Purpose of consultancy
The Climate Change and Health (CCH) team is seeking technical support to develop a global research agenda.
A process has been developed by WHO in early 2023 to draft a new global research agenda for climate and health and establish a foresight function to identify emerging issues. The work to be carried out through this consultancy will cover the implementation of this process to draft the new global research agenda for climate change and health that will create demand for research providing evidence for action, as well as to address emerging issues such as mental health and the role of non-carbon climate forcers.Background
Climate change is now recognized as one of the defining challenges of the 21st century, and protecting health from its impacts is an emerging priority for the public health community. The potential range and magnitude of associated health risks should be central to the rationale for actions to mitigate the occurrence of climate change and to adapt to effects that are already happening. The evidence base on climate change and health has grown rapidly and has recently been summarized through the 6th Assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Research has mainly concentrated on the identification, characterization, and quantification of the linkages between climate and health, with less focus on applied research to lessen associated health risks. Research output in the peer-reviewed literature is predominantly supply driven by researchers, rather than demand driven by policy makers. This results in weak or unbalanced coverage of the priority issues identified by governments or other decision-makers and misses the opportunity to increase engagement and coownership through the co-development of research agendas between the end-users and the producers of evidence.
To address these issues, a set of global research priorities in climate change and health shall be identified, and a new research agenda developed aiming to guide funders and decision makers of research in climate change and health for strengthening the evidence for international and national action on climate change and health.
Deliverables
1. Finalize landscaping of climate change and health stakeholders and existing and upcoming priorities.
2. Prepare and implement consultation processes with a wide range of experts and relevant stakeholders on research priorities (at regional and global levels) in climate change and health, including also identification and selection of participants, preparation of input documents, consultation meetings, design and analysis of online surveys and drafting of outcome reports.
3. Prepare and implement a process on foresight in climate change and health research with experts and relevant stakeholders, including also identification and selection of participants, preparation of input documents, meetings and drafting of outcome reports.
4. Drafting of final modular research agenda (website and report)
5. Contribute to related communication and dissemination activities.
Qualifications, experience, skills, and languages
Educational Qualifications
Experience
Essential: 4 to 5 years of relevant experience in stakeholder consultations and research in public health, environment, climate change, and health, including environmental health, preferably at an international level.
Desirable
- Prior publications (thesis, reports, scientific articles, policy briefs, or similar) as author on topics related to climate change and health
- Previous work experience within WHO or another UN agency
- Experience in stakeholder consultations at international level
Skills/Knowledge
- Technical knowledge of health linkages with climate change, social and environmental determinants of health, One Health, Planetary Health, and with climate change mitigation and adaptation action.
- Excellent interpersonal, collaborative, and communication skills.
- Good writing skills in the preparation of technical and scientific reports, project briefs, peerreviewed publications, etc.
- Ability to work in international settings with staff from various geographical regions.
- Knowledge of stakeholder consultation processes
- Fundamental data analysis and data management skills.
Languages and level required
Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Knowledge of another WHO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish)
Contact
The Climate Change and Health team If you are interested, please send your CV by 10 June 2023 to climatehealth@who.int and add "consultancy on research agenda" to the email's subject.