Result of ServiceThe ultimate result of this assignment is aimed at progressing toward upgrading the Environmental Assessment Criteria (EAC) related to IMAP Common Indicator 17 at the sub-regional and regional levels, by using the ecotoxicological data reflecting the ecosystems` specificities of the Mediterranean Sea Sub-regions. Work Locationhome-based Expected durationsix (6) months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional levels. 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. United Nation’s Environment Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This consultancy assignment is for the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) - Programme for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean (MED POL), Athens, Greece. In line with the Decision IG.22/7 (COP19, 2016) on the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP) of the Mediterranean Sea and Coast and Related Assessment Criteria; Decision IG.23/6 (COP20, 2017) on the 2017 Mediterranean Quality Status Report (QSR) recommending directions for the development of the 2023 Mediterranean Quality Status Report; and Decision 26/3 (COP 23, 2023) on the 2023 Mediterranean Quality Status Report and a Renewed Ecosystem Approach Policy in the Mediterranean providing the assessment criteria related to IMAP Pollution as upgraded during the period 2019-2023, as well as identifying the gaps subject to addressing in the medium term, implementation of IMAP Pollution continues in the ongoing biennium as set in Decision 26/14 on Programme of Work and Budget for 2024 -2025. The most important results achieved during the previous biennia were as follows: The methodological approaches to support mapping of the interrelations of drivers-pressures-impacts-state-responses (DPSIR) for the various ecosystem elements within integrated Good Environmental Status (GES) assessment; Upgraded background assessment concentrations (BACs) for assessment of the contaminants in biota and sediment (IMAP Common Indicator 17) at the sub-regional level; the new reference and boundary values for assessment of Total Phosphorous (TP) and Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) and updated Chla value for the Adriatic Sea Sub-region; the environmental assessment criteria (EACs) for IMAP Common Indicator 20 based on the maximum regulatory levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs included in EC/EU Directives 1881/2006, 1259/2011 and amendments 488/2014 and 1005/2015; the approaches agreed for future upgrade of EAC for IMAP Common Indicators 17 and 18; Methodologies developed for assessment of IMAP Pollution Common Indicators; The thematic assessments of IMAP Pollution Common Indicators provided for the nine Mediterranean Sea areas/sub-divisions and used for assessment of the four Mediterranean Sub-regions as included in the 2023 Mediterranean Quality Status Report; National IMAP Pollution-based monitoring programmes addressing the spatial and temporal scope of scales of monitoring related to the respective IMAP Pollution Common Indicators, and assistance provided to the Contracting Parties in collecting and reporting national data in IMAP Information System; Monitoring Guidelines and related Protocols prepared for IMAP Common Indicators 13&14; 17, 18 and 21 to support harmonization and standardization of all steps within the analytical chain of data generation; quality assurance and reporting. In line with above, Decision 26/14 on Programme of Work and Budget for 2024 – 2025 adopted by the 23rd Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP 23) held in Portoroz, Slovenia, from 5 to 8 December 2023, mandated MED POL with the implementation of the following activities related to the Outcome 6.2 “ Science-based IMAP, foresight and other assessments and assessment tools for strengthened science-policy interface and decision making (in-house expertise, consultancy, publication, toolbox, national technical support, pilots(s))” and the Outcome 6.3 “IMAP implementation and Environment and Development Observation provide updated and quality assured data in support of decision-making by Contracting Parties and assessment of GES”: 1. Activity 6.2.1: Strengthen the implementation of national IMAP-based monitoring programmes for all clusters and deliver quality assured data (i.e., Pollution Cluster under mandate of MED POL); 2. Activity 6.2.2: Upgrade the assessment component of IMAP including possible integrated assessment for all IMAP clusters. Focus on assessment criteria and thresholds (i.e. for IMAP Common Indicators 13,14, 17, 18 under mandate of MED POL); 3. Activity 6.3.1: Strengthen national capacities to apply harmonized and standardized monitoring and assessment practices related to pollution and marine litter in line with IMAP. The Consultant is expected to perform the following tasks: 1. Prepare a detailed work-plan with a timetable. 