UNOPS supports partners to build a better future
by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and
sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United
Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and
infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United
Nations organizations.
The New York Service Cluster (NYSC) supports the
United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations
organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS
mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement
management. The Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners
with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was
formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS),
UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives
Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners' programmes that are
designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily
serving partners that are headquartered in New York. SDC has a footprint of approximately 125
countries.
UNOPS has
signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to
implement the project activities for the Global Programme on Nature for
Development.
The
Global Programme on Nature for Development brings together three different
initiatives – the Equator Initiative, Learning for
Nature, and the National Biodiversity Initiative
under one program in order to identify, foster, showcase and celebrate
nature-based solutions that help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development at local, national, and international levels. The work of the
Global Programme on Nature for Development contributes to UNDP's Strategic Plan
2018-2021 by charting sustainable development pathways through the
conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and
ecosystems; and by promoting inclusive and effective democratic governance in
the area of natural resources.
The
Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil
society, businesses and grassroots organizations to recognize and advance
indigenous and local sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and
resilient communities. The Equator Initiative seeks to recognize the
success of local and indigenous initiatives; create opportunities and platforms
to share knowledge and good practice; inform policy to foster an enabling
environment for local and indigenous community action; and develop the capacity
of indigenous peoples and local communities to scale-up their impact.
The
Equator Initiative is built upon three equally important pillars:
- The Equator Prize is awarded
biennially to recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions for
people, nature, and resilient communities. As local and indigenous groups
across the world chart a path towards sustainable development, the
Equator Prize shines a spotlight on their efforts by honoring them on an
international stage.
- Equator Dialogues are
an ongoing series of community-driven meetings and exchanges, held in
conjunction with related international forums. Equator Dialogues provide
opportunities for people to share experiences, develop capacities, and
influence policy.
- Equator Knowledge is
a research, documentation, and learning program focused on local best practice
in sustainable development. The Equator Initiative works with partners to
identify, document, and analyze the success factors of local best practice, and
to catalyze ongoing peer-to-peer learning, knowledge exchange and replication
of best practice.
The
National Biodiversity Initiative supports countries to manage their ecosystems
and biodiversity in order to improve national planning and governance of
biodiversity, ecosystems, and development, and to promote resilience for
sustainable development. The National Biodiversity Initiative works in three
project areas: National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)
Support, National Reporting, and Capacity Building. The use of spatial data for
spatial planning is a cross-cutting theme across these project areas, including
work through our flagship platform UN
Biodiversity Lab, created in partnership with UN
Environment and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Knowledge
Sharing is a main goal of the Equator Initiative, Learning for Nature and the National Biodiversity
Initiative. The Equator Initiative has a large series of research papers,
books, and other publications focusing on local approaches to poverty reduction
and conservation, informed by community-based initiatives.180 case studies in
over 30 languages have documented the Equator Prize winners’ innovative
practices that deliver the win-win-win solutions that ensure social, economic,
and environmental sustainability. The National Biodiversity Initiative share
knowledge on the role of spatial data in biodiversity planning, policymaking,
and reporting through blogs, case studies, and story maps.
Learning
for Nature is a capacity-building offer provided by the Global Programme on
Nature for Development, cutting across the three areas of work. This program
connects biodiversity policymakers, change-makers, and on-the-ground subject
matter experts to facilitate the delivery of the Convention on Biological
Diversity’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goals.
Access
to the global multi-stakeholder networks mobilized by the
Equator Initiative, Learning for Nature,
and the National Biodiversity Initiative allows Learning for Nature to
circulate knowledge while promoting best practices. Building on our learnings
on the ground, Learning for Nature seeks synergies, build linkages, and engage
thousands of course participants through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs),
webinars, self-paced e-learning modules, and private training courses.
For
further information please go to: www.equatorinitiative.org, www.nbsapforum.net, www.learningfornature.org, www.unbiodiversitylab.org
This is a position to support a
project which UNOPS is implementing for the United Nations Development
Programme. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its
full responsibility.