Stefanos Fotiou is an accomplished expert on environment and sustainable development and currently serving as the Director or the Environment and Development Division in the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific. In this capacity Stefanos is providing strategic guidance for the planning and implementation of the UN ESCAP work on Environment and Development and he is also coordinating ESCAP’s overall approach on supporting implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the region. Highlights of his achievements include successfully leading intergovernmental negotiations resulting in specific normative outcomes, putting together initiatives on technical cooperation as well as steering analytical work in the substantive areas of his responsibility that include management of natural resources, urban development, climate change, green growth and resource efficiency.
Prior to this Stefanos worked for 10 years in the UN Environment in various roles in the Economy Division and in the Asia-Pacific office. He has acted as Head of the “Cities and Lifestyles” Unit, as Senior Asia-Pacific Coordinator on Resource Efficiency and as Manager of the “Sustainable Tourism” programme. Stefanos joined the UN system bringing with him 13 years of experience, including four years as Managing Director of a development consultancy; two years as head of the “Sustainable Development” section of the Greek Nature Conservation Centre; three years supporting the establishment of the EU Natura-2000 network; and four years in academia as research associate.
Throughout his 25 years professional career, which began in academia and included assignments in NGOs, the private sector and the last 13 years in the UN system, Stefanos has taken leading roles in international forums, had conceptualised and let the development of regional and national strategies on environment and sustainable development and his work has been widely published and referenced. He holds a PhD in Natural Resource Economics from Aristotle University in Greece, an Executive MSc in Information Systems from the University of Macedonia, and a Master’s Degree in Forestry and Natural Environment from Aristotle University.
