Intern, Latin America Restoration Policy, Global Restoration Initiative, University of Michigan

WRI Overview 

World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. We are working to address critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade in order to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. 

Internships at WRI are learning experiences designed for current students, recent graduates, or other candidates who wish to gain knowledge about a specific area of our work. We strive to attract diverse, intellectually-driven candidates who have a passion for sustainability and development. WRI provides many internship opportunities throughout the year in all our programs.  

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.   

Global Restoration Initiative and Initiative 20×20 Overview 

The Global Restoration Initiative aims to catalyze a political and social movement to restore vitality to degraded lands. These degraded lands can be restored into healthy mosaics of sustainable agriculture, agroforestry landscapes (or mixed-forest agriculture), and restored forest ecosystems generating economic, ecological and social benefits to people and the planet.  

Within the Global Restoration Initiative, WRI exercises the secretariat of Initiative 20×20, a country-driven effort to change the dynamics of land degradation in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The initiative’s short-term goal is having 20 million hectares under restoration by 2020, and 30 million hectares by 2030 (to be reflected in member countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Climate Agreement). We currently work with 17 countries, over 50 technical partners and 22 private impact funds and corporations to achieve these goals.  

The Initiative has associated private investment earmarks of the order of US$2.4 billion for the financing of land restoration efforts in the region from 21 private financial partners, including impact investment funds. To support the efforts by the private sector, the Initiative has promoted a financial architecture with the objective of addressing information gaps (review of available financial incentives, assessment of benefits and costs linked to landscape restoration and others), promoting the development of investable options, and addressing perception of risks. Engaging the private sector is key to counteract land degradation and to improve livelihoods by restoring degraded land and forests, while increasing the productivity of existing agricultural land and avoiding further deforestation 

Internship Summary 

The Global Restoration Initiative is seeking an intern to support the Policy accelerator program in Latin America.   The Policy Accelerator is a peer-to-peer, capacity building program for policy makers looking to improve the implementation of existing policies or design new policies or regulations to promote the implementation of landscape restoration. The capacity building program comprises 4 phases that aim to develop capacities around designing and implementing innovative policy instruments to support landscape restoration in Latin America. The main objective is to unite policy innovators and better understand what factors help and hinder their policies to reach implementation or their intended objective. The Accelerator also brings together leading practitioners, economists and experts in their fields to demystify specific incentives (e.g. carbon tax program, Forest Incentives, Payment for Ecosystem Services) in support of policy innovators’ needs. Support could include access to analyses, mentors, and networks that enhances policy innovators’ abilities to advocate for cost-effective policies that support restoration on forests and agricultural lands in their respective countries. 

This internship will focus on supporting the Policy Accelerator planning, coordinating communications with country focal points and mentors.  The intern will also provide strategic advice on identifying country bottlenecks around incentives for restoration and help to prepare a roadmap with potential solutions to the country problems.  

The application deadline for this position is March 14, 2021. 

Learning Outcomes 

The intern will gain experience in the following areas:  

• Build knowledge on sustainable land use practices and landscape restoration globally (through the interaction with the Global Restoration Initiative) and regionally (by working directly with the LAC 20×20 team). 
• Facilitate the exchange of experiences among various governments on policy instruments for landscape restoration;  
• Support the enhancement of  cross-institutional collaboration by bringing participants from different ministries within the same country to focus on a common solution together;  
• Support communication in the network of leading policy innovators in landscape restoration; and  
• Familiarize with landscape restoration monitoring tools and their relationship with investments and native tree species. 
• Learn to present complex information in a clear and concise manner and to communicate research findings to research and non-research focused audiences such as governments and the private sector. 
• Develop communication and writing skills by supporting the drafting of reports and peer-review manuscripts, case studies, outreach materials, presentations, and blogs.  
• Develop engagement skills and applying them to mobilize multi-stakeholder support for project planning and implementation.  
• Practice Spanish listening, conversation, and writing skills.  

Internship Qualifications 

• University Sponsored: You must be a current student in the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. 
• Experience on sustainable land use practices, forestry, and economic evaluation. 
• Experience in conducting research. 
• Fluency (oral and written) in Spanish desirable.  
• Highly responsible and self-motivated. 
• Ability to work both independently as well as part of a team. 
  
• Attention to detail, accuracy of work, and well-organized. 
• Ability to think creatively. 
• Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Office and online research skills.  

General Internship Requirements 

• Applicants must have personal health insurance coverage.  
• U.S. work authorization is required for this opportunity. WRI does not sponsor interns for visas. 

Compensation  

• University Sponsored: Students will receive compensation from their university program.   

Duration and Location  

• This is a full-time summer internship with start date options of May 17, June 1, or June 16, 2021 based on the student’s availability and need for the project.   
• This is a remote-based internship with the option to work out of the Washington D.C. office once it reopens.    
• WRI will provide a laptop for the duration of your internship. 

How to Apply 

Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. The application deadline for this position is March 14, 2021.

The World Resources Institute (http://www.wri.org) is an environmental and development research and policy organization that creates solutions to protect the Earth and improve people’s lives. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, it is WRI’s policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, protected veteran status, or disability. WRI’s global agenda requires a staff that is diverse – with respect to race, gender, cultural, and international background. Diverse perspectives and experience enhance the way WRI selects and approaches issues, as well as the creativity and applicability of WRI’s policy research and analysis. WRI, therefore, encourages applications from U.S. minorities, persons from other countries (especially developing nations), and from women of all backgrounds.