Internship Opportunity - Biodiversity, Forest Management and REDD+ 2021 Internship

A key focus for the Climate Change and Biodiversity Programme is the role that ecosystems can play in climate change mitigation and adaptation and disaster risk reduction, through approaches such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA). The Programme aims to support the development of climate change policies and actions that deliver a range of environmental benefits, by providing decision-makers with relevant data, analyses, capacity-building and tools.

This 12-week internship will contribute to the preparation of a peer-reviewed scientific assessment report on the latest available knowledge on the effects of REDD+ implementation. This work aims to provide an update on the Global Assessment Report published in 2012 by the GFEP Global Expert Panel on Biodiversity, Forest Management, and REDD+. Since then, implementation of REDD+ has increased rapidly. Countries have made varying degrees of progress through the different phases of REDD+ – “readiness phase”, “implementation phase”, and “results-based actions phase”. This study aims to address questions such as: How have the governance and operationalization of REDD+ changed in the last years? What are the outcomes and influences on carbon, biodiversity, and well-being of implementing REDD+? What challenges is REDD+ facing? What are the lessons learnt and what are possible pathways into the future?

The intern will work with UNEP-WCMC staff and University of Cambridge colleagues in developing content for two of the key chapters for the report, identifying published literature and texts that are relevant to the main themes, finding case studies that can be used as illustrative examples, and summarising and synthesising this information for inclusion in the final text of the report. While the intern will contribute to the overall report, the work focus primarily on REDD+ impacts on biodiversity and their links to impacts on carbon and livelihoods.

UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre works with scientists and policy makers worldwide to place biodiversity at the heart of environment and development decision-making to enable enlightened choices for people and the planet.

WCMC attaches great importance to addressing safeguarding and ethical considerations in all activities carried out by its staff, including where partner organisations or individuals are part of the delivery of our work. This includes children and vulnerable adults in the community who may be vulnerable to abuse. WCMC act with integrity, are transparent and expect applicants to share the same values. 

We will provide you with the challenge of working on high profile conservation projects, where your work really makes a difference to the field of conservation in an area aligned to our strategic aims and broader global initiatives. In addition to training and development opportunities, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package, including generous pension contributions. 

WCMC is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We aim to create a supportive and inclusive working environment in which all individuals are able to make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit. We do not discriminate against staff on the basis of age; race; sex; disability; gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity; religion; faith or belief.

If you are looking for a rewarding and challenging post where you can impress us with your fundraising skills, we want to hear from you. Please send your CV and a short covering letter through the link below by Wednesday 12th May 2021. Please note we reserve the right to remove the advert prior to the closing date if a suitable candidate is found, so please don’t delay your application.

The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is a global Centre of excellence on biodiversity. The Centre operates as a collaboration between UN Environment Programme and the UK registered charity WCMC.  Together, we are confronting the global crisis facing nature. We do this through our unique position ensuring science, knowledge and insights shape global and national policy, and by collaborating with partners around the world to build capacity and create innovative solutions to environmental challenges. We use our position as respected custodians of powerful and trusted environmental data to create positive impact for people and nature.

Internship Description