Maharashtra Govt Launches 6-month Climate Internship

Applications have been invited for a climate internship by the Maharashtra government to grant university students an opportunity to be exposed to various units of the Environment and Climate Change department where they will assist in international coalitions on climate change.

Graduates, post-graduates and research scholars enrolled in recognised universities and institutions across India or abroad can apply to the Climate Fellowship Programme 2021-22 for the six-month internship. For the “Interns,” exposure to the functioning of the department may be an add-on in furthering their future interests, said the government. They will also be involved in the flagship climate change mitigation and adaptation program – ‘Majhi Vasundhara’ campaign – launched by Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray who heads the Environment and Climate Change Department. The program focuses on Panchamahabhuta, i.e. the five elements of nature.

Through this campaign, the department aims to focus on waste management, biodiversity, renewable energy, water conservation and creating social awareness on climate change in 3500+ urban and rural local bodies in the state.

“With the changing landscape of our globe and with the youth taking more onus to the climate change topic, the young and informed are ready to take action for our mother nature. I am extremely delighted that our government is able to provide such internship opportunities to the youth,” Thackeray reportedly said.

A total 20 internship positions have been announced. The details of the internship recruitment are available on the official website of the Environment and Climate Change department, envd.maharashtra.gov.in, and the last date of application is August 31, 2021, the release stated.

Amid rising environmental concerns, various governments, companies and research institutions around the world have begun granting climate scholarships, fellowships and internships to a younger and more diverse portion of the stakeholders in order to help them fight climate change through inclusive ideals of environmental justice.

For instance, Nextracker, a major US solar tracker manufacturer, and Solar Energy International (SEI), a leading renewable energy technical training provider, have recently partnered to launch “Half the Sun,” a global scholarship program to support more women in joining the solar workforce. Open to women and non-binary individuals, applicants must have earned a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields or related area of concentration. The scholarship will cover women in India as well.