TEEBAgriFood Consultant-Mexico at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Result of Service

• A report on TEEBAgriFood assessments in Mexico for both Maize and Agroforestry. The report will include final results of the integrated biophysical / assessment scenario model as well as on policy guidelines on how to integrate biodiversity into agriculture, modalities to engage private sector and existing opportunities
• Timely inputs to the National Medium-Term Development Plan for Mexico.

Work Location

Mexico City

Expected duration

12 months.

Duties and Responsibilities

Organization Setting:

The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) 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. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The UN Environment Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (ROLAC), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a global initiative focused on "making visible the values of nature". Its objective is to recognize, demonstrate and integrate the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services, in monetary and non-monetary terms, and to promote the integration of such values in the decision making of the key actors of the public and private sectors at all levels. TEEB provides evidence to on the costs of a "Business-as-Usual" from: (i) an economic perspective, that is to say for the economy including the generation of jobs; (ii) a social perspective, to include wellbeing and human health; and (iii) an environmental approach, to ensure healthy ecosystems and their long-term benefits.

Specific work packages of TEEB project will mainly focus on the following outputs -:

• Outputs 1: recommendations for the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the policy and planning instruments of the agricultural sector are available to decision makers;
• Output 5-the experiences of the project have been systematized and are inserted in the discussion on the integration (mainstreaming) of biodiversity at national and international level.

UNEP Mexico Office and the German Cooperation-Mexico “GIZ” jointly designed an International Climate Initiative (IKI) Funded project “Mainstreaming Biodiversity into the Agricultural Sector”. This culminated into signing of the donor agreement in December 2018 between GIZ and UNEP Mexico Office. The main objective of the project is to increase the national capacity for the protection of Biodiversity and promote a more sustainable agricultural sector in the country. It is expected that both public and private actors integrate the socio-economic values, ecological and cultural aspects of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the decision-making and planning instruments of the agricultural sector in Mexico. Under this collaboration the project seeks to develop the TEEBAgriFood sectoral study based on the regions and crops which will be defined by GIZ together with the Mexican partners from the public sector and specialized agencies, such as Federal government of Mexico such as the Ministry of Agriculture (SADER) and United Nations Organization for Agriculture and Food (FAO),. GIZ Mexico, the Ministry of Environment (SEMARNAT) and the National Commission for Biodiversity (CONABIO).

The consultant will work as part of the Ecosystem Services Economics Unit, Land Management and Biodiversity Branch, Ecosystems division based at the UNEP Country Office in Mexico. The consultant will report to the ESE unit head and to the UNEP Mexico office head.

The objective of this consultancy is to inform decision making and public policies considerations and scenarios of the most important ecosystem services for the primary sector and demonstrate how ecosystem processes are affected by non-sustainable agricultural practices. The policy considerations should support the development of the TEEB Agri-Food and the design of policy recommendations for sustainable agriculture in Mexico,

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will undertake the following

• Provide technical input to the agreement between the research institutions on Maize and Coffee and UNEP
• Provide technical input to the report for the Steering Committee Meeting in which:
  • the work plan for the research institutions will be communicated
  • the policy linkages to the Maize and Coffee TEEBAgriFood analyses are discussed
  • the regions in which the Coffee and Maize analyses would focus will be decided
  • specific socio-economic and biophysical ecosystem measures to be analyzed are explained
• Outcomes report of Steering Committee Meetings and communicating to institutions
• Provide technical support to the contracted institutions on:
  • Biophysical data required
  • Fill in the matrix of impacts and Economic valuation of ecosystem services along the value chains
  • specific socio-economic and biophysical ecosystem measures to be analyzed
  • Development of the scenarios to respond to policy linkages
• Provide support to the institutions in
  • the development of research outputs to directly inform policy interests of the SCM
  • the review of the Natural Capital Protocol to inform the Private Sector and AMEBIN
• Provide inputs to and review of communications materials whose target audience are decision makers and general public and are focused on;
  • Scope and regions of the assessments (coffee and maize)
  • Scenarios developed and link to policy questions
  • Results of modeling of scenarios
  • Link to private sector (capitals coalition)
• Develop report on theTEEB AgriFood Mexico process and outcomes, including:
  • Final results of the scenario modeling and the recommendations provided by the TEEBAgriFood framework
  • The engagement with country stakeholders – subnational and national level (government, civil society, research and private sector)
  • the steps necessary to implement the change:, a "Theory of Change"
  • Recommendations for TEEBAgriFood framework implementation
• Draft input into the private sector round tables e.g. work with the Capitals Coalition in the coordination of the private sector engagement. The aim is to promote the integration of the results of the private sector consultations into the TEEBAgriFood initiative.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic Qualifications: An advanced university degree (Master’s) in Economics, International Affairs, International Cooperation for Development, Agriculture, Administration, Public Policies, Environmental Areas, or related fields is required. A PhD will be an added advantage.
Experience: A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant work experience in the field of economics, international affairs, public policies, international cooperation, sustainable development, agricultural and environment is required. Ddemonstrated work experience with multilateral organizations, international cooperation as well as government and private sector stakeholders is required.;
Language: English and Spanish are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post fluency in written and oral Spanish is required. Working knowledge of English will be an added advantage.