Climate & Conservation Finance Policy Intern

The Nature Conservancy • Washington, DC

1d

About The Position

The Nature Conservancy’s Internships @TNC program offers paid, 8-week summer engagement opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates. Internships may be based out of locations around the United States and gain hands-on experience that connects academic learning with real-world conservation work. As part of this internship program, you’ll step into a supportive learning environment where your perspective truly matters! Interns will contribute new insights to real projects and collaborate with teams across the Conservancy to explore creative solutions. Participants receive a structured and engaging onboarding week, professional development and training, meaningful mentorship, and valuable networking opportunities all while contributing to impactful projects that support our mission. This 8-week engagement will begin on Monday, June 15 – Friday, August 7, 2026. Interns will be required to complete a capstone project. Join us and help advance TNC’s 2030 goals. The Climate and Conservation Finance Policy (CCFP) team works to finance ambitious national climate and nature strategies in emerging markets and developing economies through integrated country diagnostics, domestic resource mobilisation, building out the green economy, and enhancing the global and domestic financial architecture. To meet our 2030 goals, The Nature Conservancy is advancing new approaches and looking for emerging leaders who are ready to shape that future! Our work sits at the dynamic intersection of people and nature where fresh ideas, new skillsets, and adaptable thinking are essential. We’re searching for purpose driven, curious, and enthusiastic interns who are eager to make a difference and have fun while doing it! If you’re excited about making meaningful changes for the planet and its people, join us. As a summer intern with the CCFP team, you will primarily help the team in its efforts to enhance the capacity of governments to explore, design and implement financial mechanisms for climate and conservation, like debt conversions and project finance for permanence, and mainstream the benefits of nature-based solutions in economic and financial systems.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate program, graduate program, or a recent graduate (within six months) with a focus on policy, finance, economics or the environment
• Fluency in English
• Experience researching information from divergent sources and compiling it into a cohesive reporting structure.
• Experience presenting to and communicating with internal and external audiences.
• Experience interacting with senior leadership in a professional manner.
• Writing experience, including capturing detailed notes and action items and summarizing complex policy reports and research.

Nice To Haves

• Background in international development, economics, climate finance, development finance, public policy, investment banking, or consulting.
• Experience in environmental science, ecology, and ecosystem service valuation is a plus.
• Willingness to work independently (with guidance) 35 hours per week.
• Data analysis and visualizations skills are a plus.
• Experience coordinating complex projects in a decentralized organization, working across teams, operating units and functions to achieve optimal results.
• Experience building networks, facilitating informational sessions, increasing internal knowledge and capacity, and identifying key stakeholders.
• Experience, coursework, or other training in public policy, government relations, business, or sustainability.
• Self-starting, independent worker who can thrive in a decentralized organization with minimal oversight.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficiency in additional languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, or French.

Responsibilities

• Drafting reports, proposals and trainings to help emerging market and developing economy governments to build capacity to understand and implement conservation finance policies, mechanisms and tools and how they fit within the countries’ strategies to meet their global climate and biodiversity commitments.
• Assisting a TNC-led working group of global economists and environmental scientists on methodologies to better integrate investments in nature and biodiversity into the World Bank and IMF’s Debt Sustainability Analysis, GDP growth forecasts, and sovereign risk assessments by credit rating agencies.
• Support the research and writing of a policy paper on nature’s importance for economic stability and sustainable public finances with recommendations for policymakers and other actors on wider reforms needed within key policy and financial institutions and organizations
• Support the development of monitoring and reporting systems for large-scale conservation projects, aligned with investor and market disclosure frameworks
• Supporting the preparation of materials for international conferences over the summer as necessary, including but not limited to London Climate Action Week, Asia Climate Summit, World Biodiversity Forum, and UNCCD COP17.
• Support the finalization of the team’s strategy, including the identification and development of theories of change and workstream objectives for fiscal year 2027.
• Providing support as needed for logistics, travel, meeting notes, desktop research, and ad-hoc inquiries.

Benefits

• TNC offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed