Intern - Transparency Division/AFOLU unit

United Nations
Framework Convention on
Climate Change

Remote Internship Assignment

Transparency Division
AFOLU unit

Background

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the focus of the political process to address Climate Change. The UNFCCC secretariat supports the Convention, its Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement through a range of activities, including substantive and organizational support to meetings of the Parties and the implementation of commitments. It is a dynamic organization working in a politically challenging environment to help resolve one of the defining issues of our time.

The Transparency Division supports the intergovernmental process related to the MRV (measurement, reporting and verification) system under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, and the ETF (enhanced transparency framework) under the Paris Agreement, including by providing technical assistance to developing countries and training to experts engaged in the reporting, review and analysis processes. It supports work on relevant methodological issues, including in relation to greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, REDD-plus, agriculture, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), IPCC guidelines and common metrics. It also maintains a transparency data hub, which includes data and information management and analysis.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the internship

Under the direct supervision of a programme officer from the Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Use (AFOLU) Unit, this assignment is designed to provide the intern with an opportunity to gain experience on issues related to LULUCF, agriculture and the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD+) in the intergovernmental climate change process, through the following tasks:

• Gather, research, analyze and present background information related to LULUCF, agriculture and REDD+;
• Analyze, structure and present technical information related to LULUCF, agriculture and REDD+ contained in different publications, such as IPCC reports or Parties' submissions of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long-term strategies;
• Prepare communication material on AFOLU and REDD+ for non-specialist audiences;
• Reinforce the role of the UNFCCC secretariat in the circulation of specific information among stakeholders interested in the implementation of the Warsaw framework for REDD+;
• Support programme officers in preparing for climate change conferences, technical assessments of REDD+ reference levels and technical analysis of REDD+ results, as requested;
• Assist the AFOLU unit in other tasks as they may arise.

In addition, upon completion of the internship, the intern will have been able to develop a deep understanding of:

• The Intergovernmental negotiation processes;
• The Paris Agreement and its aims;
• The work of the UNFCCC secretariat;
• The Warsaw framework for REDD+.

Timeframe

The internship is for a period of two to six months. The exact start and end dates will be determined by the secretariat based on the availability of the selected candidate and the organizational needs.

Requirements

• Applicants must, at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements:
  1. Be enrolled in, or have completed within the previous twelve (12) months, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher, such as a MSc or PhD) at a recognised university;
  2. Be enrolled in, or have completed within the previous twelve (12) months, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent) at a recognised university.
• University studies shall be in the field of forestry, natural resources management, agriculture, nature conservation, geography, development studies, biology, or other related fields with good understanding of land-use and climate change or related.
• Familiarity with the management of forums and of tools to create infographics and videos would be very appreciated too.
• Fluency in English is required.

Modality

The selected candidate must perform the assignment remotely and comply with the workplace conditions set out below. No office space or equipment will be provided by the organization, and it will not be possible to modify the modality of the internship to on-site.

Workplace Conditions

IT: As this is a remote internship, the selected candidate must have a laptop or desktop PC (with the Windows version indicated by our IT team) or Mac (with the latest macOS update), as well as a reliable, high-speed internet connection. An Office 365 license will be provided by UNFCCC to enable access to official emails, SharePoint, OneDrive, and other necessary applications, such as Word and Excel.

Further computer requirements:

• An antivirus application which receives regular updates;

• An up-to-date web browser with automatic updates enabled;

• Automatic operating system updates enabled (Windows or macOS).

In addition, all interns must have a mobile phone to enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) through SMS or the Authenticator App.

Interns must also:

• Furnish and maintain the remote workplace in a safe manner
• Ensure that adequate measures are in place to ensure system security when performing their work using any device
• Maintain workload and productivity standards as required for the performance of their internship.

Internship conditions

UNFCCC secretariat remote internships are not remunerated, and the selected intern will be solely responsible for all costs associated with the internship, including, but not limited to, equipment and internet connection. Interns of the UNFCCC secretariat are not staff members. The selected intern will undertake the internship on a full-time basis (40 hours per week) or part time basis to be agreed before the start of the internship, noting that an equivalent to 2 months of full-time work is a minimum requirement for an internship with the UNFCCC secretariat.

For more detailed information about UNFCCC Internship programme please visit the internship section on our recruitment webpage.

Application procedure

Applicants who are interested in this assignment and meet the minimum requirements must use the on-line application system, include a cover letter highlighting their motivation, and in which they should also clarify their preferred start date (between mid-January and May 2027), duration of internship (between three and six months) as well as any preference for a part-time basis. They should also attach the documents required to prove their eligibility (e.g., proof of enrolment or degree obtained with completion date). Due to the high number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for assessment.