UNDP has been supporting the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change in meeting its national and international environmental priorities and commitments. These include close to 40 projects in the area of biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, climate change and chemical management. UNDP’s support focuses on technical and policy advisory, institutional strengthening and building capacities of various stakeholders to utilize natural resources in a sustainable way, while increasing resilience to climate variability and associated risks and impacts. UNDP also supports India’s engagement with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and works with Central Ministries and state governments to implement GEF financed projects.

Under the Government of India-UNDP Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) programme, UNDP has supported the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in identification of innovative and blended finance solutions to reduce the finance gap for implementing the National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP). The project has supported the development of the Biodiversity Finance Plan which includes 12 innovative solutions for financing biodiversity conservation.

Currently, BIOFIN in India is supporting the Ministry in demonstration of five potential biodiversity finance solutions, namely, Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Public Finance (Agriculture Sector), the Corporate Social Responsibility, Access and Benefit Sharing, Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Financial Services and Financial Technologies (FinTech), which holds a great potential for enhancing positive biodiversity outcomes through digital innovation as well as the recently added Nature-related Risk Assessments and Disclosures in India.

UNDP seeks to engage a Biodiversity Conservation Intern to provide overall support towards implementation of the BIOFIN project through in-depth literature review and research, collection and collation of data and analysis of trends and patterns in data. The Intern will report to the Senior Programme Officer, Biodiversity Finance and Sustainable Land Management, UNDP India, and shall be closely working with the other BIOFIN team members.

Under the guidance Senior Programme Officer, Biodiversity Finance and Sustainable Land Management, UNDP India, the intern is expected to: 

• Support the project team in undertaking research and documentation, developing concept notes and communication materials towards the implementation of the project.
• Participate in and contribute to preparation, conduct and follow-up of meetings, workshops and consultations as needed by engaging with relevant stakeholders including governments, communities and donors.
• Ensure documentation of agendas and minutes of key workshops and consultation meetings. 
• Assist in the collection and review of baseline data and relevant information required towards biodiversity mainstreaming and CSR.
• Provide support towards implementation of events and campaigns and contribute to the tasks under the upcoming CBD COP.
• Contribute towards furthering the priorities of UNDP and Government of India towards international commitments such as UNFCCC, UNCCD and CBD within the purview of the project
• Any other tasks and responsibilities related to the project assigned by UNDP.

• Experience in research and documentation on environment and conservation issues.
• Basic experience in partnerships with private and/or government sector on environment issues.
• Basic understanding of issues pertaining to natural resource management, ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation
• Good team player and ability to adapt to change in work environment
• trong sense of collaborative work, excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• Keen attention to detail;
• Excellent designing skills;
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise;
• Is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda;

Applicants to the UNDP internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

(a) Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree/diploma programme in environment science, natural resources management, ecosystem restoration, wetlands management, sustainable development, or a related field;

(b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a relevant first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);

(c) Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation