Financial Analyst for Addressing Marine Plastic Litter and Microplastics, Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Result of Service

The project supports the implementation of the Principles for Sustainable Insurance, UN Environment Assembly resolutions on marine plastic litter, and various UN Sustainable Development Goals (for example, SDG 3 on good health and well-being, SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation for all, SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities, SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production, SDG 14 on healthy oceans and SDG 17 on partnerships).

During the assignment, the Consultant will advance and finalize the roadmap towards improved financing to tackle marine plastic litter and microplastics and assist its implementation by preparing project concept notes.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

The consultancy will be for 6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Given the serious environmental, social, and economic impacts of marine litter and plastic pollution, the Assembly underscored important actions by the public sector, private sector and other stakeholders. These include promoting environmentally friendly alternatives to single-use plastic products; more resource-efficient design, production use and sound management of plastics across their life cycle; and improving waste management practices and environmentally sound clean-up activities. It cites the key role of sectors such as plastics producers, retailers, the consumer goods industry, importers, packaging firms, transport firms, and recyclers in reducing plastic waste.

The Assembly stressed the need to prevent and reduce marine litter from both land and sea-based sources, and for a more sustainable management of plastics throughout their lifecycle in order to increase sustainable consumption and production patterns. The Assembly decided that the mandate of the ad hoc open-ended expert group on marine litter and microplastics continue until UN Environment Assembly 5, and to identify technical and financial resources or mechanism for supporting countries in addressing marine plastic litter and microplastics. In this regard, an inventory was prepared of financial resources and mechanisms.

Furthermore, UNEP hosts the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), which is the largest collaborative initiative between the UN and the insurance industry. Endorsed by the UN Secretary-General and insurance industry CEOs, the PSI serves as a global framework for the insurance industry to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities—and a global initiative to strengthen the insurance industry’s contribution as risk managers, insurers and investors to building resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and economies on a healthy planet.

In 2019, UNEP’s PSI launched the first-ever insurance industry guide to manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks— or sustainability risks. The guide showed how insurers could develop a systematic approach to managing ESG risks such as climate change, environmental degradation, protected sites and species, animal welfare, human rights, controversial weapons, and corruption.

Building on the industry guide, UNEP, through a collaboration between the PSI and the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, prepared a pioneering study on how the insurance industry can support the global agenda of tackling marine plastic litter and microplastics: “Unwrapping the risks of plastic pollution to the insurance industry”.

In addition, the GPML commissioned the preparation of a roadmap towards improved financing to tackle marine plastic litter and microplastics.

Against this background, UNEP Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) seeks a consultant who will coordinate the PSI activities related to plastic pollution.


During the assignment, the Consultant will further develop aspects of a roadmap towards improved financing to tackle marine plastic litter and microplastics and develop project proposals for submission to potential donors to initiate the implementation of the roadmap.

Under the direct supervision of the Coordinator of GPA with input from the Steering Committee of the GPML with technical guidance from the Programme Leader at UNEP’s Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative, the consultant will:

• Develop and finalize the roadmap towards improved financing to tackle marine plastic litter and microplastics; and
• Prepare project proposals to initiate the implementation of the roadmap.

Specific tasks include:

• Develop and finalize the roadmap towards improved financing to tackle marine plastic litter and microplastics
  • Develop the roadmap towards improved financing to tackle marine plastic litter and microplastics further and prepare a step-by-step implementation plan;
  • Identify key actors that can participate in the marine litter public and private finance working groups and identify potential partners and donors for UNEP to advance the work on the risks of plastic pollution to the insurance industry;
  • Update the inventory of financial resources or mechanisms for supporting countries in addressing marine plastic litter and microplastics with additional research such as through interviews and surveys;
  • Propose a methodology for future updates of the inventory of financial resources; and
  • Prepare a final report with recommendations on future priority actions to be taken by UNEP.
• Prepare project proposals to initiate the implementation of the roadmap
  • Finalize a project proposal on liability risks associated with plastic pollution for submission to a potential donor; and
  • Prepare three project concept notes to implement the roadmap and identify potential donor for the respective proposals.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic Qualifications:

Advanced university degree in insurance, risk management, investment, finance, business administration, economics, environmental/sustainability studies or related field is required.

Experience:

• At least 2 years of experience in insurance, risk management, investment, finance, business administration, economics or environmental/sustainability studies is required.
• Knowledge and proven work experience in the prevention and management of plastic and microplastics is an advantage.
• Experience in project management, particularly within a UN agency is desirable.
• Experience in working with a diverse range of stakeholders in the finance sector including insurance companies is desirable.
• Experience in developing reports for international organizations is desirable

Language:

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in written and oral English is required. Working knowledge of other UN official languages is desirable.