Project Specialist (Environment)

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading UN body on environmental issues. It supports countries in addressing major environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, and works with governments, civil society, the private sector and other partners to promote sustainable solutions.

In Central Asia, UNEP works on pollution and waste, biodiversity, environmental information, nature-based solutions and regional environmental cooperation. UNEP’s Sub-regional Office for Central Asia is based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and is part of UNEP’s Europe Office based in Geneva, Switzerland. In Uzbekistan, UNEP has been active since 2024, working with national government institutions to strengthen environmental governance and technical capacity. Key outputs delivered so far include the National State of the Environment Report (2024), the National Atlas of Environmental Change (2025), and the Termez Air Quality Assessment (2025). UNEP is currently expanding its work in Uzbekistan in response to the country’s environmental priorities, especially air pollution, which the Government has identified as a major environmental and public health issue. Current activities include an ongoing air quality assessment for Samarkand and a Japan-funded project in Termez launched in spring 2026, focused on strengthening resilience to sand and dust storms and air pollution through nature-based solutions and capacity-building for local and national stakeholders. The project includes research, analysis, stakeholder consultations, trainings and knowledge products. In parallel, UNEP is developing additional project concepts with national partners and seeking further international support for future work in Uzbekistan, including on air pollution and related environmental priorities.

Under the supervision of the Regional Coordinator on Chemicals and Pollution Action at UNEP Europe Office, the UN Volunteer will support the implementation and coordination of UNEP’s growing environmental portfolio in Uzbekistan, with a particular focus on the Japan-funded project “Enhancing Community and Health System Resilience to Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) and Air Pollution through Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in Termez, Uzbekistan” and related work on air quality and environmental governance. The UN Volunteer will carry out the following duties: - Support the day-to-day implementation and coordination of UNEP projects and activities in Uzbekistan, especially the project in Termez, in cooperation with government institutions, technical partners, UN agencies and other stakeholders; - Follow up with partners and consultants on the progress of activities and key deliverables, and support timely implementation; - Provide research, analysis and technical inputs on air pollution, sand and dust storms, nature-based solutions and related environmental policy issues in Uzbekistan; - Contribute to the development of project documents, concept notes, briefing materials, presentations, reports and knowledge products; - Assist in organizing meetings, consultations, workshops, trainings and other project events, including preparation of agendas, invitations, participant lists and on-site coordination; - Support communication and coordination with national counterparts, development partners and other relevant stakeholders in Uzbekistan; - Contribute to communication and visibility materials related to project activities, including short web and social media content, event summaries and photo documentation; - Monitor relevant policy and institutional developments in Uzbekistan and provide updates to UNEP to support project implementation and future programming; - Perform other related duties as required by UNEP in support of project delivery in Uzbekistan.