Intern, Greenhouse Gas Policy Accounting

The World Resources Institute (WRI) seeks an intern for its Climate & Energy Program.  The successful candidate will provide research and administrative support to the development of new methods and guidelines for measuring emission reductions from climate change policies and tracking countries’ progress towards meeting internationally-submitted national greenhouse gas targets and actions.

Nations around the world have been advancing many different types of climate change policies, such as taxes and cap-and-trade programs, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Internationally, both developed and developing countries have committed to targets and actions that they are willing to adopt after the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. This project aims to develop guidance on accounting for both policies advanced domestically and the national goals that have been submitted internationally as part of a future climate agreement.

The intern will take part of a new project at WRI, which aims to facilitate the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions reductions associated with climate policies. This is an exciting opportunity to develop and apply research and administrative skills while launching a new project and interacting with climate policy experts from around the world. 

This is a full-time (37.5 hours/week) internship located at WRI’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., to begin as soon as possible.

• Conduct background research and literature reviews related to (a) monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), (b) methodologies for quantifying the greenhouse gas impacts of policies, and (c) national practices in tracking and reporting national performance toward international greenhouse gas mitigation targets
• Analyze UNFCCC submissions and national communications
• Follow UNFCCC negotiations and workshops on post-2012 mitigation pledges
• Compile and summarize survey responses from 50-100 participants
• Conduct surveys, when relevant
• Interact with experts and stakeholders in countries such as Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, India, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States, to solicit participation and collect information
• Organize and coordinate meetings, conference calls, and other interaction with team members and partners; identify, coordinate, and follow up on next steps
• Manage MS Excel contact database by adding and updating entries (100-200 contacts)
• Help organize workshops
• Assist with drafting grant proposals, processing contacts and payment requests, as needed
• Assist in the preparation and dissemination of outreach materials, presentations and publications
• Provide administrative support and support other project activities as needed

This position is ideal for a recent college graduate who has prior experience working or interning in an office environment.  

In addition, the successful candidate:

• Has a bachelor’s degree in a related field, for example, environmental policy or environmental economics
• Has a background in policy analysis, quantitative analysis, and/or modeling
• Is familiar with climate change policy, energy policy, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Preferably, has an understanding of carbon markets and greenhouse gas accounting, including an understanding of concepts such as double counting and additionality
• Demonstrates an ability to conduct research on policy-related questions using a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches, to document sources, and to communicate results accurately and objectively
• Has excellent writing skills and can communicate effectively through a range of written media including technical papers and e-mail correspondence
• Is highly organized, motivated, and proactive
• Has strong interpersonal skills
• Is available to participate in conference calls with international partners outside of regular office hours
• Subscribes and adheres to WRI’s institutional values
• Is proficient with MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• May have experience living in one or more countries
• May be proficient in more than one language
• May have a Master’s degree

Compensation: 

This position pays $12 to $16 per hour, depending on qualifications and experience.

Duration:

The internship is for 6 months, with the possibility of extension depending on performance, project needs, and funding.  The start date is flexible, with an earlier date being preferred.