Simon Upton
Simon Upton played a key role in the development of the OECD’s Green Growth Strategy. The team he leads recently released the Environment Outlook to 2050 – a model-based analysis of the environmental consequences of business-as-usual growth at the global level. Mr Upton is a former New Zealand Parliamentarian whose political career, between 1981 and 2000, included nine years as a Minister. His portfolios included Environment, Research, Biosecurity, Health and State Services. As Environment Minister he chaired the 7th Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. After retiring from political life in 2000 and taking up his present role at the OECD, Mr Upton combined his chairmanship of the Round Table on Sustainable Development at the OECD with a variety of private sector roles in New Zealand.
