UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

BIOFIN

The Biodiversity Finance Initiative – BIOFIN – was developed to provide a comprehensive methodology for governments to: 1) review the existing policy context, 2) measure expenditure levels for biodiversity, 3) calculate future financial needs and 4) design strategic plans to deploy the right mix of finance solutions, tailored to the country context.

BIOFIN Phase I (2012-2018) enabled full assessments and initial implementation of finance plan elements in target countries. Based on lessons learned, a new and comprehensive version of the BIOFIN Methodology was developed. Significant scaling up of finance solutions is required in all countries to address the biodiversity finance challenge.

BIOFIN Phase II (2018-2025) supports countries to implement Biodiversity Finance Plans and finance solutions to achieve tangible finance results (generating revenue, efficient spending, greening budgets). The intervention is tailored to accelerate implementation of the emerging CBD Post-2020 Framework and deal with the impacts of COVID-19, reducing the risk of similar pandemics.  See www.biodiversityfinance.org for further information.

BES-NET

The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net) is a capacity sharing “network of networks” initiative managed jointly by UNDP, UNEP’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre and UNESCO with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and SwedBio at Stockholm Resilience Centre. In support of the capacity building work of the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), BES-Net:

• Promotes dialogue between science, policy and practice sectors around the latest IPBES assessment themes for more coordinated and evidence-based BES management, using the Trialogue methodology;
• Supports the development of capacity in selected countries to conduct the national ecosystem assessment (NEA), completing the global assessment being undertaken by IPBES
• Provides the target countries with catalytic seed fund for the uptake of the key findings and recommendations of the IPBES assessments/NEAs in the policy, science and practice sectors
• Enhances the global BES network by developing a rich database of organizations and experts working on different IPBES assessment theme areas and making the latest BES related news and updates available on the web portal and the social media channels. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The intern would be an integrated member of the BIOFIN global team. The main responsibility of the intern will be to support the global team in their technical, management and communication activities, through the following tasks:

BIOFIN

• Research, collect, analyse and present the work BIOFIN has been doing in its 38 core countries.
• Review international best practices to identify case studies of nature-based finance solutions that can serve as examples for BIOFIN work.
• Further elaborate the BIOFIN financing solutions database with new entries and develop guidance materials on financing solutions for BIOFIN teams in different countries.
• Contribute developing knowledge products on cross country analysis, financing solutions for biodiversity conservation.
• Synthesize and summarize research outcomes and lessons learned into formats tailored to BIOFIN thematic activities.
• Support the organization of events, webinars, meetings, regional calls; assist maintaining the documentation of meetings.
• Assist in boosting BIOFIN presence in digital and social media; provide assistance as required in the maintenance of the BIOFIN digital media accounts including Website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.
• Monitor, analyse and synthesize the developments, press clippings and reports of BIOFIN, and maintain a database of BIOFIN news coverage and update it regularly.
• Support other/ad hoc activities as seen relevant and needed.

BES-Net

• Support to the maintenance and upgrading of the BES-Net web-portal by:
• Uploading the relevant BES thematic knowledge resources, in particular on biodiversity finance, on the e-library; and

• Posting the latest BES opportunities on events, vacancies, etc.;
• Assessing the functionality and accuracy of the web contents, as they are revamped.
• Contribute to develop the web stories and other communication products based on the progress of the activities in the BES-Net target countries.

• Undertake research, data collection and analysis on the key BES themes, as required.
• Assist in identifying the collaboration opportunities between BIOFIN and BES-Net and liaising with the BIOFIN team on relevant issues.