placement at the UNFCCC Secretariat

By on Monday, December 11th, 2017

During the past three months (September-November) I was on placement at the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn (Germany), in the Sectoral Approaches unit within the Mitigation, Data and Analysis programme (MDA).
This internship was a great opportunity to access the most up-to-date information, advice, guidance and tools related to REDD+ monitoring and the various steps in setting up REDD+ Reference Levels (RLs). It also allowed me to better understand the process under the Convention, from the timing of the initial submission, the technical assessment and what it addresses, to the report on REDD+ results through a technical annex to the BURs. It was an especially useful opportunity to evaluate the methods being used by developing countries in their submitted REDD+ RLs, as well as how global Earth Observation datasets are being used, which links perfectly with my research.
The potential to clarify and discuss the broad set of issues around REDD+ with the most knowledgeable people in the subject was invaluable. Also valuable was the opportunity to participate in COP23 and “shadow” programme officers in their assignments related with negotiations