International Consultancy to support an upgrade of the Background Assessment Concentrations and Environmental Assessment Criteria related to IMAP Common Indicator 18 (Level B)

Result of ServiceThe ultimate goal of this assignment is to upgrade Background Assessment Concentrations (BACs) and Environmental Assessment Criteria (EACs) related to IMAP Common Indicator 18 at both sub-regional and regional levels, using data on biomarkers that reflect the specificities of the ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea sub-regions. Work Locationhome-based Expected durationsix (6) months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional levels. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. United Nation’s Environment Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This consultancy assignment is for the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) - Programme for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean (MED POL), Athens, Greece. In line with the Decision IG.22/7 (COP19, 2016) on the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP) of the Mediterranean Sea and Coast and Related Assessment Criteria; Decision IG.23/6 (COP20, 2017) on the 2017 Mediterranean Quality Status Report (QSR) recommending directions for the development of the 2023 Mediterranean Quality Status Report; and Decision 26/3 (COP 23, 2023) on the 2023 Mediterranean Quality Status Report and a Renewed Ecosystem Approach Policy in the Mediterranean providing the assessment criteria related to IMAP Pollution as upgraded during the period 2019-2023, as well as identifying the gaps subject to addressing in the medium term, implementation of IMAP Pollution continues in the ongoing biennium as set in Decision 26/14 on Programme of Work and Budget for 2024 -2025. The most important results achieved during the previous biennia were as follows: ­The methodological approaches to support mapping of the interrelations of drivers-pressures-impacts-state-responses (DPSIR) for the various ecosystem elements within integrated Good Environmental Status (GES) assessment; Upgraded background assessment concentrations (BACs) for assessment of the contaminants in biota and sediment (IMAP Common Indicator 17) at the sub-regional level; the new reference and boundary values for assessment of Total Phosphorous (TP) and Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) and updated Chla value for the Adriatic Sea Sub-region; the environmental assessment criteria (EACs) for IMAP Common Indicator 20 based on the maximum regulatory levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs included in EC/EU Directives 1881/2006, 1259/2011 and amendments 488/2014 and 1005/2015; the approaches agreed for future upgrade of EAC for IMAP Common Indicators 17 and 18; Methodologies developed for assessment of IMAP Pollution Common Indicators; The thematic assessments of IMAP Pollution Common Indicators provided for the nine Mediterranean Sea areas/sub-divisions and used for assessment of the four Mediterranean Sub-regions as included in the 2023 Mediterranean Quality Status Report; National IMAP Pollution-based monitoring programmes addressing the spatial and temporal scope of scales of monitoring related to the respective IMAP Pollution Common Indicators, and assistance provided to the Contracting Parties in collecting and reporting national data in IMAP Information System; Monitoring Guidelines and related Protocols prepared for IMAP Common Indicators 13&14; 17, 18 and 21 to support harmonization and standardization of all steps within the analytical chain of data generation; quality assurance and reporting. In line with above, Decision 26/14 on Programme of Work and Budget for 2024 – 2025 adopted by the 23rd Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP 23) held in Portoroz, Slovenia, from 5 to 8 December 2023, mandated MED POL with the implementation of the following activities related to the Outcome 6.2 “ Science-based IMAP, foresight and other assessments and assessment tools for strengthened science-policy interface and decision making (in-house expertise, consultancy, publication, toolbox, national technical support, pilots(s))” and the Outcome 6.3 “IMAP implementation and Environment and Development Observation provide updated and quality assured data in support of decision-making by Contracting Parties and assessment of GES”: 1. Activity 6.2.1: Strengthen the implementation of national IMAP-based monitoring programmes for all clusters and deliver quality assured data (i.e., Pollution Cluster under mandate of MED POL); 2. Activity 6.2.2: Upgrade the assessment component of IMAP including possible integrated assessment for all IMAP clusters. Focus on assessment criteria and thresholds (i.e. for IMAP Common Indicators 13,14, 17, 18 under mandate of MED POL); 3. Activity 6.3.1: Strengthen national capacities to apply harmonized and standardized monitoring and assessment practices related to pollution and marine litter in line with IMAP. The Consultant is expected to perform the following tasks: 1. Prepare a detailed work-plan with a timetable. 2. Undertake a thorough examination of the scientific literature related to data on biomarkers, including the following sources/inputs: o The results of an extensive review of scientific literature to retrieve data on the no effect or adverse biological effects, in conjunction with chemical data from the environment and biota at the same site and time (to be made available during the revision of the EAC for IMAP Common Indicator 17). o The findings from the intercalibration exercise conducted during the initial phase of the MEDPOL Biomonitoring Programme. o The knowledge gained from the implementation of the MEDPOL Biomonitoring Programme. o The knowledge derived from the execution of EU-funded research programmes related to the biological effects of environmental pollution in marine and coastal ecosystems. o Studies and results from biological effects monitoring, as available from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the OSPAR Commission, and the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM). 3. Ensure that the selected studies include all relevant auxiliary information, such as citation, type of test, biological effect measured, analytical approach used, study area, test duration, species/tissues tested, chemical concentrations, and other pertinent details. 4. Collect data reported within the implementation of the MEDPOL Pilot Biomonitoring Program (with only a few countries reporting data by 2005) and one dataset reported by a Contracting Party in 2023. Under the coordination of the Monitoring and Assessment Officer, consult national counterparts to gather any new national datasets that may exist, even if they have not been reported to the IMAP Info System. 5. Assemble a database containing data derived from studies on biomarkers and in situ data related to biomarkers. 6. Extrapolate available data to update the Background Assessment Concentrations (BAC) and Environmental Assessment Criteria (EAC) for biomarkers in the Mediterranean and/or selected pilot sub-regions/sub-divisions, depending on the availability of biomarker datasets. 7. Considering the outcomes of tasks 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, review the methodology to update the BAC and EAC for biomarkers. 8. Update the BAC and EAC for IMAP Common Indicator 18, which revises the assessment criteria agreed upon in Decisions IG.22/7, IG.23/6, and IG.26/3, both at the regional level and in the pilot sub-region(s)/sub-division(s), subject to data availability based on the output of tasks 5, 6, and 7. 9. Test the use of the upgraded assessment criteria to assess the status of the pilot sub-region(s). 10. Adjust the proposed values of the new/updated BAC and EAC for biomarkers, based on the analysis of the use of the upgraded assessment criteria for calculating the Environmental Risk Index supporting the integrated biological and chemical monitoring for assessing IMAP Common Indicators 17 and 18. This should also take into account the new/upgraded EAC values for IMAP Common Indicator 17, which are expected to be made available through the work to revise the EAC for IMAP CI 17. 11. Propose new biomarkers to enhance the monitoring and assessment of IMAP Common Indicator 18, including biomarkers of oxidative stress, new molecular 'OMICS' technologies, and changes in the expression of genes related to fundamental biological processes. 12. Propose working and information documents to UNEP/MAP - MED POL following up on completion of tasks 2, 3 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 for consideration of the Meeting of CorMon on Pollution Monitoring to be held in 2026. 13. Prepare a final report of deliverables for the consultancy. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced university degree in marine science and /or environmental science with a focus on monitoring and assessing phenomena related to impacts of contaminants on marine environment is required. A minimum of 5 years of relevant scientific background and experience in: (i) the statistical interpretation of field survey data, as well as data sourced from scientific literature and alternative sources, for establishing Environmental Assessment Criteria and Background Assessment Criteria, and related trend analysis of data on biomarkers; (ii) monitoring and assessing the status of the marine environment, with a specific focus on applying integration and aggregation approaches relevant to GES and environmental assessment for IMAP Common Indicator 18 in the Mediterranean; and (iii) the application of innovative GES assessment tools—namely NEAT, CAHSE+ in the Mediterranean—is required. Good knowledge of UNEP/MAP-MED POL, the IMAP, along with familiarity with the scientific community's achievements in the Mediterranean is desirable. This includes work related to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (2008/56/EC; 2010/477/EU; 2017/848/EU) implementation, particularly in relation to monitoring and assessment. In addition, familiarity with EU, ICES, OSPAR and HELCOM Funded Research programmes and technical papers on biological effects is beneficial. Experience with EU Seafood regulations (EC/EU Directives1881/2006 and its amendments 488/2014 and 1005/2015, as well as EC/EU Regulations 835/2011 and 1259/2011 amending Regulation (EC) 1881/200.6) is also valued, as is involvement in the preparation of the Mediterranean Quality Status Assessment Reports. Languages• Fluency in oral and excellent writing skills in English language are required. • Knowledge of French is highly desirable. 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.