CAPACITY Fellowship Programme

The Capacity Award Programme to Advance Capabilities and Institutional Training in One Year (CAPACITY) Fellowship Programme aims to build local professional expertise and enhance the capacity of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to address climate change challenges.

This fellowship offers mid-career professionals, already employed in government roles in SIDS or LDCs, the opportunity to work and receive training within the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn for one year (up to two years). Fellows are selected on an individual basis, with the understanding that the development and training they undergo will be applied within the context of their home organization, ultimately strengthening its capacity to tackle climate change issues.

Key Objectives of the CAPACITY Fellowship Programme:

Support the climate change efforts of developing countries under the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement.
Promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation on climate-related matters.
Strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries, empowering them to engage effectively in global climate action.

Benefits for CAPACITY Fellows:

Work in a diverse, multicultural and interdisciplinary environment.
Gain a deeper understanding of the UN system and the international climate change governance process.
Develop practical skills in their area of expertise.
Benefit from impactful training and high-quality mentorship.
Contribute to innovative analytical work on global climate challenges.

The CAPACITY Fellowship Programme offers a transformative experience that equips fellows with the tools, skills, and networks to drive meaningful change in their home countries' climate action efforts.

Vacancies:

At present there are no vacancies open to candidates. Shortlisting and selection of applicants is presently taking place for three CAPACITY Fellowship vacancies in Markets and Non-Markets Support and Stakeholders Interaction subdivision, Mitigation Division.

Please consult our recruitment page.for other positions that may be available.

The CAPACITY Fellowship programme aims to promote the capacities of mid-career fellows from LDCs and SIDS in the following areas:

Supporting innovative analytical work on climate change in the context of sustainable development;
Promoting a network of experts who can bring creative and innovative options to bear on questions of climate change;
Encouraging the leadership potential of young and promising professionals in their fields.

There is a pathway for Fellows, from their existing roles in their governmental and educational institutions in their home countries, through their time in the UNFCCC secretariat, and beyond that to their enhanced career and support for climate change action through and for their institutions again.

CAPACITY Fellowship - meet our current Fellows

Four Fellows are presently working with teams at the UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn. More information on them, their roles and their responsibilities is provided below.

Jevanic Henry

Country: Saint Lucia

UNFCCC team/division: Action Empowerment Unit, Communications and Engagement Division

Bio: Jevanic Henry is a climate and development professional, with diverse acquired experience in the climate diplomacy space. He previously served as a Foreign Service Officer with the Government of Saint Lucia, and most recently as an Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Fellow, assigned to the Permanent Mission of Saint Lucia to the United Nations in New York. In the multilateral space, he has also co-authored a practical guide on enhancing access to climate finance during his tenure with the Commonwealth Secretariat. Jevanic also serves as the SIDS representative on the UN Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change and continues to support youth led organisations in Saint Lucia in accessing climate finance.

Fellowship description

Konisha Heerah Hurreeram

Country: Mauritius

UNFCCC team/division: Legal Affairs Division

Bio: With the hands-on experience at the UNFCCC and a legal background, it has equipped me with invaluable insights into the decision-making processes and negotiation strategies that shape the global climate agenda. Driven by a desire to make a lasting impact, I aspire to explore Legal Affairs and the Politics of Policymaking at the national level, leveraging my expertise to inform effective climate policies and drive sustainable change.

Fellowship description

Ngone Mirimi

Country: Mozanbique

UNFCCC team/division: CGE/ETF Support Unit/ Transparency Division

Bio: Ngoni Mirimi is a development practitioner and policy advisor with expertise in climate resilience, energy systems, and youth governance. He has served as municipal Head of Energy, Infrastructure, and Climate Change and advises the National Advisory Council for Sustainable Development, focusing on Transfrontier conservation areas. His career spans diplomacy, having worked at the Mozambique High Commission in Pretoria, the Southern African Development Community Head Office, and through membership in the AfCFTA Independent Youth Advisory Council, the World Institute for Nuclear Security, and work as Country Coordinator for Future Africa International.

