Erik Solheim | |
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Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme-UNEP | |
Assumed office 2016 |
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Preceded by | Achim Steiner |
Minister of International Development | |
In office 17 October 2005 – 23 March 2012 |
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Monarch | Harald V |
Prime Minister | Jens Stoltenberg |
Preceded by | Hilde Frafjord Johnson |
Succeeded by | Heikki Holmås |
Minister of the Environment | |
In office 18 October 2007 – 23 March 2012 |
|
Preceded by | Helen Bjørnøy |
Succeeded by | Bård Vegard Solhjell |
Member of the Norwegian Parliament for Oslo |
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In office 1989–2001 |
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Secretary of the Socialist Left Party | |
In office 1981–1985 |
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Preceded by | Liss Schanche |
Succeeded by | Hilde Vogt |
Personal details | |
Born |
Oslo, Norway |
18 January 1955
Nationality | Norwegian |
Political party | Socialist Left Party |
Relations | Married |
Children | Four |
Residence | Oslo, Norway |
Alma mater | University of Oslo |
Profession | Diplomat |
Erik Solheim (born 18 January 1955 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian politician for the Socialist Left Party (SV). He is currently Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.
Solheim was leader of the Socialist Youth from 1977 to 1981, party secretary from 1981 to 1985, and member of the Parliament of Norway from 1989 to 2001. He was party leader from 1987 to 1997. He was appointed Minister of International Development in 2005 and also Minister of the Environment in 2007, and sat in both offices until 2012. Until being appointed minister, he worked as a diplomat and a participant in the Norwegian delegation that unsuccessfully attempted to resolve the Sri Lankan Civil War before the outbreak of Eelam War IV. From 2013 to 2016 Erik Solheim was Chair of the OECD DAC (Development Assistance Committee).
Solheim went to high school at Oslo Cathedral School and after serving conscription for the Norwegian Air Force in Bodø (1974–75) he graduated from the University of Oslo in 1980 with a cand.mag. degree after studying history, sociology and political science. After 11 years in parliament he worked for five years for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs before being appointed Minister.