Contributor(s): Inger Andersen | The planet is in the throes of the three connected crises of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. We urgently need to start delivering solutions or face major disruption.

Inger Andersen, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, discusses how we can make science more democratic and inclusive to inform better policies. How the economic and businesses community can recognise the true value of nature and so protect it. How governments can unite the nature, climate and pollution agendas to start delivering results. And how every one of us can contribute by making more sustainable choices in our daily lives.

Meet our speaker and chair

Inger Andersen (@andersen_inger) is Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Between 2015 and 2019, Ms. Andersen was the Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Ms Andersen has more than 30 years of experience in international development economics, environmental sustainability, strategy and operations. She has led work on a range of issues including agriculture, environmental management, biodiversity conservation, climate change, infrastructure, energy, transport, and water resources management and hydro-diplomacy.

Between 1999 and 2014, Ms. Andersen 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. Prior to her 15 years at the World Bank, Ms. Andersen worked 12 years at the United Nations, first on drought and desertification, beginning with the UN Sudano-Sahelian Office. In 1992, she was appointed UNDP’s Water and Environment Coordinator for the Arab Region.

Minouche Shafik is Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Prior to this, she was Deputy Governor of the Bank of England.

Thomas Smith is Assistant Professor in Environmental Geography at LSE. He teaches on a number of environmental courses, focussing on innovative technology-enhanced experiential learning and field-based education in geography.

More about this event

The Department of Geography and Environment (@LSEGeography) is a centre of international academic excellence in economic, urban and development geography, environmental social science and climate change.

Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSEUNEP