Result of Service

Regional Review of air quality status and trends in Asia and the Pacific (2024 edition).

Work Location

Work remotely

Expected duration

173 days

Duties and Responsibilities

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 90 per cent of the population of the Asia-Pacific region regularly breathes air considered to be unsafe, and the challenge of air pollution is now common to many countries and cities across the region. While the region has seen rapid economic growth in recent decades, it has been accompanied by a decline in air quality, resulting from rapid and unplanned urbanization, inefficient transport systems, unclean energy systems, ineffective industrial regulations, agricultural practices and many other factors. Much of the region’s air pollution is also transboundary, impacting populations far from its sources. In this context, ESCAP member States adopted the first resolution (75/4) on strengthening regional cooperation to tackle air pollution challenges at the 75th Commission Session in 2019, and the Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP) at the 7th Committee on Environment and Development in 2022 which was subsequently endorsed by the resolution (79/6) on the Implementation of the Ministerial Declaration at the 79th Commission Session in 2023. As part of the project titled ‘Building a Partnership and Coordination Platform for the Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP)’ ESCAP will commission biennial reviews of air quality status and trends in the Asia-Pacific region (in 2024 and 2026). ESCAP seeks to recruit a consultant to develop the first edition of the biennial review in 2024 (“Regional Review”) as per the following description. Objective: The Regional Review will provide a region-wide overview of the current status and trends on air pollutant emissions and air quality in Asia and the Pacific, thus making available a knowledge resource to inform policies and actions in support of clean air in the region. It will also provide a baseline for a follow-up review of regional air quality status and trends to be published in 2026. Key focus areas: The Regional Review will utilize data from multiple remote-sensing programmes such as NASA’s MODIS, ESA’s TROPOMI and NIER’s GEMS. This will be supplemented by ground monitoring data including data set from AERONET. Such an approach will enable production of a good quality regional overview of the spatial, temporal, and seasonal patterns of air pollution in the region. Moreover, while several global assessments are based on only PM data, the present Regional Review will cover both aerosols (PM) as well as trace gases. Overall, the Regional Review will support: • Understanding of the spatiotemporal trends in air pollution for key pollutants, exposure to these pollutants, in key cities and across subregions in Asia and the Pacific. • Identification of air pollution hotspots in the Asia-Pacific region (identifying a methodology for defining hotspots, or using secondary data) and ‘deep dives’ into aspects of selected hotspots (e.g. variability, sources, exposure, transboundary contributions etc.). • Assessment of transboundary impacts and airsheds. • Shed further light on the air pollution situation at the sub-regional level (e.g. for South Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Pacific). • Insights into relevant key issues of importance to the Asia-Pacific region, including as examples, aerosol concentrations attributable to burning (natural or anthropogenic). • Policy insights including measures that have proved successful (based on the assessments of trends), actions taken by countries where there have been improvements, and barriers in countries where there is little or no progress. Target audience: The Regional Review will target a range of stakeholders working to promote clean air in the Asia-Pacific region including Ministries of Environment, local authorities, multilateral and multi-stakeholder cooperation mechanisms, regional and sub-regional institutions, and scientific communities of practice in air quality, environmental science and remote sensing. Tentative timeline (subject to adjustments): 1. Contract initiation Expected completion timeline: 1 July 2024 Estimated no. of work days: – 2. Annotated outline development (including proposed list of references), and revision based on ESCAP comments Expected completion timeline: 10 July 2024 Estimated no. of work days: 5 3. First draft report submission to ESCAP Expected completion timeline:10 September 2024 Estimated no. of work days: 25 4. Internal review of draft by ESCAP Expected completion timeline: 20 September 2024 Estimated no. of work days:- 5. External peer review (coordinated by ESCAP) Expected completion timeline:1 October 2024 Estimated no. of work days: – 6. Second draft report submission to ESCAP (reflecting comments from ESCAP and peer review) Expected completion timeline: 15 October 2024 Estimated no. of work days: 10 7. Presentation of second draft report at side event at 8th Committee of Environment and Development of ESCAP Expected completion timeline: During 16-18 October 2024 Estimated no. of work days: 2 8. Final (third) draft submission to ESCAP (reflecting comments received at side event) Expected completion timeline: 15 November 2024 Estimated no. of work days: 7 9 Responses to additional queries during editing and/or layout Expected completion timeline: 20 December 2024 Estimated no. of work days: 1 Special note: As part of the application process, applicants are required to submit the following additional material by the due deadline to escap-edd-edps@un.org (with cc to varmaa@un.org): 1. A proposed outline and methodology of the Regional Review (approx. 2 pages). 2. List of relevant prior publications.

Qualifications/special skills

Masters Degree in atmospheric science, geoinformatics, engineering, environment, social science or related area required. PhD is desirable. 10+ years experience in universities, research institutions, development agencies, international organizations or private sector with a focus on air pollution is required. Expertise on air pollution related issues in multiple countries of the Asia-Pacific region as evidenced through a track record of publications is desirable. Proficient in word processing software (i.e. MS Office suite).

Languages

Excellent command of written and spoken English.

Additional Information

The total renumeration is USD 22,500.

No Fee

THE 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.