The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis

Biographies of abdvisry panel
Klaus Töpfer
Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (1998-2006)
Klaus Toepfer became Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
and Director-General of the UN Office at Nairobi (UNON) in February 1998. He was also
appointed Acting Executive Director of the UN Centre for Human Settlements from July 1998
to August 2000. Before joining the United Nations, Klaus Toepfer held several posts in the
Federal Government of Germany including Federal Minister of Regional Planning, Building and
Urban Development as well as Coordinator of the Transfer of Parliament. He held office as
Federal Minister of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety from 1987-1994.
Klaus Toepfer is widely recognized as having spearheaded environmental policy as Minister
of Environment in his home country Germany. He is known internationally for his personal
commitment to promote environment and sustainable development, and to fight for the cause of
developing nations.
Margareta Wahlström
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Disaster Risk Reduction
The Secretary-General appointed Margareta Wahlström as UN Assistant Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator in 2007. Ms. Wahlström recently
served in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) as Deputy Special Representative of
the Secretary-General responsible for relief, reconstruction and development and as Chief of Staff of
the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. From 2000 to 2002, Ms. Wahlström worked as
an independent consultant on issues related to emergency response and strategic and organizational
development. From 1989 to 2000, Ms. Wahlström worked at the International Federation of the
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, where her last assignment included provision of
operational and strategic direction and leadership in the IFRC response to disasters. Earlier in her
career, Ms. Wahlström worked for non-governmental organizations, as well as in the private sector.
She has worked in South-East Asia, Latin America and Africa.
123