Mr. Anders Berntell

Mr. Anders Berntell is one of the leading voices in the water sector today. In 2002, he joined SIWI as its Executive Director where he is responsible for overall development and direction of the Institute's activities. This includes administration of the World Water Week, SIWI's project work, and SIWI prize activities. Under his leadership, SIWI has undergone tremendous growth and transformation to become a world renouned and leading-edge future-oriented water policy institute.

Previous Experience 

Mr. Berntell, a biologist by training, has worked within the environmental field for more than 20 years. Prior to joining SIWI on February 1, 2002,  he was Water Director at the Swedish Ministry of the Environment.

As Water Director for the Swedish Ministry for the Environment Mr. Berntell, had overall responsibility for all national and international water issues. His contact network in Sweden and abroad is therefore extensive.

Internationally, Mr. Berntell worked with overall policy issues within the water area and cooperated with environment ministries and water departments in different countries, with the European Union, and with organizations both inside and outside the United Nations system.

One of the most important tasks within the European Union was to represent Sweden in the negotiations on and implementation of the Framework Directive on Water. He has also been the Swedish representative in the informal group of EU Water Directors.

Mr. Berntell represented Sweden in the steering committees for two recent global water meetings, the 2nd World Water Forum in The Hague in March 2000 and the International Conference on Freshwater in Bonn in December 2001.

Mr. Berntell also spent 6 years as the Head of International Co-operation for the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. There he worked in multiple leadership capacities  for bilateral development co-operation projects, Swedish environmental monitoring programmes, and as the Swedish representative in several European Commission committees and the UN/ECE Convention on Transboundary Air Pollution. 

Key Current and Previous Projects

Mr. Berntell served as head of delegation for Sweden responsible for international water policy at numerous fora and conventions, including the:

•  World Water Forum, Hague 2000
•  Bonn conference on freshwater 2001
•  UN/ECE Convention on Transboundary Air Pollution North Sea Conferences
•  EU Water Directors and Framework Directive on Water
•  London Convention on Dumping
•  UN Conferences on Marine Environment
•  Barcelona Process

Mr. Berntell also served as:

•  Chair of Swedish meetings during Swedish presidency of the EU
•  Chairman of Nordic group on environmental monitoring
•  Delegate at Commission on Sustainable Development
•  Delegate at the UNEP Governing Council
•  Delegate at OSPAR Convention on North East Atlantic