About Us

Generation Climate Europe (GCE) is the largest coalition of youth-led networks on climate and environmental issues at the European level. GCE unites the largest youth-led networks, bringing together 381 national organisations across 46 countries in Europe. We are guided by the voices of over 20 million young Europeans. GCE creates a platform for youth to advocate for a just and green transition in Europe. GCE envisions a system that respects human rights and the planet, that includes the voice of youth, and that acknowledges our common but differentiated responsibility in achieving a carbon-neutral and sustainable world.

About the Role

Each year, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) organises a Conference of Parties (COP), where decision-makers across the world meet and decide the future of global climate action. After the mixed results of COP29, the team is now preparing for the upcoming COP30, which will take place in November 2025 in Belém, Brazil. 

GCE strives to engage with COP30 by bringing together youth voices from all over Europe and advocating for decisive, effective, and just climate action. As an organisation accredited to the UNFCCC, the responsibility of representing GCE and its member organisations is the top priority, alongside engaging in the process in a responsible and adaptable manner. 

We are looking for a Project Lead (PL) for COP30 Strategy, who will spearhead the team’s work on developing thematic policy priorities to lobby decision-makers and plan our strategic approach for COP30. Among the most pressing issues to tackle at COP30 are Climate Finance, Loss & Damage, Adaptation and Mitigation, and the prioritisation of people and the planet. 

Tasks

• Develop the GCE COP30 team’s thematic policy priorities to be used to lobby key stakeholders. This will be our guiding point for the activities of the year.
• Lead the COP30 Strategy team (consisting of 3-4 Project Officers), including convening regular meetings and coordinating their work.
• Keep up-to-date with SB62 and COP30 developments throughout the year.
• Outline the anticipated work programme and schedule for the year with the COP30 Strategy team. When necessary to prepare reactions to relevant developments.
• Communicate regularly with the COP Coordinators and the other PLs to ensure synergies and avoid duplications in deliverables, including by attending weekly meetings with the COP leadership team.
• Organise a consultation of European youth and any relevant youth stakeholders to develop GCE’s thematic priorities, with support from the COP30 Events team.
• Liaise with the GCE Working Groups to ensure that the organisation’s broader work is reflected in COP30 team strategy. 
• Collaborate closely with the COP30 Events team on organising anticipated side events at the COP, which requires up-to-date information shared with the team in their planning.
• Collaborate closely with the COP30 Partnerships team on activities such as engaging European decision-makers to hold strategic meetings and representing GCE’s interests.
• Produce a finalised statement of GCE’s COP thematic priority areas to be both internally available and externally shareable, ensuring that they have input from:

• Consultation(s) with the GCE board and GCE Working Groups;
• Public consultation open to any interested parties, particularly European youth;
• Consultation(s) with GCE’s Member Organisations;
• The GCE COP team for final approval.
• Lead the writing process of the team’s COP30 report to be published in February 2026.

About you 

• • Strong experience in leading teams of passionate young people. 
  • Highly skilled in producing written outputs, including policy statements and demands.
  • Skilled at researching topical areas, and highly knowledgeable in climate- and sustainability-related themes.
  • Experienced in lobbying stakeholders, and engaging and mobilising others.
  • Familiar with UNFCCC processes and previous outcomes of COPs.
  • Willingness to learn, research and develop knowledge of EU policy making and EU engagement at COPs, including technical policy knowledge.
  • Highly enthusiastic and proactive.
  • Confident with using Google Suite.
  • Available to work remotely for around 5-6 hours a week (flexible).
  • High proficiency in spoken and written English.
  • Attending a COP or SB previously, and academic or practical experience with international relations are desirable but not required.
  • You are connected to the European context: as we focus on EU advocacy, we welcome applicants with an interest and general understanding of how the EU operates and/or a European background that facilitates this knowledge. It is preferable that you are based within a timezone that is -2 or +2 from CET/CEST as it is our main working territory.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. If you have any questions or if you have not received a response within three weeks, please reach out to us at people@gceurope.org