Mission and objectivesThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) was established in Osaka in 1992. UNEP-IETC in Osaka, together with the rest of UNEP, is working to change attitudes towards waste with the support and cooperation of its partners and International Advisory Board Members. Support IETC in promoting sustainable plastic waste management systems, particularly on developing and transition economies, as part of the project Sustainable Plastic Waste Management.
ContextThis UNV assignment is part of UNEP-IETCโs project on Sustainable Plastic Waste Management, which focuses on environmentally sound management of plastic waste, through analyses of good practices in Japan and across the world, and the development of knowledge materials and actions plans, to be disseminated through a series of project meetings and plastic-related events. The ultimate objective is to establish a sustainable management system for plastic waste management and promote its implementation in developing and transition economies. The activities will also involve other divisions within UNEP as well as IETC partners. Project website : https://www.unep.org/ietc/what-we-do/plastic-waste-management/japan-funded-project-sustainable-plastic-waste-management
Task DescriptionWithin the delegated authority and under the supervision of Programme Officer or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the Plastic Waste Management Programme Associate will: โข Provide technical, administrative and operational support to the implementation of projects and activities on waste management, according to IETCโs programme of work and with a particular focus on plastic waste management. โข Provides substantive and logistic support to meetings and events, by proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparing background documents and presentations. โข Assist in the development of technical and policy documents on environmentally sound waste management, including documents related to the aforesaid project and policy or regulatory frameworks. โข Provide expertise and knowledge on environmentally sound waste management tailored to the needs of UNEP-IETC and based on needs and capacity from Member States. โข Contributes to the development and implementation of communications plans and knowledge-sharing activities on waste management, with particular focus on plastic waste stream. โข Support for outreach activities, such as training workshops, seminars, etc., and make presentations on assigned topics/activities. โข Performs other duties as required. As an active UNEP-IETC team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNEP-IETC and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including : โข UN Volunteer will focus on the support for the implementation of the project on Sustainable Plastic Waste Management; contribute to the development and maintenance of knowledge repository on waste pollution, waste management and impacts on the environment and human health, with consideration of social and gender aspects; and contribute to the overall projects and activities within the UNEP-IETC portfolio and within the programme of work of Chemicals and Health Branch and UNEP, as so requested. โข Age, gender and diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment. โข A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in, and capacities developed.
Competencies and valuesโข Accountability โข Adaptability and flexibility โข Creativity โข Judgement and decision-making โข Planning and organising โข Professionalism โข Self-management
Living conditions and remarksSecurity Threats : - Armed conflict - There is no report of armed conflict in Japan. The potential for internal or external armed conflict is currently considered very unlikely. - Terrorism - There are no known indicators that extremist groups are operating in Japan or planning to specifically target UN Personnel and their activities in Japan. - Crime - Crime rate in Japan is low and is not expected to have a direct bearing on UN activities. However, all UN Personnel are advised to take common sense personal security measures and precautions at all time. Credit card scams and overcharging are common in certain nightlife or entertainment areas. Visitors are advised to exercise caution if approached by street touts (both local and foreign) who may be offering cheap entertainment and drinks. Some bars and other night-time entertainment establishments in Tokyo are known to intimidate patrons into paying excessive bills. There are reports of robberies being committed after a victim has been drugged from a spiked drink. - Civil Unrest โ While there are occasional mass protests in Japan, they are generally peaceful. Any conflict is usually contained to action between protest group and security forces within a localized area. The UN as an international institution regularly attracts protests, primarily outside the UNU premises in Tokyo, these protests, or petition deliveries are not usually directed at the UN, but are often relating to other international, or local issues. - Hazards โ While Japan is considered a โsafeโ country in terms of dangers perpetrated by other people, natural disasters pose other risks. Over the years, Japan has been affected by devastating natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, typhoons and volcanic eruptions. Japan sits on the edge of three tectonic plates and has many active faults throughout the country. Therefore, it experiences frequent earthquakes, more than 1,000 a year, of which only a small percentage are felt at the surface. The seismic activity caused by subduction of the three tectonic plates is particularly concentrated in the Kanto plain region where Tokyo is situated and Nankai region where Mt. Fuji is located. Earthquakes caused by active faults can occur along with several active faults throughout Japan. In addition to earthquakes, Japan is exposed to typhoons, floods, landslides, tornadoes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Typhoon season in the Western and Central Pacific runs from June to November. Communications equipment, mobile phone networks, internet 4G and 5G capable handsets will work in Japan. Mobile phones that are GSM-only do not work in Japan as the country no longer has GSM networks. Cell phone networks cover the whole country. The three biggest carriers in Japan are NTT Docomo, AU and SoftBank. WiFi zones are also increasingly available in coffee shops, hotels and other public spaces. Accommodation No UN-recommend accommodation. No UN restrictions in effect. All hotels in Japan are available to UN personnel, hotels with 3 stars or above are recommended. Crime (theft) incidents are rare at hotels in Japan. Online hotel booking websites offer a wide range of available accommodation throughout the country. Areas around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant are restricted. Health advisory and recommendations