5 years (with Master’s degree) of work experience in the preparation, review, and implementation of environmental projects related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements, including the Montreal Protocol, is required. Extensive experience in drafting projects for the Multilateral Fund or similar international mechanisms, particularly related to HPMPs and KIPs is required. In-depth knowledge of the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) servicing and manufacturing sectors is desirable. Demonstrated ability to integrate gender considerations into technical project design and implementation is desirable. Experience in waste management is an advantage.

English is the working language of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, written and oral English proficiency is required.

Not available.