Finnish Marina von Weissenberg becomes IUCN Vice-President
Counsellor Marina von Weissenberg from the Ministry of the Environment has been elected as Vice-President of IUCN-the International Union for Conservation of Nature for the period 2013-2016.
The decision was taken by the IUCN Council meeting this week in Gland, Switzerland. Other Vice-Presidents are Miguel Pellerano, Argentina, John Robinson, USA, and Malik Amin Aslam Khan, Pakistan.
IUCN’s President, Zhang Xinsheng of China, was elected at the Members’ Assembly during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in September 2012 in South Korea.
The IUCN Council is responsible for strategic direction, policy guidance, and fiduciary duties following decisions made at the IUCN Members’ Assembly. Experience, gender balance and geographical distribution are all weighed when choosing the Vice-Presidents.
Having many years’ experience in international cooperation in the field of biodiversity, Ms. von Weissenberg is now serving her second four-year term as IUCN Regional Councillor for West Europe.
Ms. von Weissenberg was Chair of the IUCN National Committee of Finland from 2002 to 2009, and prior to that, served six years as the Secretary for the National Committee. She is a member of IUCN’s National Committee of Finland. Ms. von Weissenberg is also the National Focal Point for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
More Information:
IUCN National Committee of Finland Chair, Dr. Matti Nummelin, Environmental Adviser, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel.int. +358 40 503 8442, [email protected]