# Anders Wijkman

# Anders Wijkman

**Anders Wijkman** (born 30 September 1944) is a Swedish politician, author, and environmentalist affiliated with the [Christian Democrats](/organizations/christian-democrats) (Kristdemokraterna). He is best known for his extensive work on climate change, sustainable development, disaster prevention, and global humanitarian issues. Wijkman served as a Member of the [European Parliament](/organizations/european-parliament) from 1999 to 2009, where he focused on climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and development cooperation. He previously held senior positions including Secretary General of the Swedish Red Cross (1979–1988), Secretary General of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (1989–1991), Director General of the Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries (1992–1994), and Assistant Secretary-General of the [United Nations](/organizations/united-nations) and Policy Director of UNDP (1995–1997). He later served as co-president of the [Club of Rome](/organizations/club-of-rome) from 2012 to 2018 and is currently its Honorary President, as well as Chair of the Governing Board of Climate-KIC since 2017.

Wijkman's early career included eight years as a Member of the [Swedish Parliament](/organizations/swedish-parliament) from 1971 to 1978, where he addressed issues such as privacy legislation, energy security, and development cooperation. During his tenure as Secretary General of the Swedish Red Cross, he led initiatives on disaster prevention, including a landmark 1984 study on the causes of increasing natural disasters and co-authoring the book *Natural Disasters – Acts of God or Acts of Man?*. He also served as President of the International Red Cross Disaster Relief Commission from 1981 to 1989.

As a Member of the European Parliament, Wijkman was affiliated with the Group of the [European People's Party](/organizations/european-people-s-party) (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats. He served on the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and acted as rapporteur on key reports, including those on building a Global Climate Change Alliance, the European Consensus on Development, and strategies for winning the battle against global climate change.

Wijkman's work has emphasized the need for systemic transformation toward sustainability. He co-authored influential books such as *Bankrupting Nature* (2012) and contributed to the Club of Rome report *Come On!* (2017). He holds memberships in organizations including the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the World Future Council, and the International Resource Panel.

## Early career in Sweden

### Member of the Swedish Parliament (1971–1978)

Anders Wijkman served as a member of the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag) for the [Moderate Party](/organizations/moderate-party) (Moderaterna) from 1971 to 1978, representing the Stockholm constituency.

He began his parliamentary career with substitute roles on several committees, including the Justice Committee (1971–1975/76), Social Committee (1971), Constitutional Committee (1972–1973), and Foreign Affairs Committee (1974–1975/76). He later became a full member of the Committee on Trade and Industry (1976/77–1978/79). During this period, he also held internal party positions, serving as vice chairman of the Moderate Party’s Stockholm branch from 1974 and as a member of the party’s national board from 1975 to 1978.

Wijkman prioritized issues such as privacy legislation, energy security, and development cooperation throughout his eight years in parliament. He left the Riksdag in 1978 to become Secretary-General of the Swedish Red Cross.

### Secretary-General of the Swedish Red Cross (1979–1988)

Anders Wijkman left politics in 1978 and was appointed Secretary-General of the Swedish Red Cross (Svenska Röda Korset), a position he held from 1979 to 1988. This transition marked his shift from parliamentary service to leading one of Sweden's largest humanitarian organizations, where he emphasized disaster prevention, rehabilitation, and emerging health crises.

Deeply troubled by the African famines of the 1980s, Wijkman initiated a major research project within the Red Cross to examine the causes of the rapid increase in natural disasters and explore ways to enhance prevention and resilience among vulnerable populations. This effort culminated in the landmark 1984 study *Prevention better than cure*, which advocated strongly for disaster preparedness and prevention over reactive relief. Drawing on the study, he co-authored the book *Natural disasters – acts of God or acts of man?* with Lloyd Timberlake; the work was subsequently translated into several languages and contributed to global discussions on human factors in disaster vulnerability.

Under his leadership, the Swedish Red Cross launched several innovative initiatives. These included the establishment of a Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture, a Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention named Noah’s Ark, and major disaster prevention programs in East Africa. Concurrently, from 1981 to 1989, Wijkman served as president of the International Red Cross Disaster Relief Commission, extending his influence on international disaster response strategies.

After his tenure, Wijkman transitioned to leadership roles in environmental organizations.

### Secretary-General of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (1989–1991)

Anders Wijkman served as Secretary-General of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (Naturskyddsföreningen) from 1989 to 1991. This role represented a transition from his prior humanitarian leadership at the Swedish Red Cross to focused environmental activism, positioning him as a bridge between humanitarian concerns and ecological issues.

During his tenure, major programs were launched to highlight and address market shortcomings in preventing pollution, curbing resource depletion, and safeguarding biodiversity and vital ecosystems. These initiatives reflected efforts to integrate economic critiques into environmental policy advocacy.

Wijkman also played a key role in the worldwide NGO preparations for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio Summit) in 1992, contributing to civil society coordination ahead of this landmark global event on sustainable development. His leadership helped strengthen the organization's engagement in international environmental discourse. In 1991, Wijkman left the position to take up a role in development research cooperation.

