Yvo de Boer
Encyclopedia
Yvo de Boer was the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
from 4 September 2006 to 1 July 2010. He had been appointed by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan
on 10 August 2006.
De Boer announced on February 18, 2010 that he would resign from the position effective July 1, 2010 to join accountancy firm KPMG
. Prior to joining the UNFCCC, he was Director for International Affairs of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment of the Netherlands
. He was in charge of international policy, both in the context of the European Union
, as well as involving broader international cooperation.
De Boer also served as Deputy Director-General for Environmental Protection in the same Ministry, as Head of the Climate Change Department and has worked in the fields of housing and public information. He focused mainly on the climate change negotiations both before and after the signing of the Kyoto Protocol
. De Boer has also worked for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme
(UN-HABITAT) earlier in his career.
De Boer was born in Vienna
, the son of a Dutch diplomat, he travelled the world extensively before entering boarding school in the United Kingdom and obtaining a technical degree in social work
in the Netherlands.
De Boer has been criticised for lacking sufficient ambition for a global climate change deal and for praising the commitments of the United States despite what some see as its spoiler role in international climate negotiations. Ironically, he was later criticized by several Parties as being too ambitious in pushing for such a deal.
Nonetheless, De Boer led the way to the adoption of the Bali Road Map, which charts the path to a post-2012 agreement and includes the Bali Action Plan. It was under his leadership that the issue of climate change was raised to the highest political levels.
On 1 July 2010, De Boer was succeeded as Executive Director of the UNFCC by Christiana Figueres
.
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...
from 4 September 2006 to 1 July 2010. He had been appointed by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
on 10 August 2006.
De Boer announced on February 18, 2010 that he would resign from the position effective July 1, 2010 to join accountancy firm KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
. Prior to joining the UNFCCC, he was Director for International Affairs of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment of the Netherlands
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...
. He was in charge of international policy, both in the context of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, as well as involving broader international cooperation.
De Boer also served as Deputy Director-General for Environmental Protection in the same Ministry, as Head of the Climate Change Department and has worked in the fields of housing and public information. He focused mainly on the climate change negotiations both before and after the signing of the Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
. De Boer has also worked for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It was established in 1978 and has its headquarters at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya...
(UN-HABITAT) earlier in his career.
De Boer was born in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, the son of a Dutch diplomat, he travelled the world extensively before entering boarding school in the United Kingdom and obtaining a technical degree in social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
in the Netherlands.
De Boer has been criticised for lacking sufficient ambition for a global climate change deal and for praising the commitments of the United States despite what some see as its spoiler role in international climate negotiations. Ironically, he was later criticized by several Parties as being too ambitious in pushing for such a deal.
Nonetheless, De Boer led the way to the adoption of the Bali Road Map, which charts the path to a post-2012 agreement and includes the Bali Action Plan. It was under his leadership that the issue of climate change was raised to the highest political levels.
On 1 July 2010, De Boer was succeeded as Executive Director of the UNFCC by Christiana Figueres
Christiana Figueres
Karen Christiana Figueres Olsen was appointed Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on 17 May 2010, succeeding Yvo de Boer. She had been a member of the Costa Rican negotiating team since 1995, involved in both UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol negotiations. She has...
.
External links
- Interview performed live into Second Life
- Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC - Official UNFCCCUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate ChangeThe 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...
profile - "Yvo de Boer Appointed New UNFCCC Executive Secretary"
- "Secretary-General Appoints Yvo De Boer of The Netherlands As Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC"