Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of our more than 1,400 Member organisations and 15,000 experts. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network - a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by more than 1,000 professional staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. Its headquarters are based in Gland, Switzerland.

IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice.

This diversity and expertise make IUCN the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. By harnessing the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of some 15,000 experts, IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.

The IUCN Ocean and Coasts programme works to conserve coastal, marine and polar ecosystems, and the many benefits they provide for humanity. Unsustainable exploitation, pollution and the climate crisis threaten marine species and ecosystems around the world. Less than 3% of the global ocean has escaped human pressure. Unless things change, there will be profound impacts to life in the oceans, to global weather systems, and for the more than three billion people whose livelihoods depend on marine and coastal biodiversity. The ocean sequesters carbon but is increasingly damaged by warming, deoxygenation and acidification from greenhouse gas pollution. IUCN encourages governments to integrate Nature-based Solutions as part of their commitments under the Paris Agreement. These solutions also contribute to conserving biodiversity and supporting jobs, livelihoods and health.

The IUCN Ocean Team is a global team, headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, but with Ocean team members working in several regions of the world and on projects that range from Blue Natural Capital, saving mangroves, advocating for an effective High Seas Treaty to plastic pollution reduction and building capacity for negotiators for a Global Plastics Treaty. We work with the World Commission on Environmental Law, and other IUCN Commissions and Members.

Under direct supervision of the Ocean Team Programme Officer for plastic pollution, and in collaboration with other staff of the Ocean Team, the Ocean Team intern will support the work and projects of the IUCN Team with a focus on communications and research for the Global Plastics Treaty work and possibly work related to the High Seas Treaty. This will include activities such as providing support to certain tasks within the project portfolio, such as assisting in the organisation of workshops, supporting project communications and assisting in writing technical reports, as well as a range of administrative activities.

SPECIFIC TASKS
Focus of the internship will include the following activities:
• Project research for plastics treaty in support of the Master’s project;
• Synthesizing text for reporting and communication purposes;
• Support the communication activities of all ongoing projects;
• Assistance in French for writing letters and documents;
• Assist in the organization of workshops, meetings and event planning; and
• Support the team in a range of administrative functions on a day-to-day basis as needed.