Work Location

Montreal or remote

Expected duration

Three to six months

Duties and Responsibilities

The 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. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for ‘sustainable development’. One of the key agreements adopted at Rio was the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Convention establishes three main objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is located in Montreal and is administered by UNEP. Responsibilities This internship is located at the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, under the overall supervision of Programme Management Officer for National Reports, Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Review unit, Implementation Support Division. The intern will assist with the planning, monitoring, reporting and review of the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including updated national biodiversity strategies and action plans, national targets and national reports. Under the overall supervision of Programme Management Officer for National Reports, Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Review unit, Implementation Support Division. the intern will: (inter alia)

• Review and analyze updated NBSAPs, national targets, seventh national reports and other relevant documents provided by Parties as well as commitments from non-state actors to contribute to the global report to support the global review of collective progress in the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to be undertaken at the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in October 2026.
• Review and analyze updated NBSAPs, national targets, national reports and other documents provided by Parties to contribute to related documentation or analyses to be prepared for major and other related meetings under the Convention and related capacity development activities.
• Assist with the facilitation of the submissions of updated NBSAPs, national targets and national reports.
• Support the organization and preparation of related meetings, virtual or other, organized by the Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Review Unit, including logistical support, note taking and report preparation.
• Assist in other duties as may be requested by the supervisor, including by the Executive Secretary.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants to the United Nations internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:(a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or, (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor ‘s level or equivalent). (c) Have graduated with a university degree. Be computer literate in standard software applications. Have demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter. Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. Preferred area of study: Internship candidates can be students currently undertaking studies or having completed studies, e.g. PhD, MBA, 4th Year Undergraduate, graduate (see detailed requirements below), in the field of international sustainable development, international environmental policy, biodiversity-related or environmental sciences. Familiarity with the issues and processes under the Convention and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is desirable. Skills for using AI for analyzing or synthesizing large reports and datasets are desirable. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Masters or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelors, Masters or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN Language, Arabic, French, Russian, or Spanish is desirable. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

Intern Specific text

Interns 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 Fee

THE 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.