Background
The WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration (ECO) focuses on integrating climate, nature, and health to address the interconnected risks intensified by climate change and other environmental risk factors. This approach emphasizes the importance of safeguarding planetary health and aligning global climate action with health and sustainability.
In line with these activities and as part of WHO's mandate under the Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health (A78/4), the Updated Road Map for an Enhanced Global Response to the Adverse Health Effects of Air Pollution (EB156/24), and the WHO Beat the Heat initiative, the unit is undertaking a mapping of heat and health activities across WHO. This work will document ongoing and planned heat-related activities across headquarters, regional and country offices and relevant programmes; identify areas of overlap, gaps and opportunities for coordination; and inform a coherent WHO-wide approach to heat and health. The consultancy will also support the development of a comprehensive suite of capacity-building materials and activities to strengthen the health sector's knowledge and capacity to address heat, air pollution, and related environmental health challenges.
A consultant is required within the Climate Change, Air Quality, Energy and Health (CAE) unit to contribute to efforts aimed at strengthening the health sector's capacity to address major environmental risk factors such as heat and air pollution. The consultant will contribute to the mapping of heat and health activities across WHO, including data collection, analysis, synthesis and internal consultation; help identify gaps, overlaps, coordination needs and opportunities for collaboration; support the development of training materials, partnership-building efforts, awareness-raising and advocacy activities; and provide policy and technical input to support public health responses to climate change and environmental health risks.
Purpose
To contribute to the WHO Climate Change, Air Quality, Energy and Health (CAE) unit in strengthening health sector capacity to address environmental risk factors, particularly heat and air pollution, with a specific focus on mapping heat and health activities across WHO, identifying opportunities for coordination and synergies, developing training and capacity-building materials, supporting stakeholder engagement and communication, and providing technical and policy support related to climate change and health.
Deliverables
- Deliverable 1: Produce a mapping of heat and health activities across WHO, including: a structured inventory of ongoing and planned heat-related work across relevant headquarters units, regional offices and programmes; a short synthesis of geographic and thematic coverage; identification of overlaps, gaps, coordination needs and opportunities for synergies; and proposed next steps to support WHO-wide collaboration on heat and health, including under the WHO Forum on Cross-Cutting Activities on Climate Change, Air Quality, Energy and Health. This deliverable includes preparation of a data collection template and interview guide, conducting interviews and collecting inputs from relevant WHO units.
Expected by: End of December 2026.
- Deliverable 2: Contribute to the finalization, launch and dissemination of the updated WHO Air Pollution and Health Training (APHT) Toolkit, including: incorporation of review and refinement of training modules and supporting materials; development and/or adaptation of new modules and case studies, exercises and learning resources; technical review of content to ensure alignment with WHO guidance and current evidence; preparation of launch and dissemination materials; and documentation of opportunities for uptake and implementation by health sector stakeholders. This deliverable includes coordination with technical experts and contributors involved in the development and promotion of the toolkit.
Expected by: End of November 2026.
- Deliverable 3: Provide technical and project support for the implementation of WHO's Beat the Heat initiative and the ATACH Task Team on Heat, including: provide technical inputs and prepare materials to support WHO-led coordination and monitoring of activities such as learning and advocacy materials, technical consultations, webinars and technical exchanges with partners and experts and briefing materials or recommendations to support heat and health action across WHO and partner networks.
Expected by: End of December 2026.
- Deliverable 4: Develop and/or contribute to scientific reports, technical notes, policy briefs and other knowledge products on climate change, air quality and health, including: evidence reviews and synthesis; drafting and editing of technical content; coordination of internal review processes; integration of comments from technical experts and stakeholders; and preparation of presentations, briefing notes and summary documents aligned with WHO norms, standards and strategic priorities.
Expected by: Throughout the consultancy period.
- Deliverable 5: Prepare communication materials and analytical inputs to inform WHO’s advocacy and partnership engagement related to heat, air quality and health, including: information products; status analysis and mapping of partners’ engagement; preparation of agendas, background documents, meeting reports; documentation and synthesis of stakeholder inputs; and identification of opportunities to strengthen collaboration and coordinated action across sectors, programmes and levels of WHO.
Expected by: Throughout the consultancy period.
Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
Educational Qualifications:
Essential: First university degree in Public Health, Public Policy, International Relations, Environmental Health, or a related field.
Desirable: Advanced university degree (Master's level or higher) in Public Health, Environmental Health, Climate Change, International Development, Public Policy, or a related discipline.
Experience
Essential:
- Five to ten years of relevant professional experience in public health, environmental health, climate change and health, or related fields.
- Demonstrated experience in capacity-building initiatives and the development of training materials and learning resources.
- At least five years of experience in developing and implementing science communication, awareness-raising, and advocacy activities, including multi-stakeholder engagement.
- Experience working in international and multicultural environments.
Desirable:
- Experience in project management.
- Experience conducting mapping exercises, desk reviews, stakeholder consultations and synthesis of programme information, preferably in climate change and health, heat and health, environmental health, or global health settings.
- Experience planning and coordinating events and meetings involving government representatives, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, academia, and other stakeholders.
Skills/Knowledge:
- Strong writing and editing skills, including the preparation of training materials, policy briefs, advocacy products, communication materials, and technical documents.
- Excellent interpersonal, networking, and communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively in international and multicultural environments.
- Sound knowledge of the health impacts of climate change, heat, air pollution, and the social and environmental determinants of health.
- Ability to coordinate with multiple stakeholders, collect and synthesize inputs from different teams and offices, manage competing priorities, and translate findings into clear technical summaries and actionable recommendations.
Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Expert):
Essential: English: Expert.
Desirable: Knowledge of other UN languages would be an asset.
Location
Off site.
Travel
The consultant may be expected to travel to attend relevant meetings. Dates to be confirmed as the workload evolves.
Remuneration and budget
Daily rate range USD 350 – 499 Monthly rate range USD 7,000 - 9,980
Expected duration of contract
5 months
Contact & application process
If you are interested, please send your CV and cover letter by 2 October 2026 to WHO's climate change, air quality, energy and health team (climatehealthmonitoring@who.int) and add "Consultancy heat, air quality and health" to the email's subject.
Further questions about this call can be directed using the above contact email address.