2. Conduct a thorough examination of the scientific literature to identify studies where data on no effect or adverse biological effects are reported alongside chemical data for the environment and biota at the same site and time. 3. Assemble relevant studies, including but not limited to sediment toxicity tests, aquatic toxicity tests in conjunction with equilibrium partitioning (EqP), and field and mesocosm studies from relevant scientific sources in consultation with the national counterparts under the coordination of the Monitoring and Assessment Officer. In doing so: i) Maintain a focus on the Mediterranean biota species; ii) Prioritize long term mesocosm experiments over short term ones; iii) For laboratory ecotoxicity studies, consider those reporting dietary and oral exposure, particularly those with developmental or reproductive endpoints, as they are more sensitive than survival endpoints; iv) For field studies, consider measures of any adverse biological effects (e.g., altered benthic community - species richness, total abundance - or histopathological disorders) alongside chemical concentration in sediments which are measured at the same time. 4. Ensure that the selected studies include all relevant auxiliary information: citation, type of test, type of biological effect, analytical approach used, study area, test duration, species tested or the benthic community considered, TOC, Acid volatile sulphide (AVS), chemical concentrations, among others. 5. Classify the selected studies by assigning an effects/no effect descriptor according to the extent of the observed effect. A study should be considered an effect study only when concordance is apparent between the observed biological response and the measured chemical concentration. All effect data should be given equal weights. 6. Compile a detailed database containing data derived from effect studies, including laboratory ecotoxicity studies, mesocosm studies, and field studies. 7. Propose extrapolation of available data to upgrade the EAC assessment criteria by considering the methodology detailed in the European Commission Guidance Document (2018) and in Long et al. (1995), as recommended by the Meeting of CorMon Pollution (27 and 30 May 2022) for an update/revision of Mediterranean EAC values. This revision includes the three following approaches: i. The deterministic approach, which is based on the lowest credible toxicity datum and applies an Assessment Factor (AF) to extrapolate data to a quality standard. The higher the uncertainty of the available data, the higher the AF applied to compensate for it. This approach should be considered in case where data are lacking. ii. The probabilistic approach, which is based on a species sensitivity distribution modelling. In this approach, all reliable toxicity data (usually No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC)) are ranked, and a model is fitted. This approach is considered preferable method. iii. The empirical approach used by Long et al (1995), which quantifies the incidence of adverse effect within each range by dividing the number of effect entries by the total number of entries. The incidence is then expressed as a percentage. The ERL (Effects Range Low) and ERM (Effects Range Medium) values are derived from the effects data only and are set as the concentration corresponding of the 10th and 50th percentile of the datasets, respectively. 8. Extrapolate available data to upgrade EAC assessment criteria for sediment and biota matrices for the selected pilot sub-region(s)/sub-division(s) by considering the following aspects: i. The EQS set in accordance with the EU WFD (Directive 2008/105/EC and its amendment, 2013/39/EU) for o Water matrix: inland surface waters (rivers and lakes) and other surface waters (transitional, coastal and territorial waters) concerning of certain substances or groups of substances in surface water. These include metals (cadmium, lead, mercury and nickel, and their compounds), benzene; polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); and several pesticides, which are identified as priority pollutants due to the significant risk they pose to or via the aquatic environment; o Biota matrix: concerning the 8 compounds; ii. The difference between EQS and EAC values: o The purpose of EQS is to protect predators in the food web from ingesting contaminated prey, which should be chosen based on the specific location/environment. One the specific EQS is derived, it is possible to calculate the EQS for other species/taxa and to back-calculate the concentrations in water (EU Guidance 27); and o The purpose of EAC (or ERL) is to prevent undesirable biotic effects. The ERLs (temporarily