Climate Intern, Global Methane Pledge

Company Description

Oxfam is a global organization that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice. We offer lifesaving support in times of crisis and advocate for economic justice, gender equality, and climate action. We demand equal rights and equal treatment so that everyone can thrive, not just survive. 

Oxfam America employees are able to work remotely, but to be considered applicants must reside in one of the following states that are within a 200-mile radius of our offices which are located in Boston and Washington DC: ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV, VA, MD, NC or DC.

Job Description

DURATION:  June - August (10 weeks), 35 hours per week

SALARY: Minimum of $15.00/hour

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Climate Justice Intern will further Oxfam America’s (OUS) advocacy and engagement on Short Lived Climate Pollutant (SLCP) mitigation, with a focus on methane. They will conduct research and scoping activities that inform the development of Oxfam’s strategic program on SLCPs.

Specifically, through this project the intern will map out and assess the extent of civil society organization (CSO) awareness and knowledge of the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) and associated national Methane Action Plans. They will work with Oxfam and coalition partners to propose ways forward for promoting CSO engagement in methane action policy, planning and implementation in Global South countries.

BACKGROUND

Advancing climate justice is one of the core issues that Oxfam America is committed to tackling (Oxfam America 2030 Strategy Framework). For Oxfam this means pushing those most capable of addressing the climate crisis – through urgent emissions reductions in line with climate science and providing adequate and accessible finance – to act first and most ambitiously, while working with others to counteract the effects of climate change on communities facing marginalization and to promote equitable transitions towards more sustainable energy and economic models.

As a rights-based, research-driven development organization, working with partners in over sixty countries, Oxfam is uniquely placed to challenge and shine a spotlight on the human decisions and policies that often exacerbate rather than end poverty and inequality. Through advocacy, programming and campaigning with partners, Oxfam can contribute to change, often through linking local and global influencing agendas. Oxfam is committed to expediting gender equality and puts gender justice at the heart of all that we do.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The intern position is hosted by Oxfam America’s Climate Justice Team, part of the Global Partnerships & Impact Division. The intern will work in support of the Policy, Advocacy and Programming Advisor for SLCPs to design, undertake and document the research and scoping. This project involves a desk review of global pledges, national-level implementation plans, and other documents and resources, and interviews with Oxfam staff and International NGO (INGO) allies.

The project will result in a final internal report with recommendations to the Climate Justice team and other OUS teams on opportunities, challenges, and considerations for Oxfam’s methane advocacy and programming.

The main activities anticipated through this project include:

1. Orientation to Oxfam’s prior and existing work on SLCP’s through review and of internal discussion pieces.
2. Orientation to the Global Methane Pledge, the development of national methane action plans, and the key global platforms promoting and financing the realization of the GMP.
3. Rapid mapping of the status of national Methane Action Plan development and implementation, with focus on countries in the Global South.
4. Rapid mapping of what other environmental and/or development INGOs are doing regarding SLCPs and methane mitigation.
5. Development of interview questions to explore the extent of CSO engagement with national Methane Action Plans, and barriers and opportunities for civil society awareness-raising and advocacy around global and national methane mitigation efforts by governments and companies.
6. Implementation and documentation of interviews and discussions with relevant Oxfam staff from across the confederation, including country teams, and INGO allies.
7. Analysis and presentation of the project documentation in the final internal report.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE POSITION

• Position should involve approximately 35 hours a week.
• Willingness to ensure diverse representation in the sources that the research draws from.
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