Social & Economic Development Team (UNDP)

Terms of Reference

Agency: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Unit/Team: Social & Economic Development Team (UNDP)
Position: Green Poverty Alleviation Project Intern
Position Available: 1
Duty Station: UNDP Office, Beijing, China
Start Date: July 2010
Duration: 3 - 6 months

Background:

Utilizing Carbon Markets for Green Poverty Alleviation project of UNDP China is designed to improve environmental, economic and social conditions in the rural areas of China, utilizing market-based carbon trading instruments.  It will develop a trading platform to do so, and will train personnel in the means of utilizing such a platform for rural development carbon reduction projects.  The project aims to construct the carbon trading platform over a period of three years, and it will include a project collection system; information release system; trading system; registration system;, project tracking system; and settlement system.. The project will also focus attention on rural carbon reduction projects, ensuring that the platform design is consistent with such efforts.  It will utilize such projects to demonstrate the capabilities of the trading platform, and train project developers and other carbon market specialists in both CER and VER applications of such efforts.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the overall guidance of the Team Leader of Social & Economic Development and Green Poverty Alleviation Project, the duties of the incumbent include:

• Support the team in synthesizing key development frontline status nationally and globally, particularly on social development and disparity issues, focusing on vulnerable groups. This would be done through a weekly newsletter form.
• Support accumulating knowledge and experiences existing on pursing win-win options of climate change/environment with poverty reduction, assisting developing new initiatives in this area.
• Support tasks within the team, i.e. updating our partnership data-base, support programme activities implementation, assist in organizing workshops and events programme managers are working on
• Research on programmes linking climate change and poverty (UNDP and GEF projects)
• Research on low carbon development and identify best practices both in and out of China, including: Planning for low carbon urban and rural development; Green buildings; Low carbon industry restructuring and development; Carbon Trading CER and VER; and Shareholder analysis of low carbon development

Qualifications:

Education:

• Current postgraduate students in public policy, development studies, social science or other relevant fields.

Experience:

• Past work experience with NGOs, government, research institutes and development organization is desirable. Experience at the international and/or regional level would be advantageous.

Languages:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations, fluency in spoken and written English is required, and fluency in Chinese would be desirable.

Other Skills:

• Strong computer skills in the use of MS Windows and MS Office required.

Reports of Past Social & Economic Development Team Interns:
FONG Yiu Tung James
WANG Liang