ABOUT PLAN BLEU
In 1976, Mediterranean coastal countries and the European Community adopted the Barcelona Convention to protect the marine and coastal environment of the Mediterranean. The signatory states recognized the need for collective action on development and environmental challenges to build a sustainable future for the region.
Plan Bleu is one of the Regional Activity Centres of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), established by France in 1977. Its work includes:
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Thematic studies on topics such as aquaculture, desalination, tourism, biodiversity, coastal sustainability, and sustainable finance;
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Forward-looking scenarios designed to raise awareness among Mediterranean stakeholders and policymakers about environmental and sustainable development issues;
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Monitoring the state of the environment and development across the region through its regional observatory.
Its mandate is aligned with the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development, the regional political framework supporting countries in implementing the 2030 Agenda in the Mediterranean.
Introduction
As both an environmental and sustainable development observatory and a centre for systemic and prospective analysis, Plan Bleu has been mandated since its creation in 1977 (renewed in Marrakech in 2009) to provide the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention with data, statistics, and indicators. These elements feed assessments that track environmental–development trends in the Mediterranean and help develop future scenarios that inform policymaking.
Since 2020, Plan Bleu has managed the Mediterranean regional page of the World Environmental Situation Room (WESR) on behalf of UNEP. This open-access data and knowledge platform allows users to access geospatial and statistical datasets via MapX — a mapping application dedicated to environmental data management. MapX serves as an online catalogue of raw and processed geospatial data. Developed since 2015 and deployed in more than 40 projects with international institutions and Mediterranean public authorities, it supports SDG monitoring and assessments of environmental conditions.
Internship Objectives
MapX currently hosts nearly 400 datasets across 26 thematic categories (Biodiversity, Climate Change, Cities, Energy, Water, Tourism, etc.). These qualitative and quantitative datasets capture a wide range of variables (environmental parameters, composite indices, sustainable development indicators, etc.) at different temporal and geographic scales.
Aligned with its 2026–2027 Work Programme, Plan Bleu aims to strengthen the management of its observatory. The internship will focus on two main areas:
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Updating outdated dataset visualizations (around 80 datasets), building on the data cleaning and archiving work carried out in 2025.
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Exploring new indicators and datasets to be integrated into the thematic categories of the Plan Bleu Observatory, in continuity with ongoing exploratory work.
The main goal is to provide technical support to the Observatory team through the following tasks:
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Updating priority datasets within the Plan Bleu Observatory;
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Verifying and refining statistical interpretations (and related textual content) for updated datasets;
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Identifying new datasets and data sources (international/national/regional databases, key reports, etc.) relevant to the Observatory’s strategic priorities;
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Proposing and creating new interactive visualizations in MapX for updated datasets.
This internship offers the opportunity to contribute directly to Mediterranean decision-making on key challenges such as water management, climate adaptation, and food security. The analyses produced will feed into Plan Bleu’s future assessment reports, used by all 21 Mediterranean countries to shape their environmental and climate policies.
Through these missions, the intern will strengthen skills in geospatial data analysis, statistical interpretation, and data visualization. They will receive training on MapX technologies, combining digital accessibility, data enhancement, mapping, statistical representation, and user interactivity. Working within the “Observatory” framework and the Plan Bleu team will deepen their understanding of the socio-economic and environmental issues shaping the Mediterranean. This internship provides hands-on experience in regional-scale environmental data analysis.
Working Relationships
The internship activities will be supervised by the project officer for “green & blue transition and data analysis,” working closely with Plan Bleu’s other experts, the Deputy Director, and the Director.
Required Skills
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Master’s degree in geomatics, environmental science, statistics, or a related field (M1 or M2).
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Strong understanding of environmental and sustainable development concepts.
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Proficiency in database management (data extraction, harmonization, standardization).
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Skills in descriptive statistical analysis.
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Excellent analytical, writing, and synthesis abilities.
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Strong rigor and proactivity.
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Minimum English level: B1.
Location
The internship is based in Marseille, with the possibility of remote work (up to two days per week). It will be covered by an internship agreement, last four to six months, and must begin no later than Monday, 3 March 2026. A monthly stipend will be provided.
Application Process
Please send your CV and cover letter by 27 January 2026 to the following email addresses:
[email protected] and [email protected]
