Experience

UN Environment Programme — Geneva • 2024–Present

Shaped regional contributions to UNEP’s Global Environmental Data Strategy, engaging U.S. government, tech sector, NGOs, and academia.
Contributed to flagship reports including the UNCTAD Digital Economy Report (2024), UNEP’s Digital Technologies for Environmental Peacebuilding (2024), and Digital Public Infrastructure for Environmental Sustainability (2024).
Explored technical partnerships with ESA, NASA, ISO, OGC, IEEE, Apple, Microsoft, and Google; coordinated grant proposals with Google and EU partners.
Represented UNEP in 25+ international forums (WSIS+20, AI for Good, Global Digital Compact), embedding environmental priorities in digital governance.
Developed UNEP Europe’s digital transformation strategy and produced UN guidance aligning digital and environmental goals.
Contributed environmental content to the Global Digital Compact and the WSIS+20 process.

UN Environment Programme — Nairobi/Geneva • 2021–2023

Represented UNEP in the UN Secretary-General’s Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and on the Executive Committee in the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES).
Coordinated and launched the CODES Action Plan for a Sustainable Planet in the Digital Age.
Published the monthly CODES newsletter reaching 16,250+ subscribers.
Managed UNEP’s Digital Champions network of 500 staff and delivered 24 digital discovery sessions with 3,000+ participants.
Established partnerships with Microsoft (Environment-GPT), UN System Staff College, and GIZ.
Advised on financing, impact reporting, and innovation priorities.

UN Environment Programme — Nairobi/Geneva • 2020–2021

Co-designed UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy and Programme of Work for Digital Transformation.
Conducted a digital readiness evaluation of UNEP and identified a roadmap for digital transformation and AI.
Managed a US$2.5M budget of critical capacity investments and 25 members.
Advised the Executive Director and Senior Management Team on Digital Transformation and AI priorities.
Contributed to the UN Roadmap for Digital Cooperation and UN Roundtable on Digital Public Goods.
Co-founded the Coalition for Digital Environmental Sustainability (CODES) together with UNDP, the International Science Council, Future Earth, and the Governments of Germany and Kenya.
Launched AI for the Planet annual conference showcasing the best environmental applications of AI
Co-led the development of Earth School with Ted-Ed providing 1 million students quests during COVID 19.

UN Environment Programme — Geneva • 2016–2020

Formulated policies to prevent conflicts driven by natural resources, environment, and climate change.
Co-developed the STRATA platform for climate security analysis, co-developed the UN Biodiversity Lab and co-directed the MapX environmental platform for spatial data.
Raised ~US$20M; advised on digital innovations for field operations in 10 countries.
Substantive contributions to the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum, including a policy report on a Digital Ecosystem for the Environment.
Member of the organizing committee for the first International Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding at the University of California, Irvine.

UN Environment Programme — Geneva • 2008–2016

Managed a global US$17M programme and expert team across 26 countries.
Co-founded the Environmental Peacebuilding Association; delivered a MOOC (25,000+ participants).
Co-authored 8 UN policy reports and 6 academic publications demonstrating thought leadership.
Co-coordinated an international research programme involving 250 experts resulting in six books containing 150 research papers.
Supported key UNEP Governing Council resolutions (Res.26/15).
Supported UNEP's Executive Director presentation to the UN Security Council on Climate and Security resulting in Presidential Statement (S/PRST/2011/15).
UNEP representative within the UN-EU Partnership on Land, Natural Resources and Conflict Prevention.

UN Environment Programme — Geneva • 2005–2008

Designed and reported against the annual work programme for the branch.
Served on the Senior Management Team and contributed to raising US$50M+ for operations.
Designed recovery programmes in 20+ countries.
Supported key UNEP Governing Council resolution (Res.22/1/IV).
Assisted the Office of the UN Secretary-General in drafting the annual statement on the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.

United Nations Office for Project Services — Geneva • 2002–2005

Led field missions to assess Afghanistan’s environmental impacts of conflict.
Raised $5m for environmental recovery and helped to establish Afghanistan’s first National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA).
Coordinated capacity building programme on the governance of the environment and natural resources.
Contributed to drafting Afghanistan's first environmental law, using community-based natural resource management approaches.
Produced documentary film on Afghanistan’s environmental challenges.

Global Resource Information Database (GRID) — Arendal • 2000–2002

Conducted environmental field missions in Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Serbia to assess conflict-related pollution, damaged industrial sites, and risks to communities and ecosystems.
Coordinated two flagship UN reports on the environmental consequences of the Balkan conflicts, providing the first comprehensive data and policy recommendations to guide regional recovery and remediation.
Designed and secured funding for post-conflict clean-up and environmental rehabilitation programmes.
Contributed to the development of methodologies for rapid environmental assessments in post-crisis settings.
Supported stakeholder consultations with national authorities, UN agencies, and civil society to integrate environmental priorities into reconstruction plans.

Project Manager, Aqua-Tex Scientific Consulting, Canada (1998–1999): Developed, testing and validated a photopoint monitoring system in protected areas and environmentally sensitive sites.
Aquatic Research Assistant, Sagana Fish Culture Farm, Kenya (1997): Conducted cost-benefit analysis for maximizing field yields in integrated fish farming project.
Technical Advisor, Government of Canada / Province of British Columbia (1993–1997): Supported research and policy development on forestry, environmental indicators, land use, and treaty negotiations.

David Jensen