Jamil AHMAD

Director, Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Jamil Ahmad is   Director, UN Environment Programme, New York Office. He leads work on sustainable development and the environment in support of the organization’s policies and programme. 

A passionate advocate of sustainability, he regularly engages with governments, academia, industry and speaks to official delegations, students, civil society, and others about environment, climate change and sustainable development. He has been representing the UN Environment in international events. 

He joined UN Environment in 2008 as the Secretary of the Governing Bodies based in Nairobi, Kenya (2008-14). He led the organization of the sessions of the Governing Bodies and served as the focal point of UN Environment’s external relations.

A senior career diplomat, Mr. Jamil Ahmad entered the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1986 and has worked in several duty stations across Asia, Europe, and Africa with rich experience of multilateral affairs and sustainable development. He participated in numerous important UN and other intergovernmental meetings, including the World Summit on Sustainable Development, sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, the Commission of Sustainable Development and the Governing Councils of UNEP, UN-HABITAT and Food and Agriculture Organization. He was the lead negotiator on Climate Change for the Group of 77 & China, representing more than 130 member countries in climate change talks in 2007 under UNFCCC.

Mr. Jamil Ahmad holds a master’s degree in Political Science. 

His interests include photography, walking in the countryside, reading, and cooking.

He is married and has two sons.