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Structure overview

Following its first two years of operations, ATACH has transitioned to a new governance and operational structure to better address country implementation needs in climate change and health. The main governance and operational mechanisms of the ATACH are summarized below and detailed in subsequent sections. 

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ATACH Membership

ATACH membership is open to the following organizational categories:  

  • Countries/Areas (represented by Ministries of Health) 

  • Other Ministries, Government Institutions or Agencies of Countries/Areas with a mandate for responsibilities relevant to Climate Change and Health;  

  • Intergovernmental organizations (including multilateral and UN organizations);  

  • Global climate or health financing mechanisms; 

  • Non-State Actors with a demonstrated interest in climate change and/or health, including: 

  • Nongovernmental organizations (including civil society groups); 

  • Private-sector entities, represented through international business associations; 

  • Philanthropic foundations;  

  • Academic and research institutions. 

Requests for ATACH membership are made on an organizational level to WHO as the ATACH Secretariat, and approved by the Secretariat based on WHO rules, responsibilities and processes. More information is available on the  "Join the ATACH" page .

Responsibilities of ATACH Members include:  

  • Promote the work, vision, goals and objectives of the ATACH; 

  • Actively participate in ATACH activities, discussions and deliberations;  

  • Participate, as appropriate, in the ATACH General Meeting and other relevant events;  

  • Participate, as appropriate, in ATACH task teams; 

  • Share knowledge and information (lessons learned, case studies, programme results, etc.) with other ATACH members as appropriate, including through contributions to the ATACH Community of Practice website. 

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Co-Conveners

The co-conveners include WHO and United Kingdom as the founders of the ATACH on a permanent basis and two COP Presidencies (both current and upcoming), in this case UAE and Azerbaijan (TBC) on a temporary basis. Other conveners may be appointed on a temporary basis by WHO in consultation with existing co-conveners, based on their comparative advantage to contribute to the goals of the ATACH.  

The co-conveners provide momentum and leadership to the ATACH, identify opportunities and support the ATACH to meet the agreed purpose, objectives and functions.

Responsibilities of Co-Conveners include:

  • Facilitate engagement with Member States, UN Agencies and other key stakeholders;
  • Engage potential new ATACH members and high-level supporters;
  • With the support of the Secretariat, convene general ATACH meetings;
  • Actively participate in the ATACH Steering Group.

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Steering Group

The ATACH Steering Group (SG) serves as a governing body for ATACH. It includes representation of countries, ATACH co-conveners and key stakeholder constituencies in climate change and health, with a mandate to represent the views of the broader ATACH membership. 

The list of current Steering Group Members (2025 Term) is available here.

Composition overview

The SG is composed by 21 representatives of ATACH co-conveners, key stakeholder constituencies in climate change and health, bilateral donors to ATACH and, importantly, countries across all WHO regions. The composition of the ATACH SG can be summarized as follows:

  • Countries are central to the work and mission of the ATACH. The SG has at least 6 country representatives, including at least one country representative per WHO region and may add more representatives to ensure balance between income groups, gender, small-island developing states (SIDS), etc. Country representatives should consider the needs and priorities from the broader region ensuring bottom-up considerations for ATACH priorities and work.  
  • Co-conveners of ATACH are represented on the Steering Group by 4 representatives. These include the two founding members of ATACH (United Kingdom and WHO) on a permanent basis and two COP Presidencies (most recent and forthcoming) on a rotating basis. Other co-conveners may be considered if relevant to the work of the ATACH.  
  • Bilateral donors to ATACH are also represented by 2 representatives in the Steering Group.
  • Constituencies represent the broader ATACH membership with 9 representatives in the Steering Group (1 per key constituency). Representatives of the constituencies have an advisory role within the Steering Group. They are expected to take into consideration and represent the views of their entire constituency. Key constituencies include:
    • Philanthropies and Foundations
    • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
    • Private Sector Alliances
    • Health Professional Associations
    • Academic and research institutions
    • Global Climate Financing Mechanism
    • Global Health Financing Mechanism
    • Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)​
    • UN Agencies

Open consultation processes

As part of their mandate to represent the views of their constituency, several Steering Group Members are conducting consultations with ATACH members in their respective constituency. More information on open consultation processes can be found here. Interested organizations are invited to reach out to ATACHNGOConsultation@AKDN.org (for NGOs) or atach@who.int (for all other constituencies).

Selection and tenure

  • Constituency representatives are selected by the Secretariat based on expressions of interest received following established criteria. Selection should strive for balanced representation across geographic areas, resource-levels and gender. 
  • Constituency representatives serve a 1-year term in the SG, renewable for up to 3 years. Renewal decisions are made by the Secretariat in consultation with the SG, taking into account progress made by ATACH and future needs, and striving to ensure staggered renewals, whereby incoming and outgoing representatives overlap for one meeting to maintain continuity.
  • Constituency representatives are responsible for engaging with their relevant constituencies and representing their views at a strategic level in the SG.

