Programme Cooperation Agreement 2014: Final Report for the Period 01 January 2014 to 01 March 2015

Sundtoft, NorwegianMinister of Climate and Environment, Øystein Djupedal, Aust-Agder County Governor, and Einar Halvorsen, Mayor of Arendal. The cooperation between UNEP and GRID-Arendal has matured greatly since its establishment 25 years ago and this new agreement underscores the value of this cooperation. After eight successful years Dr Peter Prokosch stepped down from his post as Managing Director of GRID- Arendal in August 2014. The Board appointed Dr Peter Harris as the new Managing Director in September. Under his leadership, GRID-Arendal implemented a new organizational structure in December 2014 to simplify and improve operations and management, to better match the skills and qualifications of the staff with the programme of work to be delivered in the foreseeable

future, and to focus attention on the delivery of content and the measure of impact and outcomes. A key element of the new structure is the creation of eight programme areas that address global environmental challenges: Polar and Mountain Environments; Environmental Crime; Transboundary Waters; Blue Carbon; Green Economy; Marine Spatial Planning; State of Environment Reporting; and Marine and Coastal Resources. GRID-Arendal’s accomplishments in 2014 reflect well on the organization and set the stage for another successful year in 2015. After signing a new Framework Agreement with UNEP and with its improved internal organization, GRID-Arendal is well placed to make significant contributions to support UNEP and advance environmental knowledge in the years ahead.

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