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 COP30, the team is now preparing for the upcoming COP31, which will take place in November 2026 in Antalya, Turkey. GCE strives to engage with COP31 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 Officer (PO) for the COP31 Strategy team, who will help our team develop our thematic policy priorities for this year to lobby decision-makers and plan our strategic approach for COP31. Among the most pressing issues to tackle at COP31 are adaptation and mitigation, the just phase out of fossil fuels, climate finance, climate disinformation, loss & damage, and the prioritisation of intergenerational equity and the planet. 

Please note that this is a volunteer role.

Tasks

Establishing COP Strategy and Thematic Priorities

• Help with the development of GCE’s COP strategy and thematic priorities across the full COP31 cycle, including for the Santa Marta Conference, SB64, COP31 and any other relevant bilaterals, and activities throughout the year. These priorities will serve as a guiding framework for lobbying and engagement.
• Support the organisation of consultations with European youth, GCE Working Groups, Member Organisations and any other relevant youth stakeholders to develop GCE’s thematic priorities, with support from the COP30 Partnerships team.
• 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.
• Support the writing process of the team’s COP31 final report to be published in February 2027.

Team collaboration

• Collaborate closely with the COP31 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 COP31 Partnerships team on activities such as engaging European decision-makers to hold strategic meetings and representing GCE’s interests.
• Collaborate closely with the communications team and the communications project officer on strategy to amplify GCE’s thematic priorities across social media platforms.

Briefings and Capacity-Building

• Keep track of major policy developments, share relevant updates with the team, and brief members attending COP so they are familiar with GCE’s strategic priorities, key thematic areas, and policy developments before arriving on the ground.
• Identify and support relevant capacity-building opportunities for the wider team.

About you 

• Strong familiarity with UNFCCC processes, negotiation structures, and previous COP outcomes.
• Solid understanding of EU policymaking processes and the role of EU institutions and Member States within the COP context.
• 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.
• 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.
• Academic or practical background in international relations, climate policy, EU affairs or related fields is an asset but not required
• Attending a COP or SB previously, and academic or practical experience with international relations are desirable but not required.
• Preferably based within a timezone between -2 and +2 hours of CET/CEST.
• 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. 

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