Result of Service

Identify the main sources of emissions in the different case studies. Analyze the behavior of the emitters and understand their cause.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

UN Environment Programme (Mitigation Branch in the Climate Change Division) hosts the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO). IMEO is a data-driven, action-focused UNEP initiative that takes an innovative approach to address the methane emissions problem by collecting, integrating, and reconciling data from different sources, including scientific measurement studies, satellites, rigorous industry reporting through the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0), and national inventories. IMEO is creating a global public dataset of empirically verified methane emissions, with an initial focus on fossil fuel sources and will interconnect data with actions on research, reporting, and regulation. This is catalyzing deep reductions in human-made methane emissions and serve the rapidly growing ecosystem of governments, companies, investors, researchers, NGOs and other entities engaging in this crucial climate challenge. Remote sensing data analysis is needed to collect, filter, and interpret the large amount of data currently arriving from satellites, as this information is an elementary data stream of IMEO. Under the guidance and supervision of the IMEO team, the remote sensing data analyst will collect, filter and study satellite data in order to identify and understand detectable methane emissions from space. The remote sensing data analyst will primarily assist in the analysis of case studies. This is one of the two lines of MARS and consists in identifying, through high-resolution satellite imagery, the main emission point sources in specific methane emission hot spots previously identified by low-resolution satellites. The consultant will work closely with remote sensing scientists and data scientists in the IMEO science group.

Qualifications/special skills

a. Education • Master’s degree in Remote Sensing, Environmental Sciences, Geomatics, or equivalent b. Work Experience • Experience with geospatial data in general, and with remote sensing data and Geographic Information Systems in particular. • Overall knowledge of the fossil fuel sector (practices, methods, assets, …) will be highly valued c. Key Competencies • Knowledge of satellite data processing and visualization, especially of those providing high resolution methane information (PRISMA, Sentinel-2, Landsat, GHGSat …). • Experience with geospatial data, GIS, and data visualization and processing tools such as Google Earth Engine. • Basic programming skills • Knowledge of anthropogenic methane sources, especially those related to the oil and gas sector, would be an asset. • Critical thinking when evaluating the results of methane data and the quality of different data sources. • Excellent written and oral communication skills. • Exceptional personal organization and attention to detail; ability to work independently and as part of a diverse, geographically dispersed team. • Experience in performing rigorous analysis with short deadlines in support of highly visible work. • Experience with geospatial data in general, and with remote sensing data and Geographic Information Systems in particular. • Overall knowledge of the fossil fuel sector (practices, methods, assets, …) will be highly valued

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position fluency in English is required.

Additional Information

The consultant will assist IMEO in the implementation of MARS, specifically in the detection of point source methane emissions, identification of emitters, and the general analysis of the different satellite-based case studies. In addition, the remote sensing data analyst will support the IMEO scientific group when satellite data assistance is required. The consultant will: • Collect satellite data (request and download) of the areas of interest being studied. • Process the images to obtain methane concentration enhancement maps using the codes developed by the remote sensing scientists. • Analyse the resulting maps for plume identification, including the manual confirmation of detections. • For the detected plumes, analyze the context by consulting other satellite and database information in order to better understand the source and cause of the emission. • Document the analyzed cases and record the identified emitters and emissions for later integration into the data portal. • Independently support other “rapid response” and/or project development efforts on an as-needed basis. Performance indicators will be the following: • The effectiveness and management of the work. • Quality, reliability and pertinence of gathered information. • Usefulness and quality of the information and recommendations provided to UNEP staff. • Speediness and quality of emails and communications with UNEP staff. The consultant will in close consultation with the UN Environment Programme Paris Office. The outputs need to be accepted by the UNEP to be considered satisfactory.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.