Steven Stone joined UNEP in 2010, in the lead-up to the Rio+20 Conference. While at UNEP, Steven served as Chief of the Economics and Trade Branch, where he directed a team dedicated to furthering the knowledge base, outreach, and support to countries on environmental and resource economics. He later served, from 2017 to 2021, as Chief of the Resources and Markets Branch, incorporating sustainable consumption and production, life cycle analysis, and global flows of material resources via the International Resource Panel.
In 2021, Steven took on the role of Deputy Director in the Industry and Economy Division, supporting the Director in overseeing the day-to-day management of the division. As of June 1, 2026, he is also serving as Acting Director of the Office of Science. Some of the key flagships he has helped shape and incubate over time include the Green Economy Initiative, the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership, and the Partnership for Action on Green Economy, all of which will be key to delivering the UNEP Medium-Term Strategy.
Prior to joining UNEP, Steven worked at the Inter-American Development Bank, serving in a number of capacities from Resource Economist in Washington to Environmental Specialist in the Bank's offices in both Jamaica and Ecuador, to Country Representative in Honduras. Before joining IDB, Steven led field research in Brazil as part of the team at the Instituto do Homen e Meio Ambiente in Belem, Para State, for a number of years as part of his PhD. He has also worked at the World Bank on resource and agricultural economics with Uma Lele (an independent scholar and development economist), among others.
Steven earned a MSc and PhD in Resource Economics from Cornell University, following his BA with Honors from Swarthmore College (USA). He has authored and co-authored numerous journal articles and blogs in the field of environmental and resource economics. He is a US and French national and is married with four children.
Staff Position Level: D1
Region: Western European & Others
