Result of Service
The result of this assignment is to support UNEP/MAP
MED POL in implementing the desalination guidelines in Libya aimed at guiding the national authorities governing desalination sector toward planning to retrofitting the sector in line with sustainable and innovative practices with a lower carbon footprint in accordance with UNEP/MAP Guidelines on Sustainable Desalination.
Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional levels. 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.
UNEP’s Environment Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This consultancy assignment is for the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP)/Programme for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean (MED POL), Athens, Greece.
In their 20th Ordinary Meeting to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean and its Protocols (Tirana, Albania, 17-20 December 2017), the Contracting Parties adopted in their Decision IG.23/13 the “Updated Guideline on the Management of Desalination Activities.” The Updated Guideline was developed to better describe the desalination efforts around the Mediterranean and to assess their impact on the coastal and marine environment.
Moreover, and building on previous updated Guideline, UNEP/MAP has prepared under the framework of GEF MedProgramme/Child Project 1.2, “Guideline on Regional Standards for Discharge from Desalination Plants and Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Desalination Technologies in the Mediterranean” (UNEP/MED WG.563/13) (hereinafter UNEP/MAP Guidelines) examining environmental issues in seawater desalination; adverse impacts of intakes and outfalls; brine treatment and pre-treatment technologies as well as processes towards minimum/zero liquid discharge and resource recovery; regulatory measures and permitting procedures in line with the requirements of the LBS Protocol, in addition to BAT and BEP for desalination plants to meet ELVs for discharges into the Mediterranean.
As stipulated in Article 5 of the LBS Protocol, the Contracting Parties are required to elaborate and implement, individually or jointly, as appropriate, national and regional action plans and programmes, containing measures and timetables for their implementation.
In addition, Annex I (A) of the LBS Protocol defines the list of sectors of activities, including desalination, that needs to be considered in the preparation of such action plans, programmes and measures for the elimination of the pollution from land-based sources and activities, also taking into account Annex II (D) of the Protocol, which defines available waste technologies.
The “Programme of Work and Budget for 2026-2027, adopted by COP 24, Decision IG.27/14 (Cairo, Egypt, 2-5 December 2025), mandated MED POL to support at least two Contracting Parties for implementing desalination guidelines with the focus of the brine management, with the aim to “Promote Sustainable Desalination Sector in the Mediterranean” (Activity 1.2.3) In this regard, there is a need to recruit a National Expert to prepare an assessment Report on Desalination in Libya by;
(1) evaluating its national legal framework in line with Amendments to Annex I of the LBS Protocol, as well as Article 5 and Article 6 of the Protocol;
(2) assessing pollution loads generated by each selected desalination plant, including brine and chemical residues discharges;
(3) mapping its energy and technology configurations; with the aim to present the assessment report in Meeting on Desalination to be held in Malta (3-4 November 2026). The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of the MED POL Programme Officer (Pollution), in close collaboration with the MED POL Programme Management Officer, and under the overall guidance of the Senior Programme Officer. The Consultant will support UNEP/MAP
MED POL in implementing the desalination guidelines in Libya aimed at guiding the national authorities governing desalination sector toward planning to retrofitting the sector in line with sustainable and innovative practices with a lower carbon footprint in accordance with UNEP/MAP Guidelines on Sustainable Desalination. TASKs: The consultant is expected to perform the following tasks:
1. Prepare a detailed work plan accompanied by a timetable for completion.
2. Propose Selection of Desalination Plants:
(i) Identify and propose at least two and up to five desalination plants in Libya for assessment;
(ii) Coordinate with and obtain agreement from the relevant national authority on the final plants to be selected for the implementation of the guideline;
3. Prepare and submit a detailed annotated outline of the Assessment Report, including inter alia: A. Introduction and objectives B. Overview of desalination sector in Libya C. Description of selected desalination plants D. National legal and regulatory framework governing desalination sector in Libya E. Technical configuration of desalination plants F. Discharge of brine and other chemicals G. Evaluation of desalination plants against UNEP/MAP Desalination Guidelines, in particular regarding brine and chemicals discharges. H. Practical recommendations for technical and environmental improvements Annex I
Case study(ies)
4. Prepare a minimum two-page technical description (info-carts) for each selected desalination plant (up to five), covering:
(i) Location
(ii) Installed and operational capacity
(iii) Treatment/desalination technology
(iv) Ownership and management structure
(v) Number of staff
(vi) Discharge points and methods
(vii) Supporting photos/maps (where available)
5. Prepare Analysis of National Legislation by conduct an analysis of national legislation governing desalination in Libya, including:
(i) Permitting and licensing procedures
(ii) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements
(iii) Environmental monitoring obligations
(iv) Decommissioning provisions (where applicable)
6. Prepare Pollution Load Assessment for the selected desalination plants, assessing:
(i) Brine and chemical discharges
(ii) Gap analyses with UNEP/MAP Desalination Guideline and applicable ELVs/standards
7. Prepare Draft Assessment Report and submit the first draft of the Assessment Report to UNEP/MAP
MEDPOL, integrating outputs from Tasks 3–6. 8. Prepare Case Studies and Presentation by: (i) preparing case studies based on different desalination plants; (ii) developing presentation materials for delivery at the regional meeting in Malta (3–4 November 2026). 9. Revise the Assessment Report based on MEDPOL feedback and -submit the Second Draft. 10. Finalize and submit the Assessment Report, fully aligned with the approved annotated outline and incorporating all comments from MEDPOL and MEDPOL FP of Libya. 11. Prepare final progress report including deliverables of the consultancy.
Qualifications/special skills
First level degree in chemical engineering, environmental engineering, environmental sciences, mechanical engineering, or other related discipline is required; At least 2 years of relevant experience in water treatment sector, drinking water management, and international policies, or regulatory frameworks, or sustainable desalination policies are required. Knowledge of desalination treatment technologies is desirable;
Languages
Fluency (written and oral) in English is required;
Fluency in Arabic is required;