Call for Application –Researcher Fellowship Grant 2023

Background

With climate change impact accelerating, it has become evident that vulnerable communities and countries in the Global South are affected most. Every year, the most vulnerable communities and countries are exposed to severe losses and damages caused by human induced climate change. The impact and the resulting losses and damages are beyond the adaptive capacity of the developing countries. Climate change induced losses and damages are distributed unevenly across the planet.

As climate change impact crosses the limit of adaptive capacity across the vulnerable region, this has exposed limits of current adaptation and resilience building paradigm of science and policy. There is now a need for a new paradigm of thinking and response to deal with the unavoidable losses and damages, building on and integrating adaptation and disaster risk reduction approaches.

There are several critical knowledge gaps that hamper productive and effective response to climate induced losses and damages. First and foremost, confusion persists around what loss and damages are. There is a lack of historical data which severely hinders the establishment of an effective mechanism and strategy for assessment in Global South to tackle climate change induced Loss and Damage (L&D). Another area of knowledge gap is to identify and address effective L&D responses through channelling and reorganising national institutional architecture
created for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

To address the knowledge gap on L&D in most vulnerable countries in the Global South, International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) and Institute for Study and Development Worldwide (IFSD) are jointly implementing the Project ‘Strengthening Loss and Damage response capacity in the Global South (STRENGTH)’, with the support from International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The project has different components like research, capacity building and advocacy.

This project’s general objective is to address the knowledge and capacity gaps on L&D in most vulnerable countries in the Global South. This will enable these countries to avert, minimise and address loss and damage through L&D policy and implementation mechanisms and work
collectively to develop common and coherent approach to international policy negotiations within and beyond the UNFCCC. This project will try to clarify key conceptual dilemmas around the understanding and applicable principles for the operationalisation of L&D; create learning
opportunities for key research and policy champions in the vulnerable countries and facilitate cross-country knowledge sharing focusing on emerging issues and responses around L&D. As part of this project, ICCCAD and IFSD is offering a Researcher Fellowship Grant to address
critical knowledge gaps on L&D in the most vulnerable countries in the Global South. Under this project, research proposals are requested from the early researchers and master’s students from Bangladesh, Nepal, Vanuatu and Senegal who will receive financial and technical assistance.

Objective of the Research Fellowship Grant

The objective of the Researcher Fellowship Grant is to support researchers in conducting innovative and impactful research to address knowledge gaps related to Loss and Damage in the most vulnerable countries in the Global South. The fellowship aims to generate insights,
strategies, and recommendations that can contribute to building resilience and response capacity in the face of climate-induced losses and damages.

Scope of Research

The fellowship grant is open to research proposals that align with the broader objectives of the STRENGTH project and address some of the following areas of knowledge gaps (not limited to)

• Analysing historical and current data on climate-induced loss and damage
• Assessing the economic and non-economic impacts of climate-induced loss and damage
• Exploring the role of insurance and risk management in addressing loss and damage
• Examining the social and psychological impacts of loss and damage
• Investigating legal and policy frameworks related to loss and damage
• Exploring potential /financing mechanisms for addressing loss and damage
• Examining the gender and social inclusion (GESI) dimensions of climate-induced loss and damage
• Exploring the links between loss and damage, climate-induced migration, and potential implications for social stability.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants affiliated with research organizations, or civil society organizations must be working on climate change, L&D, or related fields
• Applicants must have strong research skills and a proven track record of academic or professional excellence in the field of climate change and development
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills are valued, as fellows may be expected to engage with stakeholders, present their findings, and participate in relevant events
• Priority may be given to applicants who have prior experience working in developing countries or addressing climate change and development challenges in those contexts
• The research proposal should align with the objectives and priorities of the ICCCAD IFSD fellowship