Foresight: climate, geopolitics, democracy
The lab · The Impossible Futures Lab
The Impossible Futures Lab gives young people a space to imagine the world of 2050 and debate it (climate, geopolitics, democracy, crises, everyday life), with scenarios grounded in solid sources.
Discover the labAssignments
- Follow the Paris Agreement and its mechanisms: national contributions, transparency, carbon markets, loss and damage
- Analyse climate litigation before national, regional and international courts
- Study the advisory opinions of international courts on climate and what they mean for states
- Document the rights of future generations and young people’s role in climate cases
- Explore the law of the sea and the law of human mobility in a changing climate
- Give the lab’s scenarios a legal footing, with the Foresight and Scenarios Officer
- Provide general legal information, and refer every individual situation to a lawyer
Tools to master
- Climate Change Laws of the World and the Climate Case Chart: climate laws and litigation
- UNFCCC and international court websites: texts, decisions and opinions
- Google Workspace: the lab’s shared drive, Docs and Meet
- Claude: comparing decisions and drafting first summaries, with every result checked by you
What you will deliver
- Legal briefs that accompany the lab’s scenarios
- Regular updates on climate cases and advisory opinions
Profile we are looking for
- Studies in international law, environmental law or human rights, in progress or completed
- Curiosity about the future, combined with legal rigour
- Clear writing that links a rule to its practical effects
- A taste for working with people from varied backgrounds: scientists, foresight practitioners, activists
- Open to adults aged eighteen and over
A volunteer role, open to young people
Every role we offer is fully voluntary. The experience we ask for can come from a course, a student project, an internship, volunteering or a personal project: every skill counts, wherever you gained it. Our roles are designed first and foremost for young people, and we weigh your motivation and potential as carefully as your track record. Want to be part of something big? Apply.
Nice to have
- A course, a moot court or a dissertation in international environmental law
- Knowledge of climate negotiations
- Good English and French
What this role gives you
- Sustained practice in climate law, applied to foresight scenarios
- Legal briefs under your name, published once accepted by the editorial board
- Work with young people on several continents who are imagining tomorrow’s world
Applications open until ; a new cycle follows
Applications open in forty-five-day cycles, each followed by the next. YouthShare reserves the right to close this listing as soon as the right person is found. We therefore encourage you to apply now.
The one-year commitment
A non-profit project is built over time. Every volunteer therefore commits for at least one year: time to settle in, carry the assignment through and pass on what they have learned. The weekly time depends on the role and is given in each role description.
How selection works
Online application
You choose a role, present your background and attach your CV. A confirmation email gives you your reference.
Profile review
The Talent team reads every application, matches it with the needs of the role and sends you a first reply by email within three days on average.
Video interview
A conversation to get to know each other and shape the assignment together.
Decision and arrival
You receive our answer by email, followed by a welcome to the team and access to its tools.
Know the right person?
Recommend this role to them: they receive an email from YouthShare that presents it, with your name and the link to apply. You can also share the listing on your networks.