Intern - Climate Team

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda and promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system. Established to encourage sustainable development through sound environmental practices, UNEP serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. It has been operational for several decades and works in over 100 countries, engaging with various stakeholders to address pressing environmental issues. UNEP FI, a strategic partnership between the United Nations and over 500 banks, insurers, and investors, has been shaping the international sustainable finance agenda for over 30 years, setting global standards and fostering a network of leading financial institutions committed to sustainability.

Job Overview:
The intern will work with the UNEP FI climate team and regional teams to scale up and develop climate mitigation initiatives for commercial banks, insurers, and asset owners in Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC). This role is crucial in supporting the financial sector's transition towards sustainability and aligning with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. The intern will engage in various tasks that include organizing and delivering engagement with financial institutions, conducting regional analyses to identify gaps in climate transition capabilities, and supporting the development of training materials and capacity-building initiatives. The intern will also assist in the design and delivery of events aimed at accelerating financial sector decarbonization, thereby playing a vital role in advancing the climate transition agenda.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The intern's responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the organization, planning, and delivery of bilateral and collective engagements with banks, insurers, and asset owners to enhance awareness and build capacity in climate mitigation.
• Conducting regional analyses of existing climate transition capabilities to identify gaps and opportunities for advancing institutional capacity in financial decarbonization.
• Scoping and prioritizing climate transition capacity-building needs.
• Assisting in the delivery of the APAC climate plan by leveraging UNEP FI’s and other strategic partners’ resources.
• Designing and preparing regional and country-specific training materials.
• Supporting the design and delivery of capacity-building initiatives to help financial institutions advance their climate mitigation journey, including impact analysis and climate risk management.
• Organizing and delivering events focused on accelerating financial sector decarbonization.
• Conducting maturity analyses of emissions data capabilities and exploring opportunities for advancement.
• Identifying potential partners for gathering country-specific data related to climate transition scenarios. 1
• Preparing reporting materials and handling administrative tasks. 1
• Translating global UNEP FI materials to fit local contexts.

Required Qualifications:
Applicants must meet one of the following criteria at the time of application: a. Be enrolled in a graduate school program (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); b. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); c. Have graduated with a university degree and must commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation. The intern should be a second or third-year undergraduate or a recent graduate in fields such as finance, environmental science, business administration, international relations, financial services, or environmental affairs. Proof of enrollment or graduation date is required if selected for this position. While no professional work experience is required, a field of study closely related to the internship is necessary.

Educational Background:
Candidates must be enrolled in the final year of their first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), or in a Master’s or Ph.D. program, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. program. Proof of enrollment or a certified copy of the degree certificate is required for the application.

Experience:
No prior professional work experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. However, candidates should have relevant academic training or coursework that aligns with the internship's focus on climate finance and environmental sustainability.

Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is required for this internship. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable, as English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

Additional Notes:
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. All costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of the interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken may need to obtain the appropriate visa and work authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer. The United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, and applicants should be cautious of any requests for personal financial information.