Environmental & Social Safeguards Expert

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Overview of position:
Water scarcity in Yemen has been a long lasting & ever accelerating issue with many social & economic effects. 2 / 3rd of the country is classified as hyper arid with less than 50 mm of rainfall per year & most of the rest is classified as arid with less than 200 mm rainfall. Due to historically limited investments in harvesting surface water & the destructive war, Yemen has over exploited its groundwater sources considerably over the last 50 years. Agriculture, as the main livelihood mode for more than 80% of Yeminis, uses 90% of overall water use. About 40% of which is sourced from groundwater, 50% is rainfed & 10% from surface sources. As a result, the deep non renewable water resources created by nature over 10,000 years have been largely depleted affecting 20 – 25% of the arable land is in mountain terraces. Like many other parts of Yemen, Aden depends entirely on underground water from 3rd main water supply fields, Bir Nasser & Aimanasrah in Lahj & Bir Ahmed in Aden. In April 2021, due to the structural damage, frequent power outages & ballooning fuel prices, water pumps were only functioning every 3 days for 2 – 4 hours. So, accessible quantities of water cover only 50% of the total water demand. Prior to the 2015 crisis, there were at least 2 desalination stations in Yemen, 1 of which, Alhaswah electricity station in Aden, produces about 69,000 m3 / day of fresh water. The water flows into the network of Aden’s water supply. A 2nd desalination station, located in the Almokha area, which had a similar nominal capacity, was destroyed by an airstrike in 2016. Yemen used to produce 25 million m3 / y of desalinated water, approximately 2% of its water deficit (estimated at around 1,500 million m3 / y). In theory, for Yemen to count on desalination to cover this gap, it would have to construct & maintain 50 large desalination plants. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Ministry of Water & Environment MoWE is currently drafting the national strategy for the exploitation of non conventional water resources (seawater desalination & sewage treatment). In order to support implementation of this strategy, desalination plant technology is considered as 1 of the means to provide non traditional drinking water to meet the demands of local communities & contribute to their economic welfare.
The main objective of this consultancy is to conduct a scoping & prefeasibility study of large scale desalination of sea / brackish water to provide potable water for domestic use in Aden. The scoping & prefeasibility study aims at defining project objectives & requirements & to establish the scope of the desalination plant project at a strategic level. This includes identifying the target capacity & the desired outcomes. The scoping & pre feasibility study also involves conducting preliminary research & gathering information to determine the viability of the project. This involves conducting an initial analysis of the project’s technical, financial & environmental aspects. It includes evaluating the available water resources, assessing the site conditions & considering the potential environmental impacts of the seawater / brackish water desalination plant. The scoping & pre feasibility phase aims to help in identifying potential challenges & risks associated with the strategic desalination project & it will support the efforts led by the MoWE to draft the national strategy for the exploitation of non conventional water resources (seawater desalination & sewage treatment). It will inform interested donors to fund new desalination projects or go for a joint action to implement large scale desalination facility.

Role objectives:
The CO seeks the services of an experienced & qualified Environmental & Social Safeguard Expert to conduct “scoping & pre feasibility study for large scale desalination of sea / brackish water to provide portable water for domestic use in Aden governorate, Yemen. The overall scope of work is to:
Conduct field visit for visual inspection & data collection.
Conduct scoping & prefeasibility study for large scale sea / brackish water desalination in Aden.
The Environmental & Social Safeguards Expert will conduct the following activities:
Conduct a thorough assessment of the environmental & social impacts associated with the establishment of a large scale desalination plant in Aden.
Analyze the existing environmental & social conditions in the project area & assess their compatibility with the proposed large scale desalination plant.
A detailed assessment of relevant environmental & social factors, potential mitigation measures & recommendations for further assessment. This includes air & water quality degradation, biodiversity loss & soil erosion due to the implementation of the desalination plant. In addition, the use of sustainable materials, energy efficiency & waste management must be considered.
Identify & collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies (MoWE & LWSC Aden) & environmental organizations, to gather information & incorporate their inputs into the study.
Assess the potential social impacts associated with the planned sea brackish water desalination plant implementation, including potential displacement of local communities, loss of livelihoods & impacts on cultural traditions. A social management plan should be developed to address identified social impacts, focusing on community consultation, capacity building & stakeholder engagement.
Provide recommendation on pricing reforms considering the existing pricing system & the (willingness to pay) & / or any other relevant aspects.
Prepare the guidelines for setting up a new large scale desalination plant in Aden including environmental social impacts assessment, stakeholders engagement plan, mitigation & monitoring & compliance with legal & regulatory framework.
Collaborate with the team to prepare a comprehensive scoping & pre feasibility report that outlines the key findings, potential impacts & proposed mitigation measures.
Communicate project updates, technical findings & recommendations to stakeholders through reports & presentations.

Project reporting:
The Environmental & Social Safeguards Expert will work with the Desalination / Distillation Process Engineer (Team Leader) & the Hydraulics Engineer with support from the Heads of the Aden Sub Office, Amman liaison office & oversight & support team. The consultant will collaborate with the CO program, project & operations teams. Our client will provide the consultant with logistical support in conducting the assignment.

Key competencies:
Bachelor’s degree in the field of safeguarding & environmental or relevant field.
7 years of relevant work experience & has strong knowledge in climate change protocols with regards to greenhouse gas emissions.
Has at least 2 projects as safeguarding & environmental works related to seawater desalination projects & water supply & treatment in general.
Knowledge of developing environmental & social guidelines for fragile & hazardous environment.
Knowledge in using UNIDO’s COMFAR or related computer programs for feasibility analysis is a distinct asset.
Fluent in Arabic & English.

Team management:
This role has no team management responsibility.

Further information:
The 60 working days will spread over a period of 4 months to provide for delays & the need for additional time that may be required to access stakeholders, incorporate feedback, finalize the study report & deliver the presentations.
For detailed TOR, please refer to this advertisement on CTG portal.
Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.