Internship - Disaster Risk Reduction - UNEP-Norway Energy for Development Collaboration

Work LocationGeneva, Switzerland Expected duration6 MONTHS Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s Disasters and Conflicts Branch works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The Disasters and Conflicts Branch extends UNEP’s work to areas of the world where the natural and human environment have been damaged from disasters or conflicts. Specialized environmental expertise is provided to rapidly identify risks to health, livelihoods, and ecosystem services, and to integrate environmental needs within the recovery process. The Disasters and Conflicts Branch promotes sustainable management of natural resources in disaster- and conflict-affected countries. The branch’s work demonstrates to decision makers the importance of natural resources management as a precondition for sustainable development and as an instrument for peacebuilding and disaster risk reduction. Since 1999, the team has conducted field operations in over 40 countries and works in close cooperation with the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding frameworks of the UN system. More information can be found at www.unep.org/disastersandconflicts. Communications are a key strategic priority for UNEP as part of the organization’s mandate to advocate for the environment. This is achieved through a wide range of communications activities at national and global levels, including an active social media presence. The Disasters and Conflicts Branch works directly with teams in many countries around the world, as well as at a global level in communications related to its work. One specific area of our work on disaster risk reduction is addressing environmental risks in energy development. UNEP has established a collaboration with the Government of Norway's Energy for Development Knowledge Programme to strengthen environmental governance and reduce climate and disaster risks in the context of the energy transition and renewable energy development, in EfD partners countries which include Mozambique, Malawi, Nepal, Uganda, and Tanzania. Based on this collaboration, UNEP is initiating partnerships to support development of training courses and scaled up dissemination of trainings in partner countries and beyond, related to environmental mainstreaming and due diligence in the context of renewable energy development. Under this new collaboration, UNEP will provide environmental technical advisory and capacity development support towards enhancing environmental legal and policy frameworks, undertaking environmental due diligence, and managing climate and disaster risks associated with the energy transition and renewable energy. Project components include environmental legal and policy reviews, institutional capacity needs assessments, development and delivery of trainings, and targeted technical assistance. The Project targets government institutions, including planners and regulators, to enhance environmental due diligence, reduce ecosystem degradation and strengthen environmental resilience. This internship position is for a highly motivated person committed to sustainable environmental management, energy transition, and climate issues. The intern will support UNEP in the delivery of its Project activities, including undertaking new research on renewable energy and a sustainable energy transition, and will support in developing new partnerships in this emerging sector. The Internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35-40 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned. Interns may only undertake internships within UN Secretariat agencies for a cumulative duration of 6 months maximum. Responsibilities - 1. Support the expansion of global community-of-practice and outreach, specifically the day-to-day management of the Global Dialogue on Environment and Energy, which includes: a) Developing and disseminating the monthly newsletter. b) Facilitating engagement and discussions on the LinkedIn group. c) Testing other means of expanding the global community of practice. d) Building up and maintaining contacts lists. e) Responding to queries and maintaining the communications email inbox. 2. Support towards delivery of webinars and online/hybrid trainings focused on specific topics related to environmental governance and management in the energy sector and assist the data collection and reporting for these events. 3. Undertake desk-based research and develop/update country background papers on energy transition as well as social and environmental safeguards in renewable energy development. 4. Support partnership building on sustainable energy transition, including liaising with industry partners, academia, and civil society. 5. Support training and workshop report writing 6. Provide support to logistics preparations for delivery of trainings and other planned events. 7. Any other tasks as requested by the Programme Manager. Qualifications/special skillsApplicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in communications, environmental sciences, environmental policy, energy policy, climate change studies, renewable energy, or similar study area., or similar study area. Strong interest and familiarity with social media and online communications. Applicants should have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams. Experience in web-based content management systems. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat. 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.