Environmental Law Specialist at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Under the supervision of the Head of the Montevideo and Delivery Unit (MDCU) of the Law Division, the consultant will:
• Collaborate in the development of updated legislation on national air quality standards, taking into consideration the UNEP Guide on Ambient Air Quality Legislation and the model legislation on air quality for Central America, as well as identified international priorities and good practices.
• Collaborate in the development of national regulations on stationary sources and vehicle emission standards, taking into account national circumstances and international and regional best practices.
• Help the organization of national stakeholder consultations, organized by the Ministry of Environment of Guatemala and in collaboration with other sectoral ministries, by providing input on the agenda, stakeholders list, and other materials (e.g., presentations), as well as by facilitating the collection of feedback and data and drafting of a final report.
• Integrate feedback received from the consultation process into revised version of the legislation, and contribute to the final drafts.
• Design a proposal to strengthen legal capacities of government officials at national and subnational levels for the timely implementation of the air quality regulations. The proposal should include an identification of key institutions and/or offices recommended for capacity building initiatives.
• Participate in regular meetings with the Ministry of Environment of Guatemala on project activities and progress and contribute as required.
• Communicate periodically with UNEP representatives, such as MCDU, UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office, through organizing and conducting team meetings to update on progress and milestones. Each payment will be disbursed upon timely delivery of products according to schedule and approval by the Head of the Montevideo Coordination and Delivery Unit (MCDU) of the Law Division or designated representative.

Qualifications/special skills

• A Master's Degree in law, environmental law, international environmental law or related fields is required.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressive working experience in international law, environmental law, environmental policy, or a related field is required.
• Experience in working on environmental issues at the international and regional level, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean region, is required.
• Background in legislative drafting, development of legal and institutional frameworks, and legal analysis related to environmental management law, especially air quality law, is an asset.
• Experience on the environmental legal and institutional framework in Guatemala is an asset. Experience on air pollution issues is an advantage.