Background
The Climate Change, Air Quality, Energy, and Health Unit (CAE) under the Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration (ECO) at the World Health Organization (WHO) works to understand and reduce health risks associated with air pollution exposure and lack of access to clean energy. The unit supports the development and implementation of WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines and contributes to broader efforts linking air pollution, climate change, energy and health. An objective of the CAE Unit is to promote health sector intervention for air pollution, as well as interventions in economic sectors (e.g housing, transport, energy) that reduce environmental health risks, promote better health, and optimize the health co-benefits of sustainable development /climate change mitigation policies.
Air pollution and climate change are closely interconnected, sharing common pollutants such as black carbon (BC), as well as sources such as fossil fuel combustion. Addressing these common pollutants and sources offers important opportunities to generate combined benefits for health, air quality, and climate. In this context, WHO is advancing work on both (i) strengthening the evidence base on air and climate pollutants such as BC, and (ii) developing analytical tools to support policy-relevant assessment of fossil fuel–related health impacts.
Purpose
WHO is seeking a provider to support the advancement and finalization of ongoing systematic reviews on the health effects of black carbon, as well as the development of the Fossil Fuel Integrated Tool (FFIT).
The selected provider will support WHO in advancing analytical and evidence-based work related to air pollution, energy, and health, with a focus on both evidence synthesis and policy-relevant analytical tools.
Specifically, the provider will:
- Support the coordination and technical advancement of evidence synthesis activities related to air pollution and health, including systematic or scoping reviews.
- Contribute to the development and refinement of analytical frameworks and approaches to assess the health impacts of energy and air pollution–related exposures.
- Provide technical inputs to support the interpretation, synthesis, and communication of scientific evidence for policy-relevant applications.
- Facilitate coordination across collaborating partners, including academic institutions, technical experts, and international organizations, to ensure timely progress and alignment of activities.
Deliverables
Expected deliverables include:
Deliverables are expected to include, but are not limited to:
- Technical and coordination support to advance evidence synthesis activities, including documentation of progress and methodological approaches.
- Contributions to the development and documentation of analytical frameworks, including relevant data inputs, assumptions, and methodological considerations.
- Preparation of technical summaries, progress updates, and supporting materials to inform internal and external stakeholders.
- Review and synthesis of emerging findings, including identification of key insights, gaps, and implications for policy and practice.
- Support to experts’ involvement and stakeholders’ engagement and consultation processes, including preparation of materials and documentation of feedback.
- Support the scoping, development and dissemination plans of interactive tools (e.g. FFIT)
Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
Experience
The provider should be an institution, organization, or consulting company with demonstrated experience in technical coordination, research management, modelling or tool development support, and evidence synthesis in the fields of climate change, energy, air pollution, and health.
Experience supporting systematic reviews, analytical framework development, and policy-oriented technical tools is highly desirable. Prior involvement in WHO-supported projects, multi-country collaborations, or UN-led initiatives is an asset. Experience working with academic institutions, research teams, and government counterparts, particularly in implementation-oriented contexts, is strongly preferred.
Technical expertise and competencies
- Strong background in environmental health, public health, epidemiology, or a related field.
- Sound understanding of air pollution, energy, and health linkages, including exposure pathways and health impacts.
- Familiarity with evidence synthesis approaches, including systematic or scoping reviews, and ability to interpret scientific literature and technical reports.
- Knowledge of policy-relevant analytical approaches related to air quality, climate change mitigation, and health.
- Ability to collaborate with researchers and international multi-stakeholder groups, including those working on air pollution, climate change, energy, and health.
- Strong analytical capacity, including the ability to synthesize complex technical material and translate it into clear, policy-relevant outputs.
- Strong communication skills in English, both written and verbal and in another WHO official language.
Other competencies
- Strong project management and coordination capacity, including the ability to manage parallel workstreams and multiple stakeholders.
- Experience working in multidisciplinary and international settings.
- Ability to deliver high-quality outputs within tight timelines.
- Strong organizational, communication, and technical writing skills.
Application process
WHO invites eligible institutions and organizations consulting company to express their interest in undertaking this work. Submissions should include:
- Relevant experience
- Description of similar assignments and past work
- Proposed team composition and expertise
- Examples of relevant outputs (e.g. reports, publications, tools)
Consultants will be selected through a competitive process in accordance with WHO’s operating policies and procedures for hiring consultants.
Contact
Expression of interest must be received no later than 16:00 (CET) on Friday, 5 June 2026.
The expressions of interest are to be delivered electronically to Dr. Pierpaolo Mudu (mudup@who.int) and to aqe_who@who.int, with the mention “Expression of Interest – Climate Change, Air Quality, Energy, and Health_BC&FF” in the email subject.
Further questions about this call can be directed using the above contact information.