Spatial Planning Expert

Result of Service
Establishment of a National Protected Areas Network.
Work Location
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Expected duration
‎2 months
Duties and Responsibilities
Organization Setting:

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global
environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes
the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable
development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative
advocate for the global environment. The West Asia Office of UNEP delivers
advisory services and capacity building support to countries to achieve
environment and sustainable development objectives. This consultancy is
established at the West Asia Office within the framework of the Strategic
Cooperation Agreement between UNEP and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager in UNEP West Asia Office
and in coordination with the National Centre for Wildlife (NCW) and the
respective department in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in
Saudi Arabia, the expert will carry out, inter alia, the following duties and
responsibilities:

‎1. Provide technical advice and guidance on the development and application
of state-of-the art spatial planning techniques and tools associated with the
development and finalization of the protected areas system plan for Saudi
Arabia, to ensure adequacy and alignment of the NCW database with relevant
national and international databases and knowledge platforms including the new
Terrestrial Eco-regions of the World (TEOW).
‎2. Technical inputs in the adjustment of terrestrial eco-region boundaries
and ecosystem type boundaries, aiming at seamless nesting of ecosystem types
within terrestrial eco-regions. This will involve checking the boundaries of
the ecosystem type units against the new Terrestrial Eco-regions of the World
(TEOW) map, to ensure that the best of each map is retained.
‎3. Design and refine ecosystem type unit boundaries using satellite imagery
and remote sensing tools. The current boundaries of the NCW ecosystem types
are often coarse and angular; in cases where they are meant to reflect
landforms and vegetation boundaries, remote sensing tools will refine them
greatly.
‎4. Develop ecosystem type unit boundaries, where needed, using the GIS
geology layer for NCW.
‎5.Technical inputs and advisory in the refinement of boundaries of the 'Asir
Escarpment crest and 'Asir Escarpment crest juniper woodlands; refinement of
the boundaries of the wadi units. o Consideration to differentiate the Hijaz
Hills and Mountains ecosystem type into northern and southern units and
recommendations of sedimentary ecosystem types - and the Najran-'Asir plateau
ecosystem type.
‎6. Development and conversion of remaining points in the biodiversity
hotspots layer to polygons.
‎7. Technical inputs in the rationalization of the boundaries between
terrestrial and marine ecosystem types, as needed, in collaboration with the
consultant on marine protected area planning.
‎8. Technical guidance on refining a map designed as an overlay on the
Ecosystem Types Map, that sets out the NCW vision for future conservation
planning to meet and surpass the targets of the Saudi Green Initiative and the
CBD for ‎2030, increase connectivity (including latitudinal, altitudinal, and
marine depth connectivity for improved resilience to climate change), and to
fill gaps in ecological representation and biodiversity hotspots.
‎9. Provide on-the-job capacity building and training for NCW and partners
staff on the application of state-of-the-art spatial planning technologies and
tools thus ensuring the institutionalization of the key technical competencies
and capabilities within national entities.

Outputs / Work Assignments (Deliverables):
‎1. An inception report.
‎2. Technical guidelines and scientific reports.
‎3. Monthly and quarterly reports.
‎4. Training manuals and courses.
‎5. Capacity building programme for National Centre for Wildlife.
‎6. Final report on spatial planning protected areas.
Qualifications/special skills
Master's degree in biodiversity, ecosystems, protected areas, environmental
science, natural sciences, or related fields is required. PHD is an asset.
Minimum of ‎10 years of professional technical experience in the field of
protected areas is required.
Knowledge of protected areas in Saudi Arabia is an asset.
Experience working in West Asia is desirable.
Languages
Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is
desirable.
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.