United Nations Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner to Serve Two More Years, by General Assembly Decision

Following the recommendation of the Secretary-General, the General Assembly extended for two years the appointment of Achim Steiner as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), beginning on 15 June 2014.  Nominated by the Secretary-General, Mr. Steiner was first elected to a four-year term in 2006, winning re-election in 2010.

Before joining UNEP, Mr. Steiner served as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) from 2001 to 2006, and prior to that, he was Secretary General of the World Commission on Dams.  His professional career has included assignments with governmental, non-governmental and international organizations across the globe, including India, Pakistan, Germany, Zimbabwe, United States, Viet Nam, South Africa, Switzerland and Kenya.  He has worked both at the grassroots and at the highest levels of international policymaking to address the interface between environmental sustainability, social equity and economic development.

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*     This supersedes Press Release SG/A/1231-BIO/4184-UNEP/324 of 21 April 2010