Consultant for the Regulatory Diagnosis and Analysis of HFC-23 Policies

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Title: Consultant for the Regulatory Diagnosis and Analysis of HFC-23 Policies

Requisition ID: 7851
Grade: ISA-NOC
Country: Mexico
Duty Station: Mexico City
Category: National Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-When Act. Employed
Contract Duration: 50 working days over a period of 4 months
Application deadline: 17-Aug-2026, 11:59 PM(Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
Only nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are considered eligible.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
UNIDO welcomes applications from qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to applicants and employees with disabilities to support full participation in the recruitment process and in the performance of their duties.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) (ISID) inMember States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9 , which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies to a greater or lesser extent to all SDGs.

The medium-term programme framework (MTPF) is UNIDO’s core strategic document. As the Organization moves from the 2022–2025 cycle to the 2026–2029 MTPF, it sets a renewed vision to support Member States shape their industries for development. The new priorities include renewable and clean energy, sustainable access and climate action, ending hunger through innovation and local value addition, and fair and sustainable global and regional supply chains. Cross-cutting priorities focus on industrial and economic policy advice, skills development, fostering digitalization and artificial intelligence, gender equality and the empowerment of women, supporting youth, promoting cleaner production and circular economy, and leveraging private sector investment and development finance.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Sub-regional Offices and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS) ensures the Organization's application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to environment, energy, Micro, Small and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs), and digitalization. The Directorate also oversees the Organization's normative contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through industrial policy advice and capacity development.

The position islocatedunderthe Division of Climate Innovation and Montreal Protocol (TCS/CMP) and Montreal Protocol Unit (TCS/CMP/MPU) . TCS/CMP/MPU acts as focal point in UNIDO for the multilateral agreement on the ozone layer protection andassistgovernments in the creation of policy environment and implementation mechanisms in the context of the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment. The Unitis responsible forthe planning,developmentand implementation of activities in Member States tofacilitatecompliance with the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment and to support countries to achieve their NDCs.

PROJECT CONTEXT

In 2016, a modification to the Montreal Protocol, the Kigali Amendment (KA), an international instrument in which countries committed to reducing the production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the next 30 years, was adopted in Kigali, Rwanda. It is estimated that the adoption of these measures will represent climate benefits of more than 80 billion tCO2e by 2050, which could prevent an increase of up to 0.5 °C in global temperature by the end of the century.

The KA establishes that all Parties to the Montreal Protocol must gradually reduce the use of HFCs. Mexico, as a Country operating under Article 5 and a member of Group 1, must freeze its baseline consumption (average of the county’s 2020, 2021 and 2022 annual consumptions) in the year 2024 and progressively reduce it to 80% of its baseline for the year 2045, as per the reduction schedule established by said instrument.

At its 93rd meeting, the Executive Committee approved the KIP stage I for Mexico for the period 2023 - 2029 to reduce HFC consumption by 10 percent of the country’s estimated baseline by 2029, as reflected in the schedule contained in annex II of the UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/93/70 document.

Furthermore the Executive Committee approved the pilot project to maintain and/or enhance the energy efficiency of replacement technologies and equipment in the context of HFC phase down for Mexico, the conditions referred to in decision 91/65(b)(iv)b. to b(iv)d.; and the project would be operationally completed no later than December 2026, and that a detailed project report would be submitted to the Executive Committee within six months of the date of completion of the project.

To address the outstanding tasks and new commitments to the Montreal Protocol, as well as to comply with national and international guidelines applicable to project development, it is considered relevant to promote the strengthening of the NOU, through operational monitoring of activities, documentation and dissemination of projects, gender equality and training of staff in technical aspects and in the implementation of environmental projects with international funding.

The project aims at capacity building of the SEMARNAT (Ministry of Environment)/ NOU and will ensure support to the Government in meeting its obligations under the Montreal Protocol on the substances that deplete the ozone layer.

In this context, the NOU will be assisted in monitoring and identification of the consumption and production of ozone-depleting substances and updating of national policies and regulations, with the main focus on hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) consumption, substances that do not damage the ozone layer, but which have a high potential for global warming.

The NOU will monitor all project related activities, in cluding the collection of consumption and production data and reporting as required by the Montreal Protocol and the Multilateral Fund, with a specific focus on the HFC phase-down schedule for the Article 5 countries and the agreement between Mexico and the Executive Committee.

Institutional strengthening actions will also aim to make more efficient the link between the national government and the implementing agency.

SAP ID 190178 – Control of HFC-23 by-product in HCFC-22 production

Under UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/96/47, the Government of Mexico has committed to control and phase out HFC-23 emissions generated as a by-product during the production of HCFC-22 at the Quimobásicos facility, in line with the obligations of the Montreal Protocol and the agreement established with the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund.

The project “Control and Phase-out of HFC-23 emissions in production of HCFC-22 in Mexico” focuses on ensuring the continuous destruction of HFC-23 emissions through the operation of on-site plasma destruction units, while also strengthening monitoring, verification, and operational practices to minimize HFC-23 emissions.

As the project moves into its later implementation stages, the Government of Mexico has also committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of HFC-23 emission controls beyond the project period (2030). In this context, the fourth tranche introduces a policy-focused component aimed at reviewing and strengthening national policies and regulatory frameworks related to HFC-23 emissions management. This includes conducting studies and analyses of existing regulations, as well as preparing the basis for legal instruments that will ensure the continued control of HFC-23 emissions after project completion. Under this project, the policy component will therefore play a central role in supporting the establishment of durable regulatory and institutional measures to sustain compliance and emissions control over the long term.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator and UNIDO Project Managerand in close cooperation with the project team in the UNIDO HQ and field location, the Consultantwillbe responsibleforthe following maintasks:

Main Duties

Concrete/measurable Outputs to be achieved

Location

• Inception andWork Plan
  Preparation of an inceptionreport including the proposedmethodology, activities, timeline (Gantt chart), indicative list of stakeholders, key legal and regulatory instruments to be reviewed during the assignment, and other relevant implementation aspects.
• Regulatory Diagnosis
  Conduct a targeted review and analysis of existing national laws, regulations, policies, and institutional arrangements relevant to the control and destruction of HFC-23 by-product emissions associated with HCFC-22 production. The analysis should include, as relevant:
  • applicable environmental, industrial, climate, and hazardous substances regulatory frameworks;
  • institutional mandates and coordination mechanisms;
  • identification of regulatory and implementation gaps;
  • assessment of existing enforcement and monitoring considerations; and
  • identificationof regulatory pathways andfeasiblepolicy options to support sustained HFC-23 emissions control beyond the project implementation period.
• Institutional Analysis and Stakeholder Consultations
  Conduct targeted consultations and interviews with relevant governmental authorities and key stakeholders, as necessary, tovalidatefindings and support the development of recommendations. Stakeholders may include relevant entities within SEMARNAT, regulatory authorities, industry representatives, technical experts, academia, and other relevant actors.Consultations may be conducted virtually whereappropriate.

Interviews with governmental and regulatory authorities shall include but not be limited to:

• Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency (ATDT)
• Undersecretariat for Environmental Regulation (SRA), within SEMARNAT
• Legal Affairs Coordinating Unit (UCAJ), within SEMARNAT
• General Directorate of Comprehensive Management of Risky Materials and Activities (DGGIMAR)
• General Directorate