Dr. Hartwig Kremer coordinated UNEP’s Global Environment Monitoring Systems, Scientific Assessments and data, SDG and partnership-focused activities, with a lens on freshwater, the ocean and air quality. In response to UNEA resolutions he launched and convened the first World Water Quality Alliance with 100+ partners from all societal groups to assess global water quality, identify and address key water quality challenges and to foster social engagement on local and municipality level to co-design relevant services and solutions.
He represented UNEP on the Steering Committee of the Global Climate Observing System, GCOS, on observations for climate adaptation and to the Global Framework for Climate Services, GFCS, and the Global Ocean Observing System, GOOS. He served on the Governing Council of “Future Earth”, the largest global transdisciplinary sustainability science programme and was alternate UNEP’s representative to UN-Water.
Lately, Hartwig was temporarily assigned to UN-Habitat to coordinate the start of operations of the UN Innovation Accelerator for Cities, UNITAC, a tripartite partnership including UN-OICT and Hamburg’s HafenCity University.
Hartwig holds a doctor grade in marine sciences with focus on zoology, fisheries, physical oceanography and pollution and a second degree as senior governmental advisor (assessor) of fisheries economy. Before, he served as CEO in Earth System Sciences coordinating over 400 projects addressing nature–human interaction along the inland water to coast continuum, coastal urban resilience, climate change and risks (LOICZ, today Future Earth Coast). He worked with the Regional Seas and, with UNU-INWEH, on an independent science review of the GEF IW portfolio, coastal part. In ODA he directed global capacity building on food security and coastal and water resources management. In the Climate Technology Centre and Network, CTCN, of UNFCCC he served as UNEP’s senior advisor on collaborative research, development and demonstration in climate mitigation and adaptation technologies. His objective is to foster people centered data to impact value chains across all actors of society.
