QUALIFICATIONS TO ENTER THE FIELD

OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES + In most cases a graduate degree is essential for success in the Career Opportunities in international environmental field. Programs in public policy, ENVIRONMENTAL environmental management, international relations, public Description of the field health, or law can provide some Over the past 100 years, analysts have tracked the of the necessary skills general environmental movement. Early efforts were targeted at conservation and preservation, eventually growing into the pollution + Expertise in regional politics and regulation and mitigation focus of the 1970s through the mid-1990s. economics are helpful in Today’s environmental managers and policy makers are focused on understanding the economic, pollution prevention and the integration of environmental considerations political, and social into economic and social decision making. consequences of environmental policy decisions. Population and economic growth pressures are creating complex environmental problems that directly impact all aspects of human society. + An or Sustainable development, once the cutting edge of environmental issues, water engineering background is now expanding to incorporate education, governance and democracy, is also valuable in those poverty reduction, public health, security, and economic strategy along positions in which specialized with traditional environmental fields of , natural resource knowledge is important. management, pollution abatement, and conservation. For example, cannot be addressed with simply landfill policies, but must + In addition to educational incorporate smart growth, recycling, emission capture, and the creation of credentials, a demonstrated markets to turn waste into a useful commodity. commitment to environmental issues is critical to success in this Challenges for today’s international environmental policy analysts include: field, shown through both controlling global , considering environmental regulations volunteer and paid experiences. in treaties and trade agreements, creating environmentally and economically sustainable development, and helping the private sector find + Nonprofit organizations look for ways to incorporate environmental concerns into business planning. In staff with management, much of the world, basic environmental management such as water analytical, communications, and resources, wetlands protection and restoration, and environmental health fundraising skills. Coursework in are also very important developments as economic progress puts stress on nonprofit management or social existing systems. entrepreneurship is important for a career in nonprofit and Career-related activities within this field include policy and scientific nongovernmental research, and advocacy, regulatory and organizations. legislative design, technical assistance to government agencies for planning and management, regulatory compliance and enforcement, and + Prior international experience, entrepreneurial development in environmental products and services. such as with the Peace Corps, or prior experience in a domestic setting that is transferable to an Career Paths international issue, like rural Entry level positions in international environmental policy can be found in water distribution, is critical to a government, private industry, international organizations, and research, successful career search. nonprofit and non-governmental organizations.

The US federal government is the largest single employer in the environmental career world. While the Environmental Protection Agency QUALIFICATIONS TO is the agency traditionally associated with environmental policy ENTER THE FIELD development in the US, including international environmental policy, (Cont’d.) many federal agencies pursue international environmental activities, including the Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Food and + Nonprofit Multidisciplinary Drug Administration, USAID, and the State Department. One program education and experience are that provides entry into the federal government and work with such also important for international agencies is the Presidential Management Fellowship Program. environmental positions.

The private sector has both traditional businesses and consulting firms + The field has now expanded involved with environmental sustainability. Traditional businesses seek beyond strictly environmental qualified managers to work in environmental compliance programs, issues to also include incorporate environmental concerns into business strategies, improve economics, politics, negotiation, performance through waste reduction and energy efficiency, and develop and management. The ability to sustainable strategies. Environmental consulting firms provide technical incorporate other disciplines assistance to both domestic and foreign government agencies as they into the solutions for work on environmental problems and solutions. They need both environmental problems is administrative managers to write and manage the contract proposals and important, as most jobs will technical experts to provide the research for various tasks in an awarded require more than one type of contract. Starting as a contract employee with a consulting firm might skill. In addition, the ability to provide an entry point into environmental consulting. While starting translate science into policy will salaries are not unusually high, income is often complemented with be highly regarded. supplements for staff that regularly travel overseas. + As in all international careers, Employment opportunities within nonprofit, non-governmental, and foreign language skills and international organizations are highly competitive and not as numerous as overseas field experience are within the other sectors mentioned. According to a survey by the desirable to potential Environmental Careers Organization, the 30 best-known environmental employers; organizations such nonprofit organizations employ less than 5,000 employees, and as the World Bank require a approximately half of those employees are with The Nature Conservancy second language. – the largest environmental nonprofit group. While salaries are sometimes lower in nonprofits than in government or private organizations, nonprofit + GIS and information technology boards are showing more willingness to reward hard work with increased skills are also valuable. compensation in order to maintain organizational stability.