Responsibilities of Steering Group members include:

  • Attend SG meetings (biannually). Where attendance is not possible by the SG representative, an appropriate deputy from the same organization should be identified to attend;
  • Provide strategic advice on ATACH’s role, long-term priorities and overall strategy to achieve its goals;
  • Provide the overall strategic direction for the operational work of the ATACH, representing priorities and views of their constituency group;
  • Approve the creation of specific task teams, and provide recommendations of potential additional task teams to be created;
  • Contribute to the development of the ATACH Strategy and theory of change;
  • Approve the strategy, the workplan and annual updates, contributing inputs on behalf of their constituency group;
  • Approve high level champions;
  • Consider ATACH progress and impact and provide recommendation for adjusting the strategy as required; 
  • Assess the progress report by task team leads so as to better advise on ATACH operational mechanism’s approach.

The ATACH Steering Group will aim to operate by consensus. When consensus is not possible, the issue will be discussed by countries through the convening of WHO Regional Offices and a final decision will be taken by the Secretariat in accordance with its rules, policies, procedures and practices.

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Secretariat

WHO serves as the Secretariat of the ATACH. Secretariat support is provided in accordance with the WHO Constitution and General Programme of Work, WHO’s Financial and Staff Regulations and Rules, WHO’s manual provisions, and WHO rules, policies, procedures and practices.

The Secretariat reserves the right not to implement any ATACH activity which it determines gives rise to undue financial, legal or reputational liability or is contrary to WHO policies, regulations and procedures.

The responsibilities of the Secretariat are summarized into key categories below and refer to: 

General Operations and Governance

  • Serve as the interface between the ATACH and its members; 

  • Oversee and conduct the day-to-day administrative business of the ATACH, in consultation with the SG; 

  • Appoint co-conveners and oversee the process for appointing SG members; 

  • In consultation with the SG, engage the different constituencies represented in the SG and facilitate the selection of a constituency representative to sit in the ATACH SG;   

  • Review applications to participate in the ATACH, which shall include conducting due diligence and risk assessment on applications if non-State actors, corresponding with all applicants and confirming admission of all new members; 

  • Facilitate the development of the ATACH strategy including through a consultative process with the SG. External partners may be contracted to develop the strategy;  

  • Based on country needs and requests for support, develop the workplan of the ATACH for approval by the SG; 

  • In consultation with the SG, lead periodic reviews of the role, functioning and impact of the ATACH platform, and consider and approve amendments to the Terms of Reference, as appropriate, with a view to improving the functioning of ATACH;  

 

Assessment of Country Needs 

  • Collect inputs from countries to assess country needs and priorities for the implementation of their climate change and health priorities, including reflecting the COP26 Health Programme, the COP27 Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN), the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health and the WHA Resolution on Climate Change and Health;  

  • Collect information on technical partners’ country support initiatives and share it through the relevant platforms and communications, including the ATACH Community of Practice;  

  • Contribute to regional meetings of the ATACH and other relevant meetings/events, and represent the ATACH in meetings and conferences where appropriate;  

 

Advocacy, Communications and Events 

  • Publish an agenda of events in the Community of Practice, including ATACH events and events for ATACH engagement; 

  • Identify and encourage high-level champions of climate change and health (e.g. Ministers of Health, Ministers of Environment, heads of national delegations to the UNFCCC, public figures) to raise awareness and political outreach on the ATACH priorities in different health, climate change and sustainable development mechanisms; 

  • In consultation with SG and task team leads, develop and regularly update key messages on CCH for use of ATACH members;  

  • Facilitate the development of specific key messages by the leads of task teams 

  • Plan and organize the ATACH General Meeting, including coordinating the preparation and distribution of documentation for the General Meeting (e.g. agenda, meeting reports, publications) and leverage contributions by ATACH members;  

  • Organize and facilitate bi-annual Steering Group meetings; 

  • Develop and implement a communications and stakeholder engagement strategy for the ATACH; 

  • Promote ATACH outputs and activities, including through public-facing communications like the ATACH newsletter; 

 

Knowledge Sharing  

  • Maintain and regularly update the ATACH website (hosted by WHO) and the ATACH Community of Practice website, including developing relevant website content with member input; 

  • Coordinate correspondence with ATACH members, as required, to facilitate participation and collaboration of all members in knowledge sharing activities; 

  • Develop and continually update a central repository of information and documents relevant to the ATACH; 

  • Support in the development and functioning of task teams and the organization of technical meetings, including coordination between the task teams;  

 

Monitoring 

  • Prepare an annual update report on progress by the ATACH (including progress by task teams, by countries and support provided by partners) for consideration of the SG; 

  • Monitor and evaluate activities and processes of the ATACH, making amendments as necessary, in consultation with the Steering Group, to optimize overall Alliance functioning and impact. 

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High-Level Supporters (ATACH Champions)

ATACH Champions will advocate on behalf of the ATACH and promote its key messages and objectives, while ensuring scientific accuracy and credibility.

Responsibilities of High-Level Supporters may include: 

  • Participate in the ATACH General Meeting and other relevant high-level engagements as a representative of ATACH (e.g. COP, UN Secretary General Assembly);  

  • Facilitate and attend meetings with other high-level representatives; 

  • Communicate about the ATACH through relevant channels (e.g.social media, press, etc.)  

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