Consultant (HPD/CHE) Band Level B lower end of range

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the initiation/completion of a national climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and UAE and to use the outcome of this assessment in compiling strategic directions for developing health adaptation plan using the available WHO guidance. This will be executed under the direction of the Core National Technical Team Coordinator and in collaboration with the project team led by the Ministry of Health including representatives from different related ministries and departments in each country.

Background

Climate variability and change are affecting human health and health systems, increasing climate-sensitive diseases and health outcomes, and damaging health care facilities from sea-level rise, storm surges, and extreme weather events such as flooding, drought, dust storms and heatwaves.

Climate change over the next few decades is projected to alter the geographical range and numbers of cases of injuries, illnesses and deaths from climate-sensitive health outcomes, and to affect the functioning of public health and health care systems. If no additional actions are taken, substantial increases in morbidity and mortality are projected for a wide range of health outcomes over the coming decades.

A key driver of population health will be the degree of success or failure of current policies and programmes to reduce climate-sensitive diseases and health outcomes. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the health system and specific programmes to manage climate change impacts and surprises is of critical importance to plan modifications needed to increase the resilience of health systems.

Therefore, building climate-resilient health systems to explicitly take climate change into account should enable reductions in most of the projected increases in morbidity and mortality. Policies and programmes designed to address the health risks of climate change should be incorporated into existing programmes within and outside health systems to ensure the efficient use of financial and human resources.

The first step towards building a climate resilient and environmentally sustainable health system is conducting a comprehensive and inclusive climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment at the national or subnational level. Next is to analyze and implement the results of the vulnerability and adaptation assessment and develop a detailed evidence-informed plan of action based the vulnerability and adaptation assessment results known as the health national adaptation plan.

Vulnerability and adaptation assessment is a participatory process. It is a tool that allows countries to evaluate which populations and specific geographies are most vulnerable to different kinds of health effects from climate change; to identify weaknesses in the systems that should protect them; and to specify interventions to respond and it builds on the core principles of risk assessments, taking into consideration the unique challenges presented by climate variability and change, to provide policy-relevant information for maintaining and improving health systems in a changing climate.

Same as many other health hazards, climate change poses additional risks on disadvantaged populations like women, children, the elderly, outdoor and migrant workers and individuals with existing health conditions. In result, this can contribute to widening health inequities. Vulnerability and adaptation assessment should be conducted in a way that guarantees taking into consideration health inequities.

During the last COP at Glasgow, the UK COP26 presidency in partnership with WHO has launched the health programme in which they called for the countries to announce their commitments to build a climate resilient and environmentally sustainable low carbon health systems. And as a leading partner, WHO is committed to its responsibilities to provide the needed support to all the countries in order to successfully implement their commitments.

Therefore, WHO has published different tools and guidelines to guide the countries at different levels in their efforts to build a climate resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems including WHO guidance on climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment.

Planned timelines

80 working days during the following period

Start date: 20 June 2023

End date: 20 December 2023

Work to be performed:

Output1: Supporting the finalization of the assessment plan for of climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and UAE

Deliverable 1:1: Develop a full plan with clear timelines for the assessment including the project team and stakeholders, objectives of the assessment including a list of the climate change health risks to be assessed

Output2: Conducting the Assessment for of climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and UAE

Deliverable 2.1: Prepare report on the vulnerability and capacity assessment.

Deliverable 2.2: Provide detailed report on future risks and adaptation assessment.

Output3: Synthesizing and finalizing the assessment for of climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and UAE

Deliverable 3.1: Prepare final report, including executive summary and key messages on the results of climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment with at least two iterations and feedback from the assessment core technical team.

Output4: Strategic directions for developing the national health adaptation plan in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman and UAE.

Deliverable 4.1: Strategic directions for developing the national health adaptation plan.

Specific requirements

Qualifications required:

Essential: university degree in Environmental health studies or climate change

Desirable: Master’s degree in environmental health studies, or equivalent

Experience required:

5 to 10 years of relevant experience working in environmental health studies, climate change and health or relevant field.

International experience is mandatory for international consultants.

-Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

-Experience conducting vulnerability and adaptation assessments, preferably climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessments

-Excellent analytical skills

-Excellent presentation and communication skills.

-Excellent leadership and coordination skills

Language requirements:

Essential fluent in English (Read-Write-Speak);

-Asset to have working knowledge of Arabic

Place of assignment

From his/her current location

Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Travel N/A

The Consultant is expected to travel.

Addition Information

• is vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice - https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.