Environment Affairs

Work LocationParis Expected duration6 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations systems designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The Resources and Markets Branch of UNEP focuses on fostering resource-efficient growth and innovation to decouple economic development from environmental degradation. As part of the Industry and Economy Division, it provides solutions for economic decision-makers and drives business environment transformation by facilitating dialogue, offering innovative policy options, supporting pilot projects, and creating market mechanisms. The UNEP Plastics Initiative leads and implements a system-wide transformation towards a circular economy for plastics which aims to trigger systems change to accelerate the safe and just transition towards a circular economy of plastics, thereby reducing plastic pollution and its impacts in the long run. It adopts a programmatic approach by developing and implementing global, regional as well as in-country projects, and galvanizes UNEP and partners’ work on plastics in a coherent and systemic way, with common ambition and shared approach, and in close collaboration with partners. UNEP serves as the executing agency for the GEF Global Project and Platform within the GEF Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution Integrated Programme (Plastic Reboot). UNEP works closely with UNEP GEF implementing units, as well as partners like WWF, UNDP, UNIDO, and various national, regional, and global entities, alongside the GEF Secretariat to drive the Integrated Programme forward. Under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer and overall guidance from the UNEP Plastics Initiative Coordinator, the intern will: - Gain operational knowledge by assisting in projects setup, translating environmental financing into action, and operationalizing project documents, including activity budgeting, workplans, and formulating technical terms of reference. - Conduct research on key operational topics related to plastic action, such as waste management, regulatory and policy change, finance mobilization, private sector engagement, innovation, investment, and behavior change. - Support stakeholder engagement by helping to organize and facilitate meetings, workshops, and consultations with key stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector partners, and civil society organizations. - Gain experience in monitoring and evaluation by tracking project milestones, gathering data on project outcomes, preparing progress reports, and contributing to capacity-building activities, including training sessions and workshops. Qualifications/special skillsAcademic background in environmental sciences/management, public policy, business administration, or a related field. Competences required : - Communication - Client orientation - Teamwork LanguagesFluent English written and spoken required. Additional InformationNot available. Intern Specific textInterns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.