Joke Waller-Hunter
Encyclopedia
Joke Waller-Hunter was a Dutch
UN official who worked on several environmental
issues including the Kyoto Accord.
She was born Joke Hendrina Hunter in Haarlem
, daughter of Cornelis Hunter and Hendrina van Smalen. She studied French and, as a student in 1969, married Herman Waller, of the old patrician family Waller from Nijkerk
, who died at the age of 48 in 1991. She started working for the province of North Holland
, and after that for many years at the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. Her efforts at the Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro
in 1992 drew much attention, and even earned her the moniker Dutch Maffia amongst opponents of a treaty.
She was the first UN Director for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development
, a position which she served from 1994-1998. From 1998 to 2002 she was director of the OECD Environment Directorate. She then joined the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
as Executive Secretary.
She was awarded an honorary
doctorate
from the Vrije Universiteit
in September 2005 citing her contribution to society through her outstanding work in the field of sustainable development and protection of the global climate. After her death as the result of breast cancer at the age of 58 in a hospital in Lohmar
, the UN organized a memorial ceremony in Bonn
and a memorial concert in Montréal
. Childless, she left her estate to the Dutch environmental organization Both ENDS.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
UN official who worked on several environmental
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
issues including the Kyoto Accord.
She was born Joke Hendrina Hunter in Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
, daughter of Cornelis Hunter and Hendrina van Smalen. She studied French and, as a student in 1969, married Herman Waller, of the old patrician family Waller from Nijkerk
Nijkerk
Nijkerk is a municipality and a city in the middle of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland.- Population centres :...
, who died at the age of 48 in 1991. She started working for the province of North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
, and after that for many years at the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. Her efforts at the Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1992 drew much attention, and even earned her the moniker Dutch Maffia amongst opponents of a treaty.
She was the first UN Director for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
, a position which she served from 1994-1998. From 1998 to 2002 she was director of the OECD Environment Directorate. She then joined the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an international environmental treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to 14, 1992...
as Executive Secretary.
She was awarded an honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from the Vrije Universiteit
Vrije Universiteit
The Vrije Universiteit is a university in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch name is often abbreviated as VU and in English the university uses the name "VU University". The university is located on a compact urban campus in the southern part of Amsterdam in the Buitenveldert district...
in September 2005 citing her contribution to society through her outstanding work in the field of sustainable development and protection of the global climate. After her death as the result of breast cancer at the age of 58 in a hospital in Lohmar
Lohmar
-Geography:Lohmar is located about 20 km east of Cologne and 15 km north-east of Bonn in the Bergisches Land area. Because it is only 20 minutes by car to Cologne or Bonn, Lohmar is a popular place for commuters...
, the UN organized a memorial ceremony in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
and a memorial concert in Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Childless, she left her estate to the Dutch environmental organization Both ENDS.
Source
- Joke Waller-Hunter at UNFCCC site.
- "Mother of Kyoto" at www.bothends.org (Dutch)