Date: National Expert

​Requisition ID: 5069
Grade: SB5 - Local Professional (Mid-Level & Senior)
Country: Brazil
Duty Station: Brasilia
Category: National Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Application deadline: 18-Feb-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement

TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
Only nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are considered eligible.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS) under the overall direction of the Director General, and in close collaboration with all relevant organizational entities within UNIDO, headed by a Managing Director, oversees the Organization's development of capacities for industrial development as well as industrial policy advice, statistics and research activities and the Organization's normative contribution to Member States and global development community in achieving the SDGs. The Directorate also ensures the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to Environment, Energy, SMEs, Competitiveness and Job creation, as well as Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute toward effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results and on realizing any potential for scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.

The Directorate houses the technical Divisions of Capacity Development, Industrial Policy Advice and Statistics (TCS/CPS); Circular Economy and Chemicals Management (TCS/CCM); Decarbonization and Sustainable Energy (TCS/DSE); SMEs, Competitiveness and Job Creation (TCS/SME); Digital Transformation and AI Strategies (TCS/DAS); and the Montreal Protocol Division. The Directorate also ensures close coordination and collaboration among the Divisions as well as with relevant entities in the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO) and the Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation (IET).

The position is located under the Montreal Protocol Unit (TCS/CMP), under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), and in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, that is responsible for planning, developing and implementing activities in Member States to facilitate compliance with the Montreal Protocol and, in particular, its Kigali Amendment and to support countries to achieve their determined contributions to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases under the Paris Agreement.

Making use of the capacity building and policy support, so that the services of the Division foster transformation in manufacturing concerning technologies used in refrigeration, air conditioning and insulation foams with the effect of a reduction and change in working fluids and chemicals and ultimately a reduction of total greenhouse gas emissions.

PROJECT CONTEXT

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty that aims to protect the ozone layer by eliminating the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Established in 1987 under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, this agreement has been ratified by 198 States (Parts). In 1990, the Parts of the Montreal Protocol established the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol (MLF) to finance \"non-repayable\" projects and provide technical support to help developing countries fulfil their commitments. Brazil has promulgated the texts of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol through Decree No. 99,280 of June 6, 1990. However, since 1979 the Country has taken actions to protect the ozone layer through regulatory devices and public policies. From 1992, specific sectoral activities and projects were carried out, either in groups or individually, financed by FML. The projects allowed the elimination of the consumption of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Halon, Carbon Tetrachloride (CTC) and Methyl Bromide (except for quarantine and pre-shipment uses). In September 2007, Parties to the Montreal Protocol undertook through MOP Decision XIX/6 (Annex I) to anticipate the phase-out of HCFCs, substances used as a technological alternative to CFCs. Between 2009 and 2011, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) coordinated the elaboration of the Brazilian Program for the Elimination of HCFCs (PBH) for developing actions to eliminate the consumption of HCFCs in Brazil.

The PBH was divided into three stages. Stage 1 was concluded in 2010, meeting the targets of freezing HCFC consumption in 2013 and a 16.6% reduction in 2015 (Table 1).

The Stage 2 of the PBH is underway and is scheduled for completion in December 2025. It focuses on actions aimed at phasing out 464.06 ODP tons of HCFCs through industrial conversion activities, technical assistance, capacity building and regulatory actions in the PU foam manufacturing and refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) manufacturing and services sectors. In 2020, the country achieved a 39.3% reduction in HCFC consumption compared to the baseline by banning the import of HCFC-141b for the PU foam manufacturing sector, and in 2021, it achieved a 51.6% reduction.

The Stage 3 was approved at the 94th Meeting of the Executive Committee of the MLF in May 2024, and is set to be in effect from 2024 to 2031. Its goal is to support actions to eliminate HCFC consumption by 67.5% by 2025 and 100% by 2030.

Table 1:

Year

Action

2013

Baseline freezing*

2015

Reduction of 16,6% of baseline

2020

Reduction of 39.3% of baseline

2021

Reduction of 51,6% of baseline

2025

Reduction of 67,5% of baseline

2030

Reduction of 100% of baseline**

* Baseline: average consumption of HCFCs for the years 2009 and 2010, equivalent to 1,327.3 t PDO

** Allowed up to 2.5% of the baseline in the period from 1 January 2030 to 1 January 2040, only for use in the sectors defined in Article 5(8)(e)(i) of the Montreal Protocol, in accordance with IBAMA Normative Instruction No 20 of 16 December 2022.

Rationale

In the context of PBH Stage 3, components 4 and 5, the Project for the Services Sector: Training and Capacity Building for the Safe Handling of Refrigerants and Technical Assistance for the Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Sector, coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA) and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), aims to focus on the adoption of sustainable technologies and practices to eliminate HCFC consumption and avoid the transitional use of high-GWP refrigerants in the commercial and industrial refrigeration services sector and residential air conditioning in Brazil. The implementation of the project's activities will result in the elimination of 1,484.59 ODP tons (81.65 PDO) of HCFC-22 consumption by 2030.

Furthermore, UNIDO will be one of those responsible for implementing activities related to the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which was approved in 2016 and subsequently enacted by the Brazilian government, through Decree 11.666, of August 24, 2023. The Amendment establishes the commitment of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol to gradually reduce the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), with the aim of mitigating the impacts on global warming by replacing HFCs with more environmentally friendly alternatives. The amendment establishes schedules and defines specific targets for reducing HFC consumption, according to the group to which the country belongs. In accordance with the Kigali Amendment, Brazil has pledged to freeze the consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in 2024, basing this commitment on the average consumption between 2020 and 2022. Moreover, the country has pledged to reduce its consumption by 10% in 2029, 30% in 2035, 50% in 2040, and 80% in 2045.

In achieving these objectives, UNIDO must have a specialized technical team to provide technical and logistical support for the defined activities in accordance with the established annual work plans.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and in close cooperation with the Project Team, the Local Specialist will be responsible for the implementation of the technical activities foreseen in Components 4 and 5 of the General Strategy of the Brazilian HCFC Phase-out Programme (PBH) - Stage III and the activities related to the elaboration and implementation of the Kigali Amendment in Brazil.

Specifically, the Local Specialist will perform the following duties:

MAIN DUTIES