Background
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been working on climate change and health (CCH) for over twenty years and has a strong implementation package aiming to support regions and countries in their efforts to strengthen the climate resilience and low carbon sustainability of health systems.
Recent years have been very important for the health community in addressing climate change. In 2021, for the first time in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations, a formal health programme was promoted by the UK as President of the Conference of the Parties (COP). The COP26 Health Programme included a total of four health initiatives, including climate-resilient and low-carbon sustainable health systems. As of today, a total of 82 countries have committed at the Minister of Health level to strengthen climate resilience and lower the emissions of health systems. The summary of countries and their commitments can be found here.
At COP28, in 2023, the first ever Health Day was held at a COP, and 149 countries signed the Declaration on Climate and Health.
In view of the increased priority given by countries to building climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems, the Climate Change and Health (CCH) capacity building and country support team receives increasing requests for capacity building and technical guidance on climate change and health topics. The pilot of Module 1 of the WHO Academy programme on Climate Change and Health was launched in December 2023 as part of the team’s capacity-building strategy. Additionally, a Health in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) review was conducted in 2021 and the Health in NDCs and LT-LEDS review in 2023.
The CCH capacity building and country support team is seeking a consultant to provide technical assistance in capacity building and developing technical guidance on CCH, including working with the WHO Academy to roll out additional modules in the CCH training programme, facilitate technical webinars on CCH topics, and update the two aforementioned reviews.
Deliverables
Deliverable 1: Technical webinars. Contribute to the organization and conduct technical webinars on climate change health topics.
Deliverable 2: WHO Academy module 2: Manage Using existing training content, and work with the WHO Academy Learning Designer to develop and finalize module 2 (conducting climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment) of the WHO Academy CCH programme.
Deliverable 3: WHO Academy communication plan: Work with the WHO Academy to develop a communication and engagement plan and put into action relevant communication activities.
Deliverable 4: Health in NAPs paper. Lead the update of the Health in NAPs review. Tasks include:
• Review and refine the methodology, including expanding to include separate HNAP documents
• Review health integration of all NAPs submitted to the UNFCCC NAP Central since December 2020.
• Review HNAPs submitted to WHO.
• Draft summary report of findings and key recommendations.
Deliverable 5: Health in NDCs and LT-LEDS report. Lead the update of the Health in NDCs and LT-LEDS review.
Qualifications, experience, skills, and languages
Educational QualificationsEssential: Minimum first university degree in Public Health, Environmental health, epidemiology, or related fields.
Desirable: Advanced university degree in Public Health, Environmental health, epidemiology, or related fields.
Experience
Essential:
- 4 to 5 years of relevant experience in public and/or environmental health or climate change work.
- Experience in environmental health or climate change and health.
- Demonstrated experience in qualitative research methodologies and/or policy analysis.
Desirable:
• Experience in climate change and health, including at country level.
- Experience in learning design in public health or other relevant field.
- Experience in developing training and/or capacity building materials.
- Experience in working in international settings with staff from various geographical regions.
- Experience in quantitative research methodologies.
Skills/Knowledge
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Excellent written communication skills.
Languages and level required
Essential: Expert knowledge of English
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French, Arabic, or other UN official languages.
Technical Supervision
The Climate Change and Health team.
If you are interested, please send your CV by 15 May 2024 to climatehealth@who.int and add "Capacity building and technical guidance" to the email's subject.
Download the full Terms of Reference