Intern

26/Intern19/LA

22 May - 10 Jun

Internship Assignment Legal Affairs Division Intergovernmental subdivision Application deadline Announcement number Expected start date Duration of assignment Modality 10 June 2026 26/Intern19/LA As soon as possible 3-6 months On-site (preferred), remote, or hybrid1 Background The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, or Convention) is the focus of the political process to address Climate Change. The UNFCCC secretariat supports the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement through a range of activities, including substantive and organizational support to meetings of the Parties and the implementation of commitments. It is a dynamic organization working in a politically challenging environment to help resolve one of the defining issues of our time. The Legal Affairs Division is responsible for providing legal and procedural advice and services to support (1) the intergovernmental negotiation process, (2) the implementation of the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, and (3) the administration and operations of the secretariat. Objectives of the internship Under the supervision of the Legal Officer, Intergovernmental and Programme Support Subdivision, and in close collaboration with staff members of the Legal Affairs Division, the intern will support the work of the Division in relation to intergovernmental matters under the UNFCCC process. The areas of work may include, inter alia:  Undertake legal research and analysis and support the preparation of draft notes and inputs on issues related to the intergovernmental process, including mandates, rules of procedure , and draft outcomes of negotiations.2  Support the intergovernmental process, including the preparation of meeting documents and background materials, and support the organisation and servicing of meetings.  Support activities related to Parties’ compliance with their treaty obligations, including the work of the Paris Agreement Implementation and Compliance Committee (PAICC) and, as relevant, the Kyoto Protocol Compliance Committee (KPCC), including servicing meetings , engagement and correspondence with Parties concerned, advice to the Committees and their Chairs, legal research, and support to logistical arrangements.  Support the drafting of the legal chapter of the synthesis report on nationally determined contributions (NDCs), including extracting and synthesising information from NDCs submitted by Parties.  Support the organisation and conducting of capacity -building activities, such as workshops, courses and trainings, including the preparation of draft presentations and other materials, background notes and speaking notes, as required. 1 Modalities to be mutually agreed. 2 Draft conclusions of the subsidiary bodies (SBSTA, SBI) and draft decisions of the governing bodies (COP, CMP, CMA).  Assist in other tasks being carried out by the Legal Affairs Division as required. Timeframe and modalities Internships at the Legal Affairs division are normally for a period of 3 months and up to a maximum of 6 months upon mutual agreement. The start date is as soon as possible , to be mutually agreed. The exact dates will be determined based on the availability of the selected candidate, the organizational needs and for on -site assignments, the time approved in the internship permit. The selected candidate may perform the assignment either onsite at the UNFCCC premises in Bonn, Germany (preferred), or remotely complying with the IT requirements mentioned below, or as a combination of both (modalities and working hours to be mutually agreed). For assignments with time on site : The selected candidate might require a permit to perform the internship in Bonn. This could limit the time on-site to a maximum of 3 months in some cases and could entail carrying out part of the internship remotely. Thus, any selected candidate shall take this in consideration when applying. Also, they are expected to comply with the IT requirements mentioned Minimum requirements  Applicants must, at the time of application and for the entire duration of the internship, meet one of the following requirements : 1) Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher, such as a PhD) at a recognized university; or 2) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent) at a recognized university.  University studies shall be in the field of law.  Candidates must be fluent in English (both oral and written) and have strong writing skills. Knowledge of additional United Nations languages are an asset.  Excellent computer literacy (Microsoft Office and similar) is required. Experience in using AI tools is an asset.  Demonstrated interest in climate change and sustainability is highly desirable. IT requirements For any remote section of the internship, i.e., outside of Bonn, the selected candidate will require a laptop or desktop PC (with Windows 10 or newer) or Mac (with the latest macOS update), as well as a reliable, high-speed internet connection. An Office 365 license will be provided by UNFCCC to enable the intern to access official emails, SharePoint, OneDrive, and other necessary applications, such as Word and Excel. Further computer requirements:  An antivirus application which receives regular updates;  Browsers must be a newer version with regular updates enabled;  Regular Windows 10 updates should be enabled with a Windows laptop or PC. In addition, a mobile phone will be required to enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) through SMS or the Authenticator App. Internship conditions UNFCCC secretariat internships are not remunerated, and the selected intern will be responsible for all costs associated with the internship assignment including medical insurance. Interns of th e UNFCCC secretariat are not staff members. The selected intern can either work in -person at the UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn, Germany (preferred), remotely with their own computer/internet access, or as a combination of both (modalities to be mutually agreed). For more detailed information about UNFCCC Internship programme please visit the internship section on our recruitment webpage. Application procedure Applicants who are interested in this assignment and meet the minimum requirements are strongly encouraged to apply. All applicants must use the on-line application system, include a cover letter and attach the necessary documents to evidence they are eligible. Due to the high number of applications, only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted for assessment.

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