Intern - Economic Affairs temporary

The Internship with the Energy Division is for a period of two to six months depending on the needs of the Division. The Energy Division is working to support member States in enhancing energy security and the sustainable use of energy through regional cooperation to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in particular the Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7): Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

The internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.
• Responsibilities
• :
1. Key energy challenges and solutions in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular the three targets of SDG7 by 2030;
• Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
• Increase substantively the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
• Doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

2. Good practices in mobilizing and rationalizing energy financing, prices, taxation and subsidies, as well as increasing energy affordability, promoting energy trade and energy connectivity, through policies, energy economics and innovative technologies etc.

3. Research to develop project proposals and to facilitate implementation of the Regional Road Map on 'Regional Road Map on Power System Connectivity: Promoting Cross-Border Electricity Connectivity for Sustainable Development in particular power grid connectivity';
• Identification and analysis of challenges and ongoing initiatives with effective mechanisms and policies at sub-regional and regional levels according to the nine strategies of the Regional Road Map
• Identify capacity-gaps of on-going initiatives and implementation of intergovernmental agreements, geo-political issues relevant to power system integration in the ESCAP's five subregions.
• Assist the Division in implementing XB projects relevant to power system connectivity (energy modelling in North-East Asia; capacity building of energy regulators by subregion, developing a framework for sustainable energy connectivity).

4. Energy modelling at the country level:
• Collect and process information and data related to energy demand and supply at the country level, sub
• regional and regional level
• Research national energy policies, priorities, targets and commitments, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on climate change and carbon neutral commitment
• Contribute to data analysis, including data entry, manipulation, and visualization in Excel

5. Economic analysis of access to electricity and clean cooking;
• Collect and process information and data related to energy access and its socio-economic benefits
• Research and analyse econometric analyses of the impacts of energy access
• Contribute to analysis of current policies and stakeholders influencing energy access
• Contribute to data entry and data visualization in Excel.

6. Analysis of the role of natural gas in achieving SDG 7 and transition to decarbonized energy systems. Research on social, economic, and environmental impacts of projected natural gas demand growth in Asia-Pacific.

7. Integrated urban solutions for low-carbon cities to accelerate progress on SDG7 and SDG13
• Collect and analyse information on urban low-carbon best-practices, their pre-conditions and success factors
• Collect data for several cities in ASEAN across certain indicators linked to achievement of SDG7 and SDG13
• Contribute to the data analysis, visualisation of the research results and report writing

8. Research on the impact of the energy transition on the extractives industry, including socio-economic implications of coal phase-out policies and reduced demand for fossil fuels, and implications of increased demand for critical raw materials and other inputs into renewable energy technologies.

9. Maintenance and update of the Asia-Pacific Energy Portal (asiapacificenergy.org). The Portal is the largest Asia-Pacific energy knowledge platform; covers up-to-date energy statistics, policy documents and infrastructure for 58 economies in Asia-Pacific.
• Perform continuous review of Portal energy indicators database to identify the current status, fill gaps, clarify, and correct any existing issues
• Review of official websites and news sources for ESCAP member countries policy release. Perform identification, processing and upload of national and sub-national energy policy documents for ESCAP member countries.

10. Knowledge management and updating webpage:
In cooperation with the Project managers and research assistant, to perform the following tasks:
• Help review news clippings in area related to energy for sustainable development, from local newspapers on global, regional and national issues;
• Provide research for background/information materials;
• Assist in the preparation of briefing information on the work of Energy Di