CCAC National Consultant for El Salvador

Result of ServiceThe CCAC National Consultant for El Salvador will support the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) in facilitating interministerial coordination and effective communication to engage relevant stakeholders in the field, aiming to strengthen the country’s efforts to mitigate short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). This role includes coordinating and supporting the CCAC project “SV-24-001 - El Salvador - National SLCP Plan and Methane Roadmap” that is currently implemented by GGGI in close coordination with the CCAC Focal Point. Additionally, the coordinator will assist MARN in overseeing the deliverables produced by GGGI to ensure they meet both MARN and CCAC requirements, working closely with the Directorate of Water Security and the Directorate of the Observatory of Threats and Natural Resources. Also, the National Consultant will support the MARN promoting collaboration across sectors like air quality, health, and waste, overseeing the methane roadmap, and supporting the MARN in its initiative to develop an Air Quality Management roadmap. This roadmap will outline actions to improve air quality monitoring infrastructure in El Salvador, including a proposal for a suitable network that ensures reliable and representative data. It will also identify major emission sources to guide public policies based on technical and scientific evidence, helping the country meet its environmental commitments. This roadmap builds on the previous CCAC project “Central America - Achieving air quality, climate, and health goals”. Work LocationEl Salvador, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) Expected duration12 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) is a partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, and representatives of the private sector, the environmental community, and other members of civil society. The CCAC is the only international initiative working on integrated climate and clean air solutions to reduce the rate of near-term warming. It focuses on fast action to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) including methane, black carbon, HFCs, and tropospheric ozone. More information on the CCAC is available at: www.ccacoalition.org. Guidance on the CCAC’s National Planning Methodology for reducing short-lived climate pollutants is available in the Resource Library. El Salvador joined the CCAC in 2023. El Salvador committed to mitigating greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants emissions and has launched several initiatives to address the interrelated challenges of climate change and air pollution. Recent plans and strategies developed to further this commitment include the National Plan on Climate Change 2022-2026, the National Energy Policy 2020-2025, the National Environmental Policy in 2022 and sectorial plans for the NDC implementation. El Salvador has launched various initiatives to tackle climate and air quality issues, including the submission of its first NDC in 2015, the most recent in 2021, and is currently preparing the NDC 3.0. The country has also implemented a monitoring, reporting, and verification system for its NDCs and actively participates in the UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties (COP). Its engagement with the CCAC reflects a strong commitment to reducing air pollution and enhancing climate resilience. By participating in the Global Methane Pledge, El Salvador has also made a voluntary commitment towards reducing global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. El Salvador is also working to strengthen its legal framework by creating and updating environmental regulations and documents related to air pollution. The country is enhancing the analysis and monitoring of environmental parameters to improve air quality and reduce health and ecosystem impacts. Through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), El Salvador will receive support from the CCAC to prepare a CCAC-funded Project [SV-24-001] - National Plan for Short-Lived Climate Pollutants and develop a methane roadmap. These efforts aim to design mitigation strategies that benefit public health, prevent premature deaths, protect ecosystems, and support national economic growth. Additionally, MARN is working to strengthen the national network for monitoring particulate matter, especially fine fractions like PM2.5 and PM₁₀, to ensure robust, continuous data for evaluating air quality standards and informing evidence-based policies. To support these efforts, the CCAC is seeking a National Consultant for El Salvador to enhance MARN’s capacity in coordinating national climate and air quality activities. The consultant will be embedded at MARN and will report to CCAC Secretariat. All deliverables are to be validated by the CCAC Focal Point at the MARN. Expected outcomes: The CCAC National Project Coordinator in El Salvador will provide support to: (1) Ensure the participation and support of El Salvador’s government institutions related to air quality to implement the roadmap that enhances mitigation measures for short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), including backing from high-level political actors. (2) Contribute to strengthening the capacity of government institutions to develop and implement SLCP mitigation strategies and measures, based on CCAC’s integrated approach to reducing air pollution. (3) Support CCAC projects in the country, particularly the “SV-24-001” project to develop a national SLCP plan and methane roadmap, in close coordination with GGGI and the CCAC Focal Point. (4) Propose strategies to integrate SLCP mitigation actions into relevant national processes, plans, and strategies, including the possibility of incorporating SLCP emission calculations into national MRV systems. (5) Identify national and international funding opportunities to implement the roadmap and improve SLCP mitigation actions in the country. (6) Recommend actions to raise national awareness about SLCPs. (7) Ensure El Salvador remains an active CCAC partner and benefits from the Coalition (e.g., exchange of best practices, technical assistance, funding, bilateral partnerships). (8) Promote and advise on improvements to the national air quality monitoring system by optimizing measurement infrastructure, standardizing methodologies, and building technical capacity to generate reliable and representative data for decision-making, policy evaluation, and the design of mitigation strategies for both criteria pollutants and SLCPs. Outputs: (1) Analysis on the current institutional arrangement and proposal to establish a mechanism to ensure interministerial and interinstitutional coordination and collaboration in reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), such as an interagency working group or national SLCP unit, while also involving other societal actors like academia and industry. (2) Report containing capacity building activities such as training, webinar or workshops organized to build national capacity for SLCP mitigation in the country addressed to relevant government ministries and departments. Training topics could be on integrated emissions assessments and SLCP mitigation, improved and integrated inventories of SLCPs, greenhouse gases (GHGs), and air pollutants, mitigation assessments, implementation strategies or MRV system for tracking mechanism for SLCP emissions and mitigation. (3) Activity report on support provided to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) in implementing the “SV-24-001- El Salvador - National SLCP Plan and Methane Roadmap” project to develop a national SLCP plan and methane roadmap, in close coordination with GGGI and the CCAC Focal Point. (4) Awareness materials, policy papers or summary for stakeholders on benefits for reducing air pollution, including implementation of the roadmap to improve SLCP and GHG mitigation measures in the country. (5) Technical proposal to strengthen the national air quality monitoring system, including recommendations to improve coverage, measurement methodologies, data quality control, and technical capacities to generate reliable information that supports mitigation policies for both criteria pollutants and SLCPs. (6) Update or enhance El Salvador’s partner profile on the CCAC website. Qualifications/special skills- Advanced university degree(Master’s or equivalent) in environmental sciences, climate policy, economics, chemical, politics, international relations or a similar discipline. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. At least five years of professional experience in a field relevant to climate change and air pollution, and/or environmental and climate policy is required. - Knowledge of the national policies in climate change mitigation and air pollution is required. - A good understanding of short-lived climate pollutants, climate change and air pollution issues in El Salvador is required - Excellent communication skills, both written and oral presentations is required. - Experience working with government and/or international development partners in the environmental/climate sector is desired. - Proven experience preparing technical reports, stakeholder engagement materials, or capacity-building content related to climate change, SLCPs, or air pollution is desired. - Knowledge and previous experience working on climate change, short-lived climate pollutants, climate change international agreements or air pollution is desired. - Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders and to collaborate with multidisciplinary team. - Ability to work with advanced formulas in Excel spreadsheet is desirable. Languages- Fluency in oral and written Spanish is required. Fluency in oral and written English is desired. 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.