Centre for Development and the Environment

The Centre for Development and the Environment (Norwegian: Senter for utvikling og miljø, SUM) is a research institute which is part of the University of Oslo. Its focus areas are international development and environmental studies.

History

The Centre for Development and the Environment was established in 1990, following the work with the report Our Common Future (the Brundtland Report), presented by the Brundtland Commission chaired by Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, and the increased focus on the environment and sustainable development.

In 2000, the Program for Research and Documentation for a Sustainable Society (ProSus), formerly called the Project for an Alternative Future (established 1984), was merged into the Centre for Development and the Environment. ProSus was established on the initiative of 17 organisations and was funded by parliament over the Norwegian state budget, and became part of the University of Oslo in 1996.^[1]

Structure

The centre is placed directly under the University Board of the University of Oslo. Its Board comprises representatives from the relevant faculties of the university, that is the faculties of Social Sciences, Arts, Natural Sciences, and Law. In addition, the Board has two members not connected to the university. The current director is Kristi Anne Stølen.

It is funded by the University as well as organizations such as the Research Council of Norway, NUFU (the Norwegian Universities' Committee for Development Research and Education), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Environment, NORAD and the World Bank.

Staff

More than 50 people are affiliated with the Centre for Development and the Environment.

Researchers include Harald Bøckman, Arne Næss and Nina Witoszek. Guest researchers include James Lovelock.

References

External links

• Official site

Coordinates: 59°56′51.6″N 10°43′53.5″E / 59.947667°N 10.731528°E / 59.947667; 10.731528