Sample Employers Private Sector o Chemonics International Inc. – chemonics.com o Development Alternatives, Inc. – dai.com o Environmental Resources Management – erm.com o ICF Consulting Group, Inc.– icfi.com

Research, Nonprofit and Non-Governmental Organizations o Audubon International – auduboninternational.org o Conservation International – conservation.org o Friends of the Earth – foe.org o International Institute of Environment and Development – iied.org o International Institute for Sustainable Development – iisd.org o Natural Resources Defense Council – nrdc.org

o The Nature Conservancy – nature.org DEMAND o Research Triangle Institute – rti.org o International Union for Conservation of Nature – iucn.org + While the need for o World Resources Institute – wri.org understanding global o Worldwide Fund for Nature – panda.org environmental issues is great, o World Wildlife Fund – wwf.org jobs in the field are very competitive as many students International Organizations are interested in international o European Union – europa.eu environmental careers. o North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation – cec.org o Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development – oecd.org + Positions in the federal o United Nations Development Program – undp.org government are being o United Nations Environment Program – unep.org privatized to increase flexibility; o United Nations Industrial Development Organization – unido.org networking is therefore o World Bank Group – worldbank.org important to determine the o World Trade Organization – wto.org appropriate contractors for specific policy areas. US Federal Government International organizations also o Agency for International Development – hire contractors through usaid.gov/what-we-do/environment-and-global-climate-change personal and professional o Department of Agriculture – usda.gov connections. Even nonprofit and o Foreign Agricultural Service – https://www.fas.usda.gov/ non-governmental o Forest Service – fs.fed.us organizations receive a glut of o Department of Defense – defense.gov applications for program o Defense Environmental Network and Information Exchange – positions. denix.osd.mil o Department of Energy – energy.gov o Department of Health and Human Service – hhs.gov o Food and Drug Administration – fda.gov o Department of the Interior Office of International Affairs – doi.gov/intl o Fish and Wildlife Service – fws.gov o Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs – state.gov/e/oes o Environmental Protection Agency Office of International Affairs – epa.gov/international o House Committee on Energy and Commerce – energycommerce.house.gov o House Committee on Resources – resourcescommittee.house.gov o Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry – agriculture.senate.gov o Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources – energy.senate.org o Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works – epw.senate.gov

Resources for Additional Information

Internet Resources: Job Search Sites o Bright Green Talent – brightgreen.jobthread.com o DevNetJobs.org – devnetjobs.org

o Environmental Career Opportunities – ecojobs.com FUTURE CHALLENGES o Environmental Career Center – environmentalcareer.com OF THE PROFESSION o Environmental Grantmakers Association – ega.org o Environmental Careers Organization – + Through the hard work of many eco.orghttps://webdirectory.com/https://webdirectory.com/ dedicated individuals, o Environmental Organization Web Directory – webdirectory.com environmental issues have o Environmental Yellow Pages – enviroyellowpages.com become more integrated into o Greenbiz – jobs.greenbiz.com the thinking of all development o Green Directory – esmap.org issues. Taking that awareness o Green Dream Jobs – and translating it into global sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/greendreamjobs.main action is the next challenge, o Idealist – idealist.org particularly in countries where o International Career Employment Weekly – internationaljobs.org local officials are not o SustainUS – sustainus.org accustomed to taking the lead o OneWorld – oneworld.net in solving environmental o Regional Environmental Center – rec.org problems. Many environmental problems will require Internet Resources: Blogs multilateral solutions; creating o Bob Willard (Bob Willard) – sustainability news and career tips – and enforcing those agreements sustainabilityadvantage.com will be a key to the success of o Co.Exist (Fast Company) – Fast Company’s blog with multiple future efforts. contributions on topics of sustainability, development, and others – fastcoexist.com o Ethical Corporation – Business Intelligence Corporation evaluation CSR operations – ethicalcorp.com o New Frontier (Nathan Laurell) – blog of investment firm focused on and agriculture – nfholdings.com o Toronto Sustainability Speaker Series (Eco-Opportunity Consulting) – different sustainability experts offer blog posts – tsss.ca

Publications o Careers in the Environment (VGM Professional Careers Series), by Michael Fasulo and Paul Walker, McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books; 3rd Edition, 2007. o Conservation Directory 2016: The Guide to Worldwide Environmental Organizations, by Lindsey Breuer, Carrel Books, 2016. o Great Jobs for Majors, by McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 2008. o The ECO Guide to Careers that Make a Difference, The Environmental Careers Organization, 2004. o Saving the Earth as a Career: Advice on Becoming a Conservation Professional by Malcolm L. Hunter Jr., David Lindenmayer, and Aram Calhoun, Wiley-Blackwell, 2016. o The Sustainable MBA: The Manager’s Guide to Green Business, by Giselle Weybrecht, Wiley, 2013.

Updated 6/18

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