Environmental Affairs - Intern

Job Description

Work Location: Bangkok & Nairobi

Expected duration: 6 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. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action.

UN Environment’s Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

This internship offer is within UNEP/Ecosystems Division/Regional Seas Branch/Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) in Bangkok (Thailand) and Nairobi (Kenya).

UNEP launched the Regional Seas Programme in 1974. Today, more than 146 countries have joined 18 Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans for the sustainable management and use of the marine and coastal environment, and the Regional Seas play a crucial role in supporting countries with the implementation and monitoring of the ocean-related Sustainable Development Goals and associated targets.

The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) is the lead agency of the United Nations for marine environmental matters in the East Asian Seas, coordinating and facilitating implementation of the Action Plan for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment and Coastal Areas of the East Asian Seas Region (the East Asian Seas Action Plan). COBSEA is administered by UNEP’s Ecosystems Division. The Secretariat is hosted by Thailand, located at UNEP’s Asia and the Pacific Office in Bangkok.

COBSEA’s Strategic Directions 2018-2022 emphasize:

• Addressing land-based marine pollution with a focus on nutrients, sediment and wastewater, as well as marine litter and microplastics;
• Strengthening marine and coastal planning and management, with a focus on ecosystem-based management approaches including Marine Protected Areas and Marine Spatial Planning;
• Sharing marine environmental management experiences and policies towards strengthened regional governance.

The Strategic Directions is currently being evaluated and a new one is being developed for 2023–2027.

The COBSEA Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI), adopted in June 2019, aims to coordinate, facilitate cooperation, and implement the necessary policies and strategic measures to sustainably integrate the management of marine litter in the East Asian Seas. The RAP MALI has four main actions, including:

• Preventing and reducing marine litter from land-based sources;
• Preventing and reducing marine litter from sea-based sources;
• Monitoring and assessment of marine litter;
• Supporting the implementing activities of the COBSEA RAP MALI.

The internship is for a duration of six (6) months.

The internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35-40 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direct supervision of the COBSEA Coordinator, the intern will work on the implementation of activities related to supporting Regional Seas activities in East Asia:

• Organization of meetings and events, including for COBSEA Task Force in Jan 2026;
• Meetings of the Working Group on Marine Litter, and regional/international events as well as technical/project meetings and workshops;
• Support the implementation of ongoing and newly initiated regional initiatives on marine litter and plastic pollution, including assistance with pilot projects and knowledge-sharing platforms in the East Asian Seas region;
• Support in the marine litter team with research for project development and proposals;
• Internal as well as external marine litter communication, including public outreach, generating content for use on the website, in newsletters, outreach materials, presentations etc.;
• Support other tasks or activities as required and in accordance with the intern’s interests.

Qualifications/special skills

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); Enrollment in a graduation programme focused on natural science, social sciences, sustainable development, communication, or economic discipline OR
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent) OR
• Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation.

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.

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 official working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the internship, fluency in oral and written English is required.

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.

Deadline : Jan 20, 2026