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UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Freshwater Internship Opportunity. Apply Today!

UN Jobs Admin January 9, 2025

4 minutes read

UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Freshwater Internship Opportunity. Apply Today!

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Internship Details

Position(s): Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Freshwater Internship
Organization: United Nations
Job Opening ID: 250735
Job Network : Economic, Social and Development
Job Family : Environmental Affairs
Category and Level : Internship, I-1
Duty Station : Geneva / Remote
Department/Office : United Nations Environment Programme
Deadline: Jan 27, 2025

About UNEP

UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Freshwater Internship Opportunity. Apply Today! 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. Located within the UN Environment Division of Economy, the Resources & Markets Branch (UNEP-RMB) seeks to conserve the environment, reduce poverty, and promote sustainable development by enhancing the capacity of governments, businesses, and civil society to integrate environmental considerations into economic, trade, and financial policies and practices in accordance with the partnership and integrated policy making approaches of sustainable development.

As part of UNEP-RMB, the UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is a unique global partnership between the UNEP and the private financial sector. UNEP FI works closely with over 500 financial institutions that are signatories to the UNEP FI Statements of Environmental Commitment, and a range of partner organizations to develop and promote linkages between the environment, sustainability and financial performance. Through its industry commissions, thematic advisory groups and regional activities, UNEP FI carries out its mission to identify, promote, and realize the adoption of sustainability practice at all levels of financial institution operations. The financial community has a critical role to play in safeguarding the world’s ecosystems such as oceans, forests, land, and their biodiversity, provide much of the raw materials, goods and services which underpin the global economy. At risk from over-exploitation and environmental degradation, there is an urgent need to manage these natural assets more effectively in order to ensure the health and wellbeing of society, and stability of businesses and the financial system at the heart of the economy.

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UNEP FI works with members and partners to embed environmentally sustainable decision-making into mainstream finance. We provide technical research and guidance, working with the financial community on cutting-edge innovations and frameworks, and developing industry wide tools linking science, policy, economics and finance, bringing nature to the heart of financial decision making. The intern would join this motivated team and report to the Freshwater Lead, working on a range of exciting and cutting-edge initiatives aiming to mainstream the management of water-related impacts, risks and opportunities across the banking and insurance sectors.

Duties and Responsibilities

The intern will work with the Freshwater Lead to support the UNEP FI Secretariat on the following tasks:

Support the development and delivery of a freshwater capacity building program for banks and insurers.
Conduct data analysis to benchmark UNEP FI member action on freshwater risks, impacts and opportunities.
Produce case studies which showcase how banks, insurers and central banks are currently assessing freshwater-related risks and impacts.
Monitor academic publications on related themes and convert these into digestible highlights.
Establish a tracker of all freshwater-related financial products issued by banks and insurers.
Carry out applied research for the purpose of drafting targeted presentations, briefing notes and speaking points.
Provide project coordination, administrative and communications support on ongoing projects and initiatives for example tracking sheet maintenance, organizing and minuting calls.
Take initiative on a piece of applied research on a relevant topic and/or other additional duties relevant to their own areas of interest in this field (can be technological, creative or otherwise innovative in nature), as agreed with the supervisor.
Support the programme and team on tasks and activities on ad-hoc basis.

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As a candidate, you should have strong quantitative and technical skills relevant to freshwater and sustainable finance note this is less about how we enable more money to flow into water-related projects and much more to do with how we enable capital flows to accelerate the transition to a water secure future. You should therefore have exposure to the banking, finance, and/or insurance industries, understand how they function and the opportunities that exist to support them to manage freshwater related risks, impacts and opportunities. You should be intellectually curious and have an entrepreneurial spirit. You have a decent understanding of what UNEP FI’s unique contribution is in the world and some ideas about how it can make the most of this. Excellent research, communication and writing skills in English, as well as a high degree of motivation and self-organization are required. Skills relating to data management and analysis, would be an advantage.

Requirements

Applicants must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher);
Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation. Final year undergraduate or master’s degree student in Environmental Studies, Finance, Business Administration, other related themes, or recently graduated (candidates are eligible for this position up to one year after the graduation date).

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The intern must be able to show proof of enrolment or of graduation date if selected for this position. 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), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme.