Climate Change research Needs in Lebanon

Host entity: UNDP

Application deadline: 27/10/2026

Mission and objectives

Our Mission and Vision:

As the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas; sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience.

UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

Our Development Objectives:

UNDP’s work, adapted to a range of country contexts, is framed through three broad development settings.

1- Eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions
2- Accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development
3- Building resilience to crisis and shocks

Our Strategic Solution

UNDP is implementing six cross-cutting approaches to development, known as Signature Solutions. A robust, integrated way to put our best work – or 'signature' skillset – into achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
1. Keeping people out of poverty
2. Governance for peaceful, just, and inclusive societies
3. Crisis prevention and increased resilience
4. Environment: nature-based solutions for development
5. Clean, affordable energy
6. Women’s empowerment and gender equality

Assignment context

The objective of this Online Volunteer assignment is to review Lebanon’s key climate change documents and identify priority research gaps and practical research questions related to climate change adaptation, vulnerability and climate risks.

The assignment will contribute to the development of a broader catalogue of climate change research needs for Lebanon.

1- Review key national climate documents, particularly the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), National Communications, Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) and relevant vulnerability, risk and sectoral assessments.
2- Identify key data gaps, knowledge gaps, scientific and methodological limitations, modelling needs and evidence gaps relevant to adaptation and climate risk.
3- Translate the identified gaps into clear, practical and policy-relevant research questions that could be addressed by universities, students, research centres and academic institutions.
4- Organize the research needs and questions by relevant sector and/or cross-cutting theme.
5- Focus particularly on areas including water, agriculture, health, ecosystems and biodiversity, cities and infrastructure, and disaster risk reduction, while identifying additional adaptation-related areas where relevant.
6- Prioritize research needs based on their relevance to national climate policy and their potential contribution to improved adaptation planning and implementation.

Task description

The Online Volunteer will prepare:

1- A structured matrix of priority research gaps and practical research questions covering areas such as water, agriculture, health, ecosystems and biodiversity, cities and infrastructure, and disaster risk reduction.

a- The matrix should, include:

Sector / Theme;
Identified Gap;
Research Need;
Proposed Research Question;
Relevant Policy / Source;
Policy Relevance / Application.

b- A short introductory note summarizing the main findings and priority areas should accompany the matrix.

Skills and experience

Bachelor's degree environmental studies, environmental sciences, climate change, sustainability, environmental technology, urban planning, architecture, or other related fields.

Knowledge in:
Climate Change Policy
Climate Strategy
Environmental Assessment

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.