Nature Climate Energy and Resilience Intern

Background

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change. We support countries' efforts to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals, which will guide global development priorities through 2030. The key 2030 Agenda principle of leaving no one behind and stamping out inequality is at the core of everything we do. 

UNDP focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in three main areas:

• Sustainable development

• Democratic governance and peacebuilding

• Climate and disaster resilience

In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable.

III. INTERNSHIP OFFICE BACKGROUND: 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently operationalizing its new Country Programme Document (CPD) for the period 2021-2025. The  new UNDP Uganda Country Programme Cycle, will support government efforts by providing technical, and financial support to enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), local governments, non-state actors and communities through strengthening national capacity to restore, protect, and sustainably manage natural resources and ecosystems, increase access to affordable clean and renewable energy, and to enable vulnerable people and communities to adapt to, and mitigate climate change and disaster risk. 

The Nature, Climate, Energy, and Resilience (NCER) programme, will work with other UNDP programmes, to provide an integrated and coherent policy, and programme support to relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), local governments, communities, and non-state actors to achieve the following outcomes;

i. Strengthened capacity of public and private institutions and communities to sustainably manage natural resources and protect vital ecosystems 

ii. Increased and equitable access to, and use of modern, renewable, and affordable energy sources and services

iii. Strengthened technical and institutional capacity to prepare for, respond to, and manage disaster risks

iv. Strengthened capacities of government and non-government institutions to effectively plan, monitor and deliver public and private financing to social sectors in an equitable, gender-responsive, accountable, and sustainable manner

The primary beneficiaries of the NCER programme are the poor men, women, youth, and marginalized groups that constitute the most vulnerable rural and urban communities of Uganda, and mostly depend on healthy and resilient ecosystems to deliver quality ecosystem good and services, highly productive landscapes, access to affordable clean energy, green investments and jobs, resilience to climate and disaster risk, and transformed livelihoods.  

The delivery of the NCER programme will be consolidated around three pillars as big-ticket levers for using a portfolio approach for implementation. These include: 

1) Establishing a climate for development facility (C4D) that will serve as the engine spurring the development of investment portfolios, boosting private sector engagement, and mobilizing resources for the implementation of climate actions, natural resource management, application of nature-based solutions, and undertaking disaster risk response, building resilience and risk financing; 

2) Expanding the social services of energy constitutes the turning point in addressing the immediate needs of energy for lives, and livelihood development especially in rural areas, and have direct implications in reducing deforestation linked to charcoal and fuelwood utilization. Under this pillar, there are opportunities for reviewing and revising the current energy tariff structures in increasing accessibility to modern energy, and to raise awareness of the existing social tariff scheme targeting the poor, and incentivizing connecting to national electric power system; 

3) Strengthen the implementation of the NDC by developing investment plans, mobilizing state and non-state actors, enhancing private sector engagement in climate actions, incentivizing emission reduction (e.g., Climate seal as national certification of low carbon footprint, etc.), and transitioning to circular economy. Building on the interlinkages in the programme, these three pillars frame the integrated portfolios for consolidating the implementation of the NCER programme.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide technical input and conduct research on the programme focus areas under the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Support programme, Climate Promise and Energy related tasks.  

• Support preparations of national, regional and global events such as the Africa Climate week, Innovate4climate, water week, Conference of Parties (COP) negotiations 

• Assist with planning, coordinating and documenting meetings, workshops and trainings

• Support ongoing activities with partners under the NDC Partnership and Energy portfolio including the Ministry of Water and Environment, Ministry of Health, National Planning Authority, Private Sector Foundation, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development among others 

• Support to knowledge management

• Supporting in the Monitoring and Evaluation of project activities such as the climate action grantees

• Support all communication related activities

• Support any other tasks that may be assigned by the NCER team

• Keep himself updated on latest climate information 

Other

• Support other/ad hoc activities as seen relevant and needed.

• Organization of meetings and workshops

• Engagement of government partners and follow up on project activities 

Competencies

• Demonstrated experience in working with government, civil society, private sector in undertaking policy and programmatic work in energy and climate change
• Good understanding of the links between energy and climate change
• Good analytical, writing, and communications skills.
• Interest and motivation in working in an international organization;
• Good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data and research for practical implementation;
• Outgoing and initiative-taking person with a goal oriented mind-set;
• Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently;
• Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:

• currently enrolled in a Master’s degree
• have graduated no longer than 1 year ago from a bachelor’s or master’s degree or equivalent studies.

Field of study: Climate Studies, Renewable Energy, Development Studies, Environmental and Natural Resource Management or related fields.