The consultant will support the Sustainable Mobility Unit in delivering the following activities under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Office for Green Freight. The following results are expected: Harmonized Freight Emissions Accounting
- Validated and consolidated database of heavy-duty freight vehicle activity and emissions across participating countries.
- Methodologically consistent emissions intensity factors and fuel-efficiency values for corridor-level reporting and policy analysis. Strengthened Policy and Strategy Development
- Comprehensive analysis of existing policies and identification of gaps in green freight regulation.
- Country-specific recommendations to harmonize and strengthen policies, enabling a corridor-level Green Freight Strategy and Action Plan. Enhanced Regional Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement
- Fully operational corridor-level coordination mechanism integrating policy dialogue and technical harmonization.
- Facilitation of stakeholder engagement processes that are inclusive and gender-responsive, with documented discussions, agreements, and follow-up actions. Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building
- Development of targeted training materials and concept notes to support South–South collaboration and capacity development in emissions accounting and policy harmonization.
- Identification and promotion of opportunities for regional and international collaboration, advancing sustainable freight practices beyond the Bi-Oceanic Corridor. Integrated and Actionable Project Deliverables
- Final consolidated technical and coordination report synthesizing emissions data, policy analyses, coordination outcomes, and lessons learned.
- Evidence-based recommendations for ongoing regional collaboration, strategic partnerships, and scalable interventions. Overall Impact: The consultancy will directly support UNEP and CCAC goals of reducing GHG and SLCP emissions from freight transport, improving policy coherence, and fostering regional collaboration. Outputs will enable corridor countries to implement harmonized strategies, strengthen technical capacity, and advance inclusive, sustainable freight transport systems.
Work Location
Remote based
Expected duration
8 Months
Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the designated UN entity addressing environmental issues at global and regional levels. UNEP promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns, environmentally sound policies, and safe management of chemicals. The Sustainable Mobility Unit (SMU), part of the Industry and Economy Division, supports low- and zero-emissions transport in low- and middle-income countries through projects on fuels and vehicles, electric mobility, active mobility, transport digitalization, and regional collaborations such as the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles. The consultant will support SMU’s flagship project Collaborative Action and Innovation to Transform Freight Corridors in South America, funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). This project aims to reduce greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) from heavy-duty freight vehicles along strategic corridors and integrate digitalization, gender and policy harmonization into transport systems across Latin America.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
In close consultation with the UNEP Sustainable Mobility Unit Green Freight Leads and partner organizations, the consultant will be responsible for the following activities:
Activity 1: Technical Emissions Analysis
- Develop and validate a harmonized Freight Corridor Emission Accounting Framework for the Bi-Oceanic Corridor.
- Coordinate emissions data collection, ensure methodological consistency, and generate corridor-level emission intensity factors.
- Support South–South knowledge exchange and capacity building in emissions accounting.
Activity 2: Policy Coordination and Harmonization
- Conduct policy gap analyses and develop recommendations for harmonizing green freight regulations.
- Establish an integrated corridor-level coordination mechanism combining policy dialogue and technical harmonization of vehicle emissions standards.
- Facilitate stakeholder engagement processes that are inclusive, gender-responsive, and promote regional collaboration. The technical analysis produced under Activity 1 will inform the policy dialogue and coordination mechanisms established under Activity 2. Specifically, emissions accounting methodologies, freight decarbonization pathways, and policy gap analyses will serve as technical inputs for stakeholder consultations and the development of harmonized strategies among Bi-Oceanic Corridor countries.