Remote: Consultant (Nature-based Solutions and Climate Mobility)

Jul 8, 2025 (Deadline: 2025-07-20) | International Organization for Migration
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Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

The IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Bangkok, Thailand is covering 40 countries across the Asia and Pacific region. The key responsibility of the ROAP is to formulate regional strategies and plans of action and to provide programmatic and administrative support to the countries within the region.

The Climate Mobility Innovation Lab (CMIL), hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), was established to scale up action on the nexus between human mobility and climate change, and the challenges this intersection presents. The Lab has been at the forefront of fostering innovation and partnerships to address the complex challenges posed by climate change and human mobility in the Asia and the Pacific region. This work is driven by its two flagship initiatives:

  • Risk Index for Climate Displacement (RICD): A groundbreaking operational foresight tool that enhances understanding of the complex dynamics of climate-induced displacement—including its drivers, triggers, and tipping points. The RICD supports the identification of current and future displacement hotspots, trends, and patterns, providing critical insights to inform policymaking and investment decisions.
  • Climate Catalytic Fund (CCF): An agile, data-driven blended finance mechanism designed to minimize and address climate displacement in Asia and the Pacific. Building on RICD data, the CCF guides targeted interventions and investment decisions to strengthen communities before they reach critical levels of vulnerability. It operates through a blended finance model that leverages matching funds from local actors, including governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector ensuring shared commitment and sustainable resource allocation for local climate adaptation and displacement risk reduction initiatives.

Furthermore, the Lab seeks to explore the linkages between Nature-based Solutions (NbS)1 and human mobility especially in the context of climate change - particularly in preventing forced displacement, supporting in-situ adaptation for those who wish to remain, and creating conditions conducive to voluntary return. To this end, CMIL is supporting a research initiative that is structured around three key components:

Conceptual study: This study will examine the extent to which NbS interact with the environmental, social, and economic drivers, triggers, and root causes of climate mobility. It will analyse how NbS can contribute to improved climate mobility outcomes in Asia and the Pacific, especially by influencing people’s and communities’ vulnerability and exposure to the drivers of climate mobility. Drawing on case studies from the region, the study will also explore the role of IOM, [partners] and other actors in supporting and scaling these efforts. The study will align with a research framework including agreed research questions. Linkages with CMIL’s Risk Index on Climate Displacement (RICD), an analytical tool designed to anticipate and quantify risk of future climate related human mobility is also essential, in exploring how this tool may be adapted to incorporate assessment of NbS feasibility and utility. The study will also include alignment with global frameworks, initiatives, and policy recommendations, such as IUCN’s Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions.

  • Define the scope of the study, refine hypotheses / research questions on the linkages between NbS and climate mobility, and outline the research methodology and workplan.
  • Conduct desk reviews, targeted interviews, and light quantitative analysis, where feasible.
  • Analyze the collected data and evidence, and synthesize the findings into a report.
  • Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to gather feedback and validate findings.

Country or thematic briefs: Based on the findings and recommendations of the conceptual study, tailored briefs will be developed for potential pilot countries where this approach may be applied, including, for example, the Solomon Islands, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Fiji, and Vanuatu. These briefs will identify strategic entry points such as standalone approaches or small-scale NbS pilot projects that could be supported by CMIL’s Climate Catalytic Fund (CCF) or as standalone projects. Each brief will highlight how local NbS initiatives can offer cost-effective, long-term solutions to climate mobility while enhancing resilience, reducing adaptation costs, and delivering co-benefits for biodiversity and livelihoods. They may also feature hybrid approaches that combine NbS with “grey infrastructure” interventions. The country briefs will also ensure alignment with relevant frameworks, strategies, etc.

  • Draft tailored country briefs for Cambodia and the Solomon Islands, proposing pilot NbS initiatives that are potentially bankable, scalable, and offer cost-effective, long-term solutions to climate displacement. These briefs will identify opportunities for funding from alternative sources.
  • Develop country briefs for Indonesia, the Philippines, Vanuatu, and Fiji, highlighting NbS initiatives, identify main financial and operational actors, and potential pilot projects that can be supported through CMIL’s Climate Catalytic Fund. These briefs will showcase interventions that are both bankable and scalable.
  • Where feasible, highlight hybrid approaches that combine NbS with “grey infrastructure,” aiming to strike an optimal balance between immediate environmental protection and long-term sustainability.

RICD and CCF guidance note: A guidance note will frame practical entry points to integrate NbS into both RICD and country-level CCF pilots. It will provide recommendations on how NbS-related datasets and indicators can be integrated into the Risk Index for Climate Displacement (RICD) and how a community-level climate fund like CCF can integrate NbS interventions.

  • Identify practical entry points for future research and action related to NbS and climate mobility, in particular as it relates to expanding RICD to include information on the utility and viability of NbS.
  • Provide recommendations on how NbS interventions can be integrated into CCF.

IOM is looking for a consultant (individual or team) to lead the research, and lay a foundation for the country-level work.

A more elaborate Research Framework is included in annex.