Kazuhiko Takemoto

Kazuhiko (Kazu) Takemoto is Director of the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). He is concurrently a Programme Professor of the University of Tokyo, Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) and Executive Secretary of Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Japan.

Prior to joining UNU, he developed policies on international environmental cooperation and global environment, in particular, climate change and bio-diversity as Vice-Minister for Global Environment Affairs (2008-2010) and as a Director-General of Environmental Management Bureau (2005-08). Dr. Takemoto served for CBD/COP10 as its Alternate President (2010), OECD/EPOC as Vice Chair (2004-07) and UNFCCC/COP3 as Special Assistant to its President (1997). He is a Council Member of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).

He holds a PhD in environmental engineering from The University of Tokyo and a Master of International Public Policy degree from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University.