The UN Environment/Latin America and the Caribbean Office/ Chemicals & Waste Unit promotes the transition of countries to the sound management of chemicals and waste in order to minimize impact on the environment and human health. UN Environment provides information and support initiatives to improve the management of chemicals and wastes, and facilitates implementation in the region of the various international agreements in force or under negotiation, including the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). The Latin America and the Caribbean Office is currently implementing a range of projects within the UN Environment Programme of Work, Subprogramme on Chemicals and Waste.



Also, the last meeting of the Forum of Ministers of Environment for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cartagena, Colombia, March 2016) called upon UN Environment to additionally support the implementation of chemicals and waste MEAs, and the sound management of chemicals and waste. For this purpose, the Forum established the Intergovernmental Network on Chemicals and Waste for Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to strengthen the environmentally sound management of chemicals and waste, reinforcing sub-regional and regional cooperation and facilitating the exchange of experiences. The UN Environment Latin America and the Caribbean Office provides secretariat support to the Network, including support to the Steering Committee, the Working Group to develop a regional action plan on chemicals and waste (to be adopted by 2018), and the implementation of a programme of initial information exchange activities.



The UN Environment/Latin America and the Caribbean Office/ Chemicals & Waste Unit internship is for six (6) months. The Internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (40 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.