CCAC Waste Specialist (for Brasilia)

Result of Service

The Waste Specialist will provide technical support to the SLCP Unit in the development of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) mitigating actions in the waste sector, particularly related to organic waste and wastewater, through a clean air and climate approach, and ensuring alignment with Brazil’s policy ​​​​context and the goals of the CCAC Accelerator. The Specialist will collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the waste sector, including different ministries and subnational governments (state and municipal authorities), to ensure that the national waste policies are oriented to mitigate SLCP by following the CCAC waste management hierarchy, while achieving multiple benefits, such as job generation, social inclusion, improved air quality and food security. The specialist will also support the development and implementation of systems and policies that enhance source segregation, treatment, and valorization of organic waste, strengthening domestic technical, institutional, and financial capacity. In addition, the specialist will contribute to the design and implementation of financing mechanisms to enable the implementation and scaling of SLCP mitigation solutions in the waste sector, including technical inputs for the mobilization of domestic resources and engagement with the private sector. Additionally, synergy opportunities with other sectors, particularly agriculture and energy, will be actively sought. The Specialist will be responsible for the organization of stakeholder’s capacity building and training opportunities, including workshops, roundtables, etc. The specialist will also keep coordination with the CCAC Secretariat to enhance collaboration on waste matters, and to support Brazil's leadership in the CCAC Waste Hub, facilitating the engagement of national waste actors to participate in relevant CCAC initiatives (e.g., Hubs, projects, events, etc.), technically support the review of CCAC projects documents and participate in relevant events about waste to elevate the importance and visibility of the SLCP mitigation effort nationally. All activities under this role should explicitly cover both solid waste and wastewater systems as key sources of SLCP emissions.

Work Location

Preferably Brasilia, Brazil. Hybrid work is acceptable with the candidate’s regular presence in Brasilia, as per agreement with SQA/MMA

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) is a partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, and representatives of the private sector, the environmental community, and other members of civil society. The CCAC is the only international initiative working on integrated climate and clean air solutions to reduce the rate of near-term warming. It focuses on fast action to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) including methane, black carbon, HFCs, and tropospheric ozone. More information on the CCAC is available at: www.ccacoalition.org. Guidance on the CCAC’s National Planning Methodology for reducing short-lived climate pollutants is available in the Resource Library. Brazil has been showing commitment and leadership in tackling super pollutants through several national and international policy frameworks and initiatives. The country became a CCAC member in June 2023 and has served as CCAC Co-Chair since June 2024, represented by the Secretariat of Urban Environment, Water Resources and Environmental Quality of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (SQA/MMA). Brazil is also part of the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) and a Party to the Kigali Amendment. Through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Brazil has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2050, and actions to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) were reflected in sectoral mitigation plans under the new Brazil Climate Plan. Furthermore, in 2024, the National Air Quality Policy was established to strengthen adequate air quality monitoring the country, and alignment with climate policies With CCAC support, Brazil has implemented a package of 5 projects to support sectoral mitigation policies in agriculture, waste, transport, and cooling, in collaboration with the respective sectoral Ministries and partners in the country. Additionally, under SQA/MMA, Brazil is currently preparing a Clean Air and Climate Plan for SLCP Reduction (Clean Air and Climate Plan) which will consolidate these SLCP mitigation sectoral efforts together and provide an overarching framework to strengthen governance, coordination, monitoring, and alignment with national climate targets including the NDC. Recognizing Brazil’s leadership on the SLCP agenda, Brazil is now part of the CCAC Super Pollutant Country Action Accelerator (‘Accelerator’). Planned for 2026-2029, the CCAC Country Action Accelerator in Brazil (Brazil Accelerator) foresees the establishment of an SLCP unit within SQA/MMA to help advance Brazil’s super pollutant commitments through stronger institutional capacity, improved coordination and support for implementing SLCP mitigation actions, including through the delivery of the Clean Air and Climate Plan and its governance framework. In the context of the Brazil Accelerator, CCAC is seeking to hire a Waste Specialist to be part of the SLCP Unit and support the adoption of measures to increase the Brazilian Waste Management system’s contribution to effective SLCP mitigation, with a particular focus on methane mitigation from organic waste, landfills, and wastewater systems, and black carbon mitigation from open dumping and burning. The incumbent will collaborate with relevant stakeholders in the sector (e.g. other ministries, subnational governments, the private sector, civil society, waste pickers, academia, financial institutions, development partners, and utilities, including wastewater operators, etc.) and will provide technical inputs to promote the effective integration of SLCP considerations into policies and actions, while supporting increased climate ambition across different levels of governance. The specialist will also support the design and implementation of financing mechanisms to enable the implementation and scaling of SLCP mitigation solutions in the waste sector, with particular emphasis on organic waste segregation, treatment, and valorization, including the mobilization of domestic resources and private sector engagement. The specialist will maintain close coordination with the CCAC Secretariat to ensure alignment of Brazil’s activities with the goals of the CCAC Accelerator and to support Brazil’s participation in relevant CCAC initiatives, including Brazil’s co-leadership of the CCAC Waste Hub. Objectives: – Provide specialized technical support to the SLCP unit to advance the SLCP mitigation agenda in the waste sector in Brazil, with a focus on methane emissions from organic waste, landfills, and wastewater systems, and black carbon from open burning, developing new policies and/or reviewing or strengthening SLCP considerations into waste policies and initiatives, while ensuring alignment across relevant sector´s policies. – Technical assistance with the identification and implementation of financing mechanisms to enable the implementation and scaling of SLCP mitigation solutions in the waste sector, including technical inputs for the mobilization of domestic resources and engagement with the private sector; – Collaborate with and provide technical advice to MMA’s waste department, subnational governments and other sector’s actors to implement actions oriented at mitigating SLCPs emissions while achieving multiple benefits, such as job generation, social inclusion, improved air quality and food security in the waste sector; – Strengthen the integrated climate and clean air agenda in the waste sector, supporting the implementation of the waste component of the Clean Air and Climate Plan and its governance mechanism, including translation of policies into actionable measures at national and subnational levels;  – Develop knowledge products and build capacity of key stakeholders in the waste sector , with a focus on practical implementation approaches, including organic waste management systems and methane mitigation solutions; – Support Brazil’s collaboration with CCAC and the achievement of the goals of the CCAC Accelerator Key Performance Indicators (KPIS) and Brazil’s co-leadership of the CCAC Waste Hub and ensure alignment with and uptake of relevant CCAC-supported initiatives and their recommendations.

Qualifications/special skills

– Advanced university degree, master or equivalent, in biology, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, natural resources management, ecology, economics, sustainable development or a similar discipline.  – A first-level university degree in combination with four additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.  – At least 7 years of professional experience working in a field relevant to climate change and waste is required.  – Demonstrated ability to write reports, analyse data and provide technical advice in the waste sector, including to High-Level stakeholders is required.  – Knowledge and experience in development communication and capacity-building methods is required. ​​​​​– Proven experience in organic waste management systems, including segregation at source, collection systems, and valorization pathways (e.g., composting, BSF, anaerobic digestion), is highly desirable. – Proven experience or ​knowledge​ on carbon credits ​applied​ to solid waste management is desirable. – Experience with Brazil’s public sector institutions is an asset. – Experience in climate finance is an asset. – Demonstrated experience in financing mechanisms for the waste sector, including project structuring, public-private partnerships, or blended finance for organic waste and methane mitigation solutions, is highly desirable – Experience with short-lived climate pollutants is an asset (methane, black carbon, etc).

Languages

Fluency in Portuguese and English is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.