Brussels, 24 -27 May 2011

In 2006, the UN General Assembly unanimously elected Achim Steiner as the Executive Director of UNEP for a four-year term. At its 83rd plenary meeting in 2010, the UN General Assembly re-elected Mr Steiner as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme for another four-year term.

In 2009, the Secretary-General also appointed Mr Steiner as Director General UNON, providing administrative, conference, security and logistics services to the UN family in Kenya, which hosts offices and projects of more than 60 UN agencies, Funds and Programmes, and over 5 000 staff.

Before joining UNEP, Mr Steiner served as Director General of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) from 2001 to 2006, and prior to that as Secretary General of the World Commission on Dams. His professional career has included assignments with governmental, non-governmental and international organisations worldwide, addressing the interface between environmental sustainability, social equity and economic development.

A German and Brazilian national, his educational background includes a BA from Oxford University and an MA from the University of London specialising in development economics, regional planning, and international development and environment policy. He also studied at the German Development Institute in Berlin and Harvard Business School.

Mr Steiner serves on various international advisory boards, including the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development.