Published Tuesday, 29 March 2016

The Institute for European Environmental Policy Announces its New Executive Director 

The Institute for European Environmental Policy is delighted to announce the appointment of its next Executive Director, Ms. Céline Charveriat, who will be taking up her post from this June at the institute’s Brussels office.

The institute’s Chairman, Sir John Harman [1], said “I’m delighted to welcome Céline Charveriat to IEEP as its new Director, following David Baldock who has led the Institute with distinction for 18 years. She arrives at a time when IEEP is looking to broaden its partnerships throughout Europe and to build on its acknowledged strengths as an independent and expert analyst across the full range of European policy on the environment.”

Ms. Charveriat [2] has an extensive background in international relations and has had a distinguished career in international development. She is currently Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at Oxfam where she has been deeply involved in issues surrounding European climate change policy and COP21. In addition to her work at Oxfam, she is also Chair of the Board of the Climate Action Network in Europe and was recently named by EurActiv as the 30th most influential person on the EU’s Energy Union policy.

In looking forward to taking up the role, Céline Charveriat said “I am truly delighted to join the Institute for European Environmental Policy as the organisation’s new Director. Known for the outstanding quality of its research and independence, IEEP has an impressive 40-year track record in advancing European environmental policy”. “At a time when the world is running out of leeway, engaged in a race against irreversible climate change and ecosystem destruction, Europe’s environmental leadership is more important than ever. I want IEEP to continue to make a decisive contribution to evidence-based policy making and implementation, informing key policy debates within both government and business, in Brussels and in Member States. It’s fundamental that Europe and the rest of the world find a safer path of development, in line with Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the latest in scientific evidence regarding planetary boundaries.”

David Baldock [3], who has been Director of IEEP since 1998, welcomed this appointment following the announcement last year of his stepping-down from his current role. “Céline has the international outlook and keen grasp of European policy-making necessary to take the institute forward on the next stage of its journey. There is increasing convergence between European affairs and those of global concern. This is true not only for climate and biodiversity but also for the management of the oceans and other natural resources. I join the IEEP Board of Trustees in believing that Céline’s previous experience, as well as her clear drive and leadership, makes her the ideal person to carry forward and further develop IEEP’s role as the leading independent centre of expertise on European policies affecting the environment.”

With IEEP also celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, this handover marks an important time for the institute, which is strongly established in both Brussels and London, with associates in several other countries. The institute’s current programme extends across the range of environmental policy as well as the key sectors of agriculture, fisheries, trade and transport. Céline’s extensive experience of climate and also trade policies will bring an extra dimension to our increasing engagement in global as well as predominantly European Issues.

Details of the institute’s current work and recent publications can be found on our website: www.ieep.eu.

For further information, please contact Christina Hayes (chayes@ieep.eu) or call +44 2077992244

1 Sir John Harman is the Chairman of the Institute and previously was Chairman of the Environment Agency.

2 Céline Charveriat is a French national and began her career in Washington DC as a researcher at the Peterson Institute and the Inter-American Development Bank. She has been Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at Oxfam since 2011.

3 David Baldock, who has been based in London, has had a career in independent research institutes and will continue to play a role as a Senior Fellow at the IEEP.