As Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme , Inger Andersen has dedicated her life to transformative environmental practises
Inger Anderson has spent her life working to make a difference as an environmentalist , humanitarian , and trailblazer in the global fight against climate change . Earlier this year , the Danish leader ’ s second term as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme was confirmed , having assumed the position in 2019 .
Humanitarianism at the heart of environmentalism Her journey to the United Nations ( UN ) started , however , in teaching — in 1982 Anderson moved to Sudan to pursue a career teaching English . It was here that the foundations of her future in international development economics , environmental sustainability and strategy and operations began , when she joined SudanAid , the development and relief arm of the Sudan Catholic Bishops ’ Conference in 1985 . Her work as an advisor over the next few years focussed on famine , drought relief , and rehabilitation , and took her to the UN .
In 1987 , Anderson moved to the US to join the UN as a Programme Manager in Drought and Desertification before becoming a Global Environment Facility Coordinator for the Arab Region .
Three decades of global environmental impact From 1999 to 2014 , Anderson held several leadership positions at the World Bank including Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa ; Vice President for Sustainable Development and Head of the CGIAR Fund Council . The World Bank Group and the UN have a treaty-based relationship that dates back to its founding , and through that relationship , works to build a partnership that supports Member States and contributes to effective development outcomes while preserving the distinct mandates of each institution .
Her work at the World Bank was internationally impactful in areas including agricultural productivity and enhancing food security , infrastructure
“Human ingenuity wants to keep inventing new things without looking at what it does to the environment . And so the work of the proactive environmental movement is never done ”
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