CCAC Air Quality and Health Specialist for the Super Pollutants Accelerator in Mexico

The CCAC Air Quality and Health Specialist for the Super Pollutants Accelerator in Mexico will contribute to enhance Government’s capacity to provide scientific expertise on the interlinkages between SLCPs, ambient and household air pollution, and human health, ensuring that mitigation strategies are designed, implemented, and evaluated to deliver measurable improvements in air quality and public health.

Mexico City, Mexico

12 months

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) is a partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, and representatives of the private sector, the environmental community, and other members of civil society. The CCAC is the only international initiative working on integrated climate and clean air solutions to reduce the rate of near-term warming. It focuses on fast action to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) including methane, black carbon, HFCs and tropospheric ozone. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) hosts the Secretariat at the Economy Division in Paris. More information about the CCAC is here: www.ccacoalition.org. Mexico has demonstrated sustained leadership on super pollutants for more than a decade. As a founding partner of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge, the country has embedded ambitious targets within its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), including a commitment to reduce methane emissions by 30% and black carbon emissions by 51% by 2030. These commitments are reinforced through national legislation and sectoral strategies. Recognizing Mexico’s leadership on the SLCP agenda, Mexico is now part of the CCAC Super Pollutant Country Action Accelerator (‘Accelerator’). The CCAC Country Action Accelerator in Mexico (2026–2029) aims is to accelerate implementation of Mexico’s super pollutant commitments by strengthening institutional systems and deploying integrated, scalable mitigation models in priority sectors. This will be achieved through the coordinated implementation of multisectoral strategies, scalable mitigation projects, and institutional strengthening, with the support of a specialized national team and technical assistance projects. To support these efforts, the CCAC is seeking an Air Quality and Health Specialist for the Super Pollutants Accelerator in Mexico to enhance Government’s capacity to provide scientific expertise on the interlinkages between SLCPs, ambient and household air pollution, and human health, ensuring that mitigation strategies are designed, implemented, and evaluated to deliver measurable improvements in air quality and public health. Outputs: 1. Strengthened scientific foundation for integrating health and air quality evidence into SLCP mitigation policies - Exposure–health impact assessment report quantifying links between SLCP sources, ambient/household air pollution, and key health outcomes (e.g., mortality, respiratory disease, cardiovascular impacts). - Health-integrated mitigation briefings providing scientific evidence to inform updates and/or implementation plans of the NDC3.0, ENACC/PECC, PROAIRE, and sectoral climate/air quality strategies. - Pollution and health hotspot maps integrating SLCP emissions, PM₂.₅ concentrations, and population vulnerability indicators to guide priority mitigation measures. - Technical input notes supporting the inclusion of air quality and health metrics in national SLCP planning and sectoral policy development. 2. Government teams gain tools, methods, and datasets to quantify health outcomes and track improvements - Health impact assessment (HIA) toolkit including methods, templates, and step-by-step guidance for estimating avoided mortality, morbidity, and economic benefits. - Standardized datasets combining air-quality monitoring, SLCP inventory data, exposure levels, and health statistics for use in government analysis and MRV systems. - Operational guidance for using key tools (e.g., AirQ+, LEAP‑IBC, BenMAP, or equivalent) adapted to Mexican datasets and institutional capacities. - Training sessions and materials (presentations, manuals, exercises) delivered to SEMARNAT, INECC, and health sector institutions on conducting health co-benefit analyses. 3. Sectoral authorities receive evidence based technical guidance to maximize public health benefits - Sector-specific technical guidance documents (e.g., for agriculture, waste, transport, energy) recommending actions with the highest air quality and health gains. - Health-prioritized mitigation portfolios identifying measures with the strongest co-benefits for vulnerable populations such as children, elderly, and low-income communities. - Rapid-response advisory notes for ministries on proposed regulations, policies, or investments (e.g., fuel standards, waste burning restrictions, clean cooking initiatives). - Cross-sector coordination briefs highlighting synergies between SLCP mitigation, air quality improvement, and national health objectives. 4. Consolidated knowledge products informing national & international reporting - Health-integrated air quality and SLCP datasets prepared for use in national reporting (NDC updates, Biennial Transparency Reports, national air quality assessments). - Case studies documenting successful mitigation actions with measured or estimated health and air quality benefits. - Annual Air Quality & Health Co-Benefits Report summarizing SLCP trends, exposure reductions, and public health outcomes. - Knowledge briefs and communication products for international platforms (CCAC, Global Methane Pledge, WHO, regional clean air networks).

- Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in environmental health, epidemiology, public health, atmospheric science, or a closely related field. A first‑level university degree combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. - Minimum 5–7 years of experience analysing air pollutants and super pollutant emissions, and associated health impacts, preferably in Latin America or middle-income countries is required. - Expertise in air pollution science and SLCPs, deep understanding of the sources, chemistry, and behavior of pollutants such as PM₂.₅, ozone precursors, black carbon and methane, as well as their interactions in the atmosphere is required - Strong background in environmental health and exposure assessment, as well as ability to analyze how pollutant exposure affects human health, interpret epidemiological evidence, and apply health impact assessment methodologies and tools (e.g., AirQ+, BenMAP, LEAPIBC health module) is required. - Demonstrated experience with health impact assessment methodologies, including the use of models (e.g., AirQ+, BenMAP, TM5-FASST, LEAP-IBC health module) as well as policy design and its implementation integrating health evidence and measurable health outcomes/co-benefits is an asset. - Strong understanding of both environmental policy and public health policies, and assessment of health co-benefits of clean air and climate policies in Mexico is desired. - Excellent communication skills—able to translate complex health and environmental science for non-specialists is desired. - Proven experience preparing technical reports, stakeholder engagement materials, or capacity-building content related to climate change, SLCPs, or air pollution is desired. - Experience working with government and/or international development partners in the environmental/climate sector is desired. Proficiency in air quality monitoring, modeling, and data interpretation for reviewing and analyzing monitoring datasets, emissions inventories, satellite observations, and dispersion or chemical transport models outputs to identify pollution patterns and health risk hotspots is desired. - Ability to estimate co-benefits of mitigation actions, experience linking SLCP and air quality interventions to achieve measurable health, climate, and economic benefits, such as avoided mortality, morbidity, reduced hospitalizations, or improved productivity is desired. - Knowledge of national climate, air quality, and health sector governance, familiarity with Mexico’s regulatory frameworks, institutional arrangements (SEMARNAT, INECC, Secretary of Health), and policies such as PROAIRE, ENACC/PECC, and the NDC is desired - Strong analytical and technical communication skills and capacity to translate complex scientific evidence into accessible, policy relevant guidance for government officials, sectoral agencies, and public audiences is desired - Experience supporting multisector planning and implementation and ability to work across environment, health, energy, agriculture, and transport sectors to ensure mitigation strategies are feasible, aligned, and grounded in scientific and public health evidence is desired

- Fluency in Spanish (written and oral) is required. Fluency in English (written and oral) is highly desired.

Not available.

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.