Result of Service
An assessment of the state of implementation of the RSP at the mid-term (2025), in relation to the one process-oriented objective and five result-oriented objectives of the Plan, including through using Scoreboard answers, a targeted questionnaire, and interviews. An assessment as far as possible of progress towards a 50% reduction in the scale and scope of IKB compared to a 2020 baseline. An easy-to-understand report on the mid-term assessment including recommendations for the remaining years until 2030. Additionally, a report of recommendations for useful information that could be collected in Scoreboard 2029 and during the final assessment of the plan after 2030.
Duties and Responsibilities
Organizational Setting The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) is a global intergovernmental treaty aimed at the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species and their habitats. Numerous additional intergovernmental instruments on migratory species conservation have been adopted under the broad umbrella of CMS, which are supported by the CMS Secretariat. The CMS Secretariat also provides the Secretariat for the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS). In addition, two regional agreements on migratory species adopted under CMS have their own Secretariats which are co-located with the CMS Secretariat in Bonn - the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and the Agreement on the Conservation of European Populations of Bats (EUROBATS). The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. 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. In the present context, UNEP provides the administrative functions for the CMS, AEWA and EUROBATS Secretariats. This post is administered in the CMS Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. Purpose The overall objective of this consultancy is to conduct a mid-term assessment of the Rome Strategic Plan 2020-2030: Eradicating Illegal Killing, Taking and Trade in Wild Birds in Europe and the Mediterranean region (RSP). Duties and Responsibilities Background The RSP is the strategic framework for the work of the CMS Intergovernmental Task Force on Illegal Killing, Taking and Trade of Migratory Birds in the Mediterranean (MIKT) and the Bern Convention Network of Special Focal Points (SFPs) on Illegal Killing, Taking and Τrade of Migratory birds (IKB) and covers the period 2020-2030. The RSP’s overarching long-term goal is the eradication of IKB within the geographic extent of the Bern Convention and the CMS MIKT. The RSP goal for 2030 is a minimum 50% reduction in the scale and scope of IKB compared to a 2020 baseline. Indicatively, by 2023, only six countries had established a baseline, and only four had adopted a methodology for monitoring IKB. In 2025, the RSP arrives at the mid-point of its implementation and, according to the timetable presented in ‘Section 5.4 Assessments’ (p. 9) of the plan, a mid-term assessment is foreseen to assess progress towards the goal of the RSP and to establish whether a refocusing or strengthening of efforts is required to meet the target by 2030. To that end, understanding the state of play is essential for accurately identifying the actions necessary to advance the implementation of the RSP. The results of a mid-term assessment can highlight crucial objectives and/or actions necessary for the remaining period. The RSP foresees using various data sources, including the answers submitted by members of the ΜΙΚΤ and Bern Convention SFPs to the Scoreboard. The Scoreboard to assess the progress in combating illegal killing, taking and trade of wild birds (IKB) is a voluntary self-assessment tool jointly developed by the CMS MIKT and the Bern Convention. MIKT members and Bern Convention SFPs submitted the Scoreboard in 2018, 2020 and 2023. The Scoreboard 2023 submission is the most relevant for the RSP mid-term assessment. The selected consultant is required to produce, in close consultation with the MIKT Coordinator and the CMS Secretariat, a comprehensive mid-term assessment of the RSP. The objectives of the work are as follows: i. To assess the state of implementation of the RSP at the mid-term (2025), in relation to the one process-oriented objective and five result-oriented objectives of the Plan. ii. To assess, as far as is possible, progress towards a 50% reduction in the scale and scope of IKB compared to a 2020 baseline. iii. To identify priority objectives and/or actions necessary for the remaining period of the RSP. Specific tasks and responsibilities a. Review the RSP goal, objectives, actions and indicators and conduct a review of all the available data from the Scoreboard assessments, mainly Scoreboard 2023. b. Identification of the information gaps, where countries who submitted information in Scoreboard 2023 submitted incomplete information; where countries did not submit any information in Scoreboard 2023; and/or where countries had not established a baseline for the scale and scope of IKB by 2023. c. Develop a questionnaire for members of the MIKT and the Bern Convention SFPs to assess the state of implementation of the RSP and progress towards the goal of the RSP at the mid-term (2025), asking them to report progress, against the objectives, actions and indicators adopted in the Plan, including estimates of the scale, scope and trend of IKB. This assessment should reveal whether actions are on track, on track with some minor deviations, or not on track. d. Adapt the questionnaire depending on the information missing for each country i.e. reduce the number of questions if they have been answered already through Scoreboard 2023 e. Distribute the questionnaire to target countries of MIKT and the Bern Convention SFPs with clear guidance on completion and return, and collect responses. Aim to get responses from at least 55%, if possible 75%, of all target countries (54 countries of which 21 are MIKT countries) and a minimum 75% of the MIKT countries. f. Conduct interviews with countries for which this exercise is likely to provide significant added value in terms of information missing. The number of interviews is to be defined in consultation with CMS and Bern Convention Secretariats but prioritising countries which are known to have high levels of IKB in 2020 will be important. Additionally, provide support and/ or advice on how to proceed, to countries which have not submitted a baseline, or methodology or trend data to estimate the scale, scope and trend in their country, and request it, if feasible. g. Conduct interviews with key stakeholders that support the RSP implementation, such as NGOs, FACE, ENPE, and others, and consider the key findings of relevant expert reports/publications. h. Compile and analyse the answers to the data collected through questionnaires and interviews. i. Produce a final report, presenting an assessment of the state of implementation of the RSP, an assessment (where possible) of progress towards the goal of the RSP, and specific recommendations for the remaining years until the Plan’s completion. If appropriate, include recommendations for useful information that could be considered by MIKT Members and Bern Convention SFPs for collection in Scoreboard 2029 and during the final assessment of the plan after 2030. Produce visual representation of the report results. The consultant will report to Head of Avian Unit and Day-to-day contact will be MIKT Coordinator.
Qualifications/special skills
An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in environmental or natural sciences, environmental policy, or another discipline relevant to the task with minimum 5 years if experience related to environmental or natural sciences, environmental policy, bird conservation policy, policy evaluation, implementation of multilateral environmental agreements, or another field relevant to the task is required. A first-level university degree in environmental or natural sciences, environmental policy in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. To carry out the RSP mid-term assessment, the consultant with a well-rounded mix of technical expertise, strategic assessment experience, and understanding of international environmental governance is required. Competencies: Planning and organizing: Ability to plan own work, to prioritize multiple tasks within set deadlines, and a good understanding of the principles of clear decision-making, planning and management of risks is required. Proficient knowledge on the use of MS Word and Excel is required Familiarity with tools and methodologies for assessing multidisciplinary strategic frameworks, impact and outcome evaluation. Experience of engaging with stakeholders at an international level. Familiarity and understanding of CMS, the Bern Convention and their associated instruments. Familiarity and knowledge of issues and nomenclature related to illegal killing, taking and trade of migratory birds is desirable.
