Health sector's climate carbon tracking

Contract

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Climate change has been already driving an increase in morbidity and mortality and is projected to further alter the geographical range and numbers of cases of injuries, illnesses, and deaths from climate-sensitive health risks, and to affect the functioning of public health and health care systems. COP26 (2021) set a global ambition to build climate resilient and sustainable health systems and promote the integration of climate change and health nexus into respective national, regional, and global plans with the leadership of WHO-led Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health. Within the current (2022 -2025) and last (2018 -2021) strategic plans, UNDP has designed and lead development initiatives that demonstrate its thought leadership on climate change response globally. Some of these include but are not limited to the work on the Climate Promise, Plastics elimination, management of chemicals and waste, and coordinating the UN informal Interagency Task Team on Sustainable Procurement in the Health Sector (SPHS) platform among others. At implementation level, UNDP has several interventions implemented in a number of countries across the globe. One signature project that just ended is the Sustainable Health in Procurement Project (SHiPP). The aim of the project was to strengthen sustainability in the health sector in selected countries to ultimately reduce harm to people and the environment caused by the manufacture and disposal of medical products. This and many other initiatives have contributed to shaping the global, national, and local climate work and discourse.

The Online Volunteer will use desk research to review the impact of ongoing Health and climate activities to understand the possible contribution to the reduction of carbon footprint and distill the data to the health sector. The exercise should be able to quantify carbon (emissions) reduction because of ongoing investment in climate and health. The Online Volunteer will be assigned a country or countries and will use UNDP's relevant Guidance Note to summarize the findings, focusing on quantitative changes or impact on the ground. UNDP HIV and Health Group will provide additional required information and guidance to complete the exercise. Additionally, the Online Volunteer will be introduced to other key informants that could provide additional input or triangulate generated data. Upon completion, the online volunteer will be given due credit and receive a Certificate of Appreciation for their contribution. No financial compensation is provided for this online volunteering opportunity.

The Online Volunteers are expected to have experience with desk research, analyses of policy environment/political economy, referencing, and excellent writing skills in English. At minimum, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in environmental science, public health, international development, economics or a relevant field is needed to perform this task. Experience and/or interest in health issues and health taxation are considered assets. For some countries, knowledge of Spanish or French could afford easier access to sources but is not considered essential.