The Danish economist Inger Andersen has been appointed the head of UN Environment (UNEP) by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
Andersen, who has served as the head of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2015, has previously held positions at the World Bank and the UN. She is a former head of the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Fund Council (CGIAR).
“I’m very pleased that the UN Secretary General has appointed Inger Andersen as the new head of UNEP. She is a very qualified candidate, Dane and woman,” said the development minister, Ulla Tørnæs.
“Denmark is a long-term, close partner of UNEP and we look forward to continuing that. We really appreciate UNEP’s efforts for the world’s environment, and as an important part of the UN family, UNEP plays a key role in the world regarding reaching a number of the UN Climate Goals.”
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Based in Nairobi
UNEP – which is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya – is the leading UN authority concerning the environment and the sustainable utilisation of global resources.
Andersen will replace the departing Erik Solheim, the Norwegian diplomat and former politician who resigned from the position in late 2018.