Ngoni holds master's degrees in Energy Management (Robert Gordon University, Scotland) and Public & Municipal Management (Universidade Lúrio, Mozambique). He has participated in the Ocean Leaders Fellowship with the Sustainable Ocean Alliance and undertaken research fellowships with the University of Hong Kong, Cranfield University, and the University of Hong Kong.

Fellowship description

Ulfath Ibrahim

Country: Maldives

UNFCCC team/division: External Relations, Intergovernmental Support and Collective Progress Division

Bio: Ulfath previously served as a climate negotiator for the Maldives, working at the Special Envoy Office for Climate Change of the Maldives. She holds a Master’s degree in Environment and Development from the University of Edinburgh. She is on the University of Edinburgh's Climate 75 list.

Fellowship description

The CAPACITY Fellowship programme aims to promote the capacities of mid-career fellows from LDCs and SIDS in the following areas:

Supporting innovative analytical work on climate change in the context of sustainable development;
Promoting a network of experts who can bring creative and innovative options to bear on questions of climate change;
Encouraging the leadership potential of young and promising professionals in their fields.

CAPACITY Alumni - meet our recently completed Fellows

Seven CAPACITY Fellows have recently completed their Fellowships and are now taking their experience and knowledge back to their post-UNFCCC work. More information is provided below on who they are, their activities as Fellows and their lessons learned from the Fellowship.

Jeniece St. Romain

Fellowship experience

Country: Antigua and Barbuda

UNFCCC team/division: Just Transition Task Team, Programmes Coordination

Bio: Jeniece St. Romain is an Antiguan attorney and international trade consultant with expertise in international trade law, legislative drafting, and sustainable development. She is a former Chevening Scholar and has a strong record of public service, having co-founded an educational non-profit to aid law students, and held directorships focused on social protection and prison reform in Antigua and Barbuda.

Jeniece comes from a multidisciplinary background and has experience across the public, private, and international sectors. She is passionate about trade facilitation, international trade finance and investment, and the intersection of sustainable development, gender and the environment. Her focus lies in using trade to benefit small island nations and promote environmental and social good.

Marie Stephania Perrine

Fellowship experience

Country: Mauritius

UNFCCC team/division: Capacity-building, Means of Implementation Division

Bio: Marie Stéphania Perrine is an educator and a climate and development professional hailing from Rodrigues, a semi-autonomous island of the Republic of Mauritius. She is a former Chevening Scholar and an EU-COMESA Scholar with extensive knowledge on climate-related matters, especially in the context of SIDS. She has an MSc in Sustainable Development (Climate Change and Risk Management) from the University of Exeter, UK and an MA in Regional Integration from the University of Mauritius.

Stephania comes from a transdisciplinary background and has experience in education, sustainable development, project grantsmanship and management, and youth advocacy. She has founded two NGOs to build youth’s knowledge and build their leadership skills to take action on climate change. She is also passionate about academia and her research interests include climate change adaptation, socioecological resilience of rural communities, transformation, traditional and local knowledge, community participation and rural livelihoods.

Milan Dhungana

Fellowship experience

Country: Nepal

UNFCCC team/division: AFOLU Unit/Transparency Division

Bio: I have been working in different capacity of the Government service in and around the Forestry, REDD+ reporting, MRV and National Reporting areas. This fellowship has provided me the space to enhance my knowledge and skills further beyond my current profession. It has provided me the opportunity to learn how multilateralism works better in the arena of climate change in general and how the climate transparency on action and support works in specific. Furthermore, working collaboratively with the people having diverse origins, cultures and languages in the UNFCCC is a great experience and big part of the capacity building in itself.

Muluneh Hedeto

Fellowship experience

Country: Ethiopia

UNFCCC team/division: Markets and Non-Markets and Stakeholders Interaction Subdivision of the Mitigation Division. In this role, he supports the Regulations Development and Stakeholders Unit, which is responsible for supporting the implementation of the Article 6.4 mechanism under the Paris Agreement.

