Circular Economy Specialist

Update

The current patterns of production and consumption are not sustainable. We are consuming Earth's natural resources at a rate faster than they can be replenished, a situation often described as an 'ecological overshoot.' Estimates suggest that if the trend persist on this trajectory, we will require resources equivalent to nearly three Earth-like planets by 2050 , placing an unsustainable strain on our fragile ecosystems. Our prevailing "linear economy" operates via a take-make-waste approach - extracting raw materials, processing them into products, then discarding as waste. This linear approach results in a concerning statistic: currently only 7.2% of used materials are projected to be cycled back into our economies. The consequences of this linear model contribute significantly to environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The circular economy emerges as a transformative alternative model to minimize waste and promote sustainable use of resources.

Circular economy is an important area of intervention that government and private sectors in Bhutan and has been identified as a priority area in the country’s 13th Five Year Plan (13th FYP). Currently, UNDP Bhutan is implementing a plastic circularity project with an objective to address the growing challenges of waste management. This project is a continuation of the various circular economy programmes such as the health waste management project, solid waste experimentation, waste management during COVID pandemic.

The circular economy assignment is to broaden the scope and scale of the circular economy initiative of Bhutan at large.

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative and under direct supervision of the Head of Experimentation at UNDP CO, the volunteer will be tasked with the following key responsibilities:

Coordination and technical support
• Provide advisory services and technical support to the environment and climate team inclusive of reviewing relevant policy documents and reports related to circular economy.
• Facilitate co-creation workshops with stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, private sectors, youths and communities.
• Conduct user research and analyze qualitative and quantitative data and prepare various written outputs eg. policy briefs, inputs to publications, and sections of reports and studies.
• Provide substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.
• Assists in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies related to sustainable consumption and production, circularity and inclusive green economy.

Build Strategic Partnership and Resource Mobilization
• Identify resource mobilization opportunities, as well as stewardship, leadership, and economic-finance mechanisms to ensure sustainable and long-lasting impact building on the past and existing UNDP’s circular economy projects and initiatives. Develop content in the form of pitches and proposals document.
• Carry out mapping of potential partnerships, funding windows for the circular economy programme and initiative.

Results/expected outputs:

As an active UNDP Bhutan team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNDP Bhutan and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

• Successful Resource Mobilization partnership. Explore at least two funding windows.
• Project development of national and regional concept notes in food waste, solid waste and others with an objective to create green jobs.