Strengthening research and translating research priorities into policy and practice
Background
Climate change is increasingly recognized as a contributor to drivers of migration and displacement, disproportionately affecting populations already in vulnerable situations and with limited adaptive capacity. It impacts health and access to health services across the migration and displacement journey. Despite growing attention to the climate–migration–health nexus, its health consequences remain under-researched and poorly understood.
To address these evidence gaps, WHO launched the Global Research Prioritization Exercise (GRPE) on Health, Migration, and Displacement in the Context of Climate Change. It marks the first thematic deep dive under WHO’s Global research agenda on health, migration and displacement. The GRPE report reflects the outcomes of evidence reviews, global technical consultations, and a prioritization process involving participants from all six WHO regions. It presents the prioritized research gaps and, through its roadmap, proposes concrete actions for developing an inclusive and responsive research agenda that informs effective, equitable, and evidence-based policy and practice.
On 22 July 2026, WHO Health and Migration (PHM) will host a global virtual webinar to launch the report, present prioritized evidence gaps and roadmap, and foster dialogue on advancing interdisciplinary and intersectional research that strengthens the health and rights of migrant and displaced populations in the context of climate change.
Join us to:
- learn about the GRPE process;
- explore priority evidence gaps and research needs;
- engage with global experts and stakeholders; and
- support action to translate research into policy and practice.
Audience
Participation is open to everyone. This event may be most relevant to policymakers, health sector professionals, including ministry representatives, health managers, healthcare providers, as well as academic institutions, civil society and community-based organizations and other key stakeholders.
Agenda
Keynote addresses
Dr Santino Severoni, Head, WHO Health and Migration
Dr Diarmid Campbell Lendrum, Head, WHO Climate Change, Energy and Air Quality
Presentation of key findings
Dr Dorien Braam, Consultant, WHO Health and Migration
Panel discussion
Moderated by Dr Sylvia Garry, Consultant, WHO Health and Migration
Christian Schweizer, Scientist, WHO Climate Change, Energy and Air Quality
Dr Petra Khoury, Global Director of Health and Care, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Prof Karl Blanchet, Director of the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva
Salsalina Larasati, Climate Mobility Research Lead, Migration Youth & Children Platform
Reflections
Dr Miriam Orcutt, Senior Research Fellow in Health Systems & Policy at University College London, Global Business School for Health
Closing remarks
Dr Santino Severoni, Head, WHO Health and Migration