accepted as EAC for the Mediterranean Sea) were derived based on data on undesirable biotic effect and statistical analysis. iii. Similarities in the derivation of the EQS and the ERL, i.e., both use the same available studies (such as sediment toxicity tests, aquatic toxicity tests in conjunction with equilibrium partitioning (EqP) and field and mesocosm studies) for which biotic data are provided alongside chemical data. iv. The fact that the EQS applies an Assessment Factor (AF) to account for uncertainty, while the ERLs were developed with a more empirical/pragmatic approach. v. The uncertainties such as species variations (laboratory test species vs wildlife species), laboratory -to - field conditions extrapolation, and short - to long-term effects. vi. The revised/new EAC assessment criteria: Sediments: account for TOC and mineralogical composition; Biota: account for lipid contents (for hydrophobic substances), individual dry weight (for metals), and trophic level (when a substance biomagnifies through the food web). 9. Considering the outcome of tasks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 propose the methodology to upgrade the assessment criteria related to IMAP Common Indicator 17. 10. Upgrade the EAC assessment criteria at both the regional level, as feasible, and in the pilot sub-region(s)/sub-division(s), subject to data availability, based on the output of tasks 6, 7, 8 and 9. These tasks revise the assessment criteria provided in Decisions IG.22/7 and IG.23/6, and slightly updated in IG. 26/3 i.e., EAC values for TM, PAHs and organochlorinated contaminants (PCBs and pesticides); NOAAs ERLs (for TM, PAH and pesticides in sediments) and the ECs (for TM and organic contaminants in biota) from EU Directives to protect human health. 11. Test the use of the upgraded assessment criteria for the assessment of the pilot sub-region (s) as feasible. 12. Further to work undertaken to complete tasks 2-10, provide the recommendations related to the following: i. New area specific species, in addition to the mussel M. galloprovincialis and the fish M. barbatus already agreed as IMAP mandatory species. Consider adding these species to the IMAP Pollution monitoring program based on their presence in the sub-regions and their relevance as pollution indicators, to support a better environmental assessment. ii. Contaminants of concern, such as As and Cu, as well as emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals and flame retardants, for inclusion in the IMAP Pollution Monitoring. This will enhance the assessment of the environmental status of the Mediterranean Sea and contribute to a more robust analysis. Recommendations should be based on pilot studies that includes the probability of the contaminants` presence in the Mediterranean Sea and sub-regions, in addition to the priority pollutants initially mapped in 2019 (UNEP/MED WG.463/Inf.). 13. Propose working and information documents to UNEP/MAP - MED POL, following up on completion of tasks 2, 3 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, for consideration of the Meeting of CorMon on Pollution Monitoring to be held in 2026. 14. Prepare a final report detailing the deliverables for the consultancy. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced university degree in marine science and /or environmental science with a focus on monitoring and assessing phenomena related to impacts of contaminants on marine environment is required. A minimum of 5 years of relevant scientific background and experience in i) statistical interpretation of field survey data and data retrieved from the scientific literature and the alternative sources for setting the Environmental Assessment Criteria and Background Assessment Criteria and related trend analysis of data on sediment and biota contamination by trace elements and organic contaminants; (ii) monitoring and assessing the status of the marine environment, specifically with regard to the application of the integration and aggregation approaches of relevance for GES/ Environmental assessment for IMAP Common Indicator 17 in the Mediterranean; and (iii) application of the innovative GES assessment tools e.g. NEAT; CHASE+ in the Mediterranean is required. Good knowledge of UNEP/MAP-MED POL, Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP), as well as the achievements in the Mediterranean by the scientific community, including the work under EU MSFD (2008/56/EC; 2010/477/EU; 2017/848/EU) implementation concerning the monitoring and assessment, along with experience in the preparation of the Mediterranean Quality Status Assessment Reports is desirable. LanguagesFluency and excellent writing skills in English are required. Knowledge of French is highly desirable. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.