Bio: Mr. Hedeto holds an MA in International Relations and a BA in Political Science, with more than 13 years of experience. Before joining the Capacity Fellowship Program, he held various significant positions at Ethiopia's Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. As a Senior Technical Advisor and National Climate Change Negotiator, he played pivotal roles, including designing and preparing key national communications, such as the updated NDC and the LT-LEDS. He also served as one of the lead negotiators for the LDCs group on the Global Stocktake and supported Article 6 negotiations.

Mr. Hedeto also served as a professor of International Relations and Political Science for over six years at Jimma University, one of the most reputable universities in Ethiopia. His academic and professional experiences have endowed him with profound expertise in understanding the complexities of international multilateral environmental negotiations.

Sumeet Akshay Betancourt

Fellowship experience

Country: Belize

UNFCCC team/division: CGE/ETF Support Unit/ Transparency Division

Bio: I hail from beautiful Belize, nestled between the Caribbean and Central America. We are a small but vibrant country, blessed with lush forests and stunning waters, including the world's second-largest barrier reef! These natural systems are a significant part of our identity, and as a small island developing state, we are keenly aware of the impacts of a rapidly changing climate. I have been involved in the intergovernmental process for a few years now, and I continue to grow and enhance my capacity to best serve my country, region, and the globe as we collectively work toward addressing the climate crisis.

Vijayalaxmi (Vanessa) Jumnoodoo

Fellowship experience

Country: Mauritius

UNFCCC team/division: NDC, LT-LEDS Sectorial Support Unit

Bio: Vijayalaxmi (Vanessa) is a climate and development professional with expertise in climate diplomacy, mitigation and adaptation, and environment. She is a former Commonwealth Scholar and gold medalist, and holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering as well as a Bachelor of Laws degree.

Vanessa comes from a multidisciplinary background, and has experience in addressing climate change, sustainable development and international relations matters across the public and private sectors, community levels, academia, and international organisations. She has been previously involved in the implementation of climate related projects, particularly renewable energy, and community-based climate change adaptation projects.

Vanessa has a strong interest in climate policy formulation, negotiations and litigation, and endeavours to continue to build her expertise in the field of climate change by engaging actively in climate negotiations to support actions towards reducing emissions, improved adaptive capacity, and increased climate resilience.

Yiaser Rubel

Fellowship experience

Country: Bangladesh

UNFCCC team/division: Technology, Means of Implementation Division

Bio: Yiaser Rubel is an engineer, economist and passionate climate innovator with a six-year career in the government of Bangladesh. He holds a Master of Economics in Environmental and Resource Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He also did his exchange as an Erasmus Mundus scholar at Lund University, Sweden.

Yiaser's dedication to combating climate change is exemplified by his development of a sustainability performance index aimed at transforming major polluters into sustainable entities through incentives and policy measures. His contributions to sustainable development have earned him notable recognition, including first prize in a national government competition for converting industrial waste into sustainable building materials and the USAID NASA ICIMOD AAG-funded Himalayas Fellowship for policy recommendations on an Early Warning System for climate-induced landslides. As a government counterpart, Yiaser has helped make Bangladesh a model for climate adaptation by facilitating shelters for millions of disaster-prone coastal residents and establishing climate-resilient road and social infrastructures. He is also supporting the activities of Bangladesh’s first Climate Resilient Local Infrastructure Centre (CReLIC) and has consulted with over 1,500 climate stakeholders globally, advocating for climate awareness and action.

Yiaser intends to leverage his acquired knowledge and experiences to propel Bangladesh's journey towards a climate-resilient developed nation. This includes empowering young officials through knowledge-sharing workshops, facilitating the transfer of clean technologies, mobilizing resources for climate initiatives, building a global network for collaboration, and pursuing continuous learning to stay engaged in climate action on both national and international stages.