United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Ligia Noronha of India as Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the New York Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
She will succeed Satya Tripathi of India to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his leadership and dedicated service during his tenure.
Ms. Noronha is an economist with over 30 years of international experience in the field of sustainable development. She has worked since 2014 as Director of UNEP’s Economy Division based in Nairobi, leading UNEP’s work on climate mitigation and energy transitions; on inclusive green economies, sustainable consumption and production, as well as on trade and sustainable finance, and the nexus of environment, pollution and health.
Prior to joining UNEP, Ms. Noronha worked at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Delhi, as Executive Director (Research Coordination) and as Director of the Division on Resources, Regulation and Global Security. She served as Secretary of the Asian Energy Institute and as Coordinator of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnerships (REEEP), South Asia and worked with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada on ecosystem approaches to human health.
Ms. Noronha has served on various boards, expert panels and advisory committees on ecosystems, natural resources and minerals and metals, and served Inter alia on the National Security Advisory Board of the Government of India on matters relating to resources, energy and climate security.
She holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Mumbai, as well as a Master’s degree in Sea Use Law, Economics and Policy and a PhD from the London School of Economics.
