Inger Andersen (environmentalist)

Family, Early life and education

Inger Andersen is the daughter of Aagot la Cour Andersen and Erik Andersen. Andersen is the granddaughter of Danish historian and archaeologist Vilhelm la Cour. Her brother was Hans la Cour, author and film maker, known in the world of sail sport and environmental documentaries.

Andersen was born in Jerup, Denmark. She graduated from Midtfyns Gymnasium secondary school in 1977. Andersen obtained a BA in 1981 from the Polytechnic of North London (now London Metropolitan University) and in 1982 gained an MA degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies, with a specialisation in development studies focusing on economics and development.

Career

Andersen started her career in Sudan in 1982 where she worked initially as an English teacher under the UK funded English teachers programme. In 1985 she joined SudanAid, the development and relief arm of the Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference. Her work focused on famine and drought relief, and rehabilitation.

United Nations

Andersen worked at the United Nations in New York for 12 years at the UN Sudano-Sahelian Office (UNSO), (now the Global Policy Centre on Resilient Ecosystems and Desertification based in Nairobi ) where she worked on drought and desertification issues. In 1992, she was appointed the Global Environment Facility Coordinator for MENA at UNDP, where she oversaw the global environment portfolio in 22 Arab countries.

World Bank

Andersen joined the World Bank in 1999 as Coordinator of the UNDP-World Bank International Waters Partnership between 1999 and 2001

From 2002-2004, she worked as Sector Manager for Water Supply & Sanitation, Water Resources and Urban Development in the World Bank’s West and Central Africa Region, before she became Sector Director of Sustainable Development in the Middle East and North Africa Region,where she was responsible for the World Bank’s infrastructure and natural resources lending and knowledge programme in the MENA Region. In 2008, Andersen took on the same role for the World Bank’s Africa Region. During her tenure as Sector Director she oversaw the scaling-up of the World Bank’s analytical and investment support to underpin resilient infrastructure development for access to energy, water and transport as well as investments in the agriculture and environment sectors.

From 2010 and 2011, Andersen served as the World Bank’s Vice President for Sustainable Development and Head of the CGIAR Fund Council . During her tenure she oversaw the creation of the GCIAR Fund Council and the CG Consortium. As Vice President for Sustainable Development, Andersen profiled a number of World Bank priorities, including: agricultural productivity and enhancing food security; infrastructure investment; climate change resilience; green growth; social accountability; disaster risk management; and culture and development.

In 2011, Andersen was appointed Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa. In this role, Andersen emphasised the need for an economic revolution that would open up economies to fair competition, promote anti-corruption and the rule of law and transparent banking rules and thereby drive stability, enhance the investment climate and increase job creation. She stressed that “economic integration – globally and regionally – could make an important contribution to growth, employment generation, and poverty reduction in the Middle East and North Africa region.”

During her tenure as Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region, Andersen placed special emphasis on the need to relieve climate and water stress in the region, both of which she argued pose key threats to peace and stability.

In addition to overseeing the Bank’s lending portfolio, Andersen mobilized government and donor resources for fragile and conflict states and development priorities. Andersen co-chaired the 2012 international donor meeting for Yemen Riyadh with the then Finance Minister of Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf . Andersen made frequent visits to Yemen during 2011-2014 and was vocal on the need for countries to meet the pledges made in the annual Friends of Yemen meetings.

As Vice President for MENA, Andersen was also outspoken on the humanitarian consequences of the war in Gaza in 2014, and called for access to imports and freedom of movement in Gaza and the West Bank, while stressing the imperative of mutual assurance of security in both Palestinian territories and Israel.

In 2011, Andersen represented the World Bank in the G8/G7 Finance Minister’s Deauville meetings which sought to provide additional support to the Arab Region.

Andersen also supported the establishment of the International Support Group for Lebanon, convened by the five Security Council members with the aim to help Lebanon cope with the impact of the Syrian crisis

International Union for Conservation of Nature

Andersen was appointed Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in January 2015. Established in 1948, IUCN is an international organisation that seeks to provide science, objective recommendations and on-the-ground expertise on conservation and sustainable development issues. It has some 1,300 Member organisations (governmental and non-governmental) and 16,000 voluntary experts. As Director General, Andersen is responsible for IUCN’s operations in its 50 plus offices worldwide

In 2016, IUCN held its World Conservation Congress in Hawaii, United States. The 2016 Congress was the largest international conservation event held in the United States. It was opened by President Barack Obama on the eve of the formal opening

During Andersen’s tenure at IUCN she has emphasized the importance of nature conservation in efforts to achieve sustainable development. “Nature is not an obstacle to human aspirations, but an essential partner, offering valuable contributions towards all our endeavours.”

Other activities

Andersen serves on a number of advisory councils and boards, including:

Selected publications

Honors and awards