### Director-General of the Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries (1992–1994)

In 1992, Anders Wijkman was appointed Director-General of the Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries (SAREC), a government agency dedicated to supporting research capacity building in developing countries. He held this position until 1994.

During his tenure, SAREC provided support to research capacity building efforts in approximately twenty developing countries, with the aim of strengthening national research capabilities, creating viable research environments, and promoting scientific cooperation between Sweden and partner nations.

In the early 1990s, including Wijkman's time as Director-General, SAREC shifted its policy toward more comprehensive institutional support, prioritizing the development of research cultures at national public universities over earlier models focused on individual training or national research councils. This approach emphasized long-term processes to establish local research training programs, investments in research infrastructure, scientific equipment, libraries, and management systems to foster sustainable, institutionally embedded research environments.

Following his leadership at SAREC, Wijkman was appointed Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Policy Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1995.

## International career

### Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Policy Director of UNDP (1995–1997)

In 1995, Anders Wijkman was appointed Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Policy Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a position he held until 1997.

During his tenure, he oversaw policy development in areas such as sustainable development, poverty eradication, and access to resources for the poor. Several significant new UNDP programs were launched under his leadership, including initiatives on Information Technology for Development and Energy Access to the Poor. He actively promoted the use of information technology to advance development objectives, notably emphasizing its potential at the 1997 Global Knowledge conference.

Wijkman supported UNDP's contributions to follow-up actions from the 1996 Habitat II conference, stressing people-centered sustainable development. This included efforts to alleviate urban poverty, improve urban and peri-urban environments, strengthen local governance through decentralization, and enhance access to shelter via land, credit, construction materials, and community organizations.

He also addressed water-related challenges in international forums, linking access to clean water with poverty reduction, food security, deforestation, and broader environmental issues. Wijkman noted that poverty could be dramatically reduced through improved water access and advocated for integrated water resources management, capacity building, removal of water subsidies, and collaboration among public and private sectors.

Throughout this period, he fostered close collaboration with organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), whose regional offices served as important partners in numerous UNDP programmes.

### Member of the European Parliament (1999–2009)

Anders Wijkman served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Sweden's Kristdemokraterna from 1999 to 2009, during the 5th (1999–2004) and 6th (2004–2009) parliamentary terms, as part of the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats. His work focused on climate change, environment, energy policy, development cooperation, and humanitarian affairs.

In the 5th term, Wijkman was a substitute on the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy from 2002 to 2004 and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Development and Cooperation from 2002 to 2004. He acted as rapporteur for reports on the Commission's communication on Integrated Product Policy (adopted 2004), energy cooperation with developing countries (2003), and aid for poverty-related diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis in developing countries (2002). He was a member of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and tabled motions for resolutions on the International Conference for Renewable Energies and the [World Bank](/organizations/world-bank)'s Extractive Industries Review.

In the 6th term, Wijkman was a full member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety throughout the term and a substitute on the Committee on Development. He also served on the Temporary Committee on Climate Change from 2007 to 2009 and the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. As rapporteur, he authored the report "Winning the Battle Against Global Climate Change" (2005) for the Environment Committee, the report on the European Consensus on Development (2005) for the Development Committee, and the report on building a Global Climate Change Alliance between the EU and poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate change (2008) for the Development Committee. He delivered opinions on the promotion of renewable energy sources (2008) and mobilizing finance for global access to climate-friendly energy services (2007). His activities included parliamentary questions and resolutions on humanitarian crises in Darfur and Ethiopia, as well as a written declaration supporting the establishment of an [International Renewable Energy Agency](/organizations/international-renewable-energy-agency) (IRENA) with over 100 signatories.

Wijkman's legislative efforts emphasized integrating climate mitigation with development needs, advancing renewable energy, and addressing environmental and humanitarian challenges in vulnerable regions. In 2005, he was named "Achiever of the Year" by the European Parliament Magazine for his contributions.

## Post-parliamentary leadership

### Co-president of the Club of Rome (2012–2018)

Anders Wijkman served as co-president of the Club of Rome from 2012 to 2018, sharing leadership with Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker.

Upon his election in September 2012, he described the position as carrying a "huge responsibility," stressing the need to preserve the organization's legacy—particularly the enduring relevance of *The Limits to Growth*—while addressing contemporary global crises rooted in short-term economic and political priorities.

His tenure occurred during a period when the Club faced internal challenges, including leadership transitions and limited diversity in its predominantly European and male membership; Wijkman and von Weizsäcker worked to ensure the organization's survival and initiated steps toward greater global representation and a renewed focus on systems thinking.

This period saw the publication of *2052: A Global Forecast for the Next Forty Years* by Jørgen Randers in 2012, which reinforced long-term systemic analysis.

A flagship contribution was the 2018 report *Come On! Capitalism, Short-termism, Population and the Destruction of the Planet*, co-authored by Wijkman and von Weizsäcker with input from over 30 Club members and prepared for the organization's 50th anniversary.

The report reaffirms the validity of earlier warnings about unsustainable trends, critiques modern capitalism's short-term biases and their role in environmental degradation, and calls for a "new enlightenment" that balances human needs with nature, markets with state intervention, and short-term gains with long-term perspectives.

It advocates systemic rather than siloed approaches, urges rethinking of science and education, addresses population growth as a critical factor (noting that stable-population countries perform better), and proposes urgent policy actions alongside optimistic case studies to redirect society toward sustainability.

Wijkman emphasized priorities such as transitioning to a resource-efficient circular economy to replace linear "throwaway" models, shifting economic goals from GDP growth to broader welfare outcomes including full employment, public health, education, healthy ecosystems, and climate stability, and accelerating sustainable innovation and design.

He remains Honorary President of the Club of Rome.

### Chair of the Governing Board of Climate-KIC (since 2017)

Anders Wijkman was appointed Chair of the Governing Board of Association Climate-KIC on 24 March 2017, succeeding John Schellnhuber, who had served the maximum two terms since the organisation's establishment in 2010.

In this role, Wijkman has been responsible for overseeing and co-developing the Climate-KIC group strategy alongside the Governing Board, which includes representatives from the association's core partners.

Climate-KIC is Europe's largest public-private partnership dedicated to climate innovation, focusing on the development and scaling of low-carbon solutions, breakthrough technologies, and new economic models to support climate resilience and the [Paris Agreement](/facts/paris-agreement) goals.

Wijkman expressed his commitment to strengthening Climate-KIC's efforts in these areas, stating that innovation is essential to achieving the Paris climate objectives.

During his tenure, Wijkman has supported initiatives promoting the circular economy as a key pathway to systemic climate action, particularly in urban contexts. In November 2018, he contributed a foreword to Climate-KIC's "Circular Cities case studies" report, underscoring cities' potential to shift from linear to circular and restorative economies by keeping resources in use longer, eliminating waste, and addressing rising demands on materials, food, and energy that contribute to global warming.

He praised the report's collection of 40 practical examples from cities worldwide, noting their value in demonstrating scalable systemic change at district and city levels, and encouraged stakeholders to adopt Climate-KIC's toolkits and circular city hubs to accelerate zero-waste urban development.

Wijkman has also represented Climate-KIC internationally on these themes, including at the 2020 International Society for the Circular Economy Conference, where he highlighted cities' pivotal role in advancing circularity while warning against fragmented approaches that could undermine progress.

### Other organizations and positions

Anders Wijkman has held or continues to hold several positions in scientific, advisory, and sustainability-focused organizations beyond his primary leadership roles in other capacities.

He is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, affiliated with the Class for humanities and for outstanding services to science. In this capacity, he serves on the Environment and Energy Committee and the International Committee.

Wijkman is also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry.

He serves as a Councillor of the World Future Council, contributing to its mission of promoting long-term sustainable policies.

Additional affiliations include membership in the International Resource Panel, chairmanship of the Swedish Association of Recycling Industries, and board membership of the [Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency](/organizations/swedish-international-development-cooperation-agency) (SIDA).

These roles reflect his ongoing commitment to advancing sustainable development, resource efficiency, and global scientific dialogue.

## Contributions and legacy

### Advocacy on climate change and environmental policy

Anders Wijkman has long advocated for urgent action on climate change and environmental protection, emphasizing the interconnectedness of climate mitigation, biodiversity preservation, and resource efficiency.

During his tenure as a Member of the European Parliament (1999–2009), Wijkman focused intensively on climate and energy issues as a member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Temporary Committee on Climate Change. He served as rapporteur for key reports, including "Winning the Battle Against Global Climate Change" (2005), which outlined strategies to combat global warming, and a 2008 report advocating the establishment of a Global Climate Change Alliance to support poor developing countries most vulnerable to climate impacts. He also drafted opinions on promoting renewable energy sources and mobilizing finance for energy efficiency and renewables globally. Wijkman strongly promoted halting deforestation and forest degradation, highlighting their contribution of approximately 18% to global greenhouse gas emissions—exceeding those from the transport sector—and urging the inclusion of robust mechanisms in post-2012 climate regimes to assign economic value to forests for carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and livelihoods. He received recognition for his renewable energy advocacy, including awards from the European Parliament Magazine and the European Renewable Energy Federation.

In his post-parliamentary roles, particularly as co-president of the Club of Rome (2012–2018) and member thereof, Wijkman has advanced systemic perspectives on climate and environmental challenges. He co-authored *Come On! Capitalism, Short-termism, Population and the Destruction of the Planet* (2017), which warns of unsustainable global trends and calls for a "new enlightenment" to rebalance humanity with nature, markets with state intervention, and short-term gains with long-term sustainability, while addressing climate change and environmental degradation through holistic reforms. He has argued that solving the climate crisis requires not only phasing out fossil fuels but also dramatically reducing material footprints—particularly in high-income countries where per-capita resource use far exceeds that of low-income nations—to curb emissions, [biodiversity loss](/drivers/biodiversity-loss), and pollution. Wijkman advocates for absolute decoupling of economic growth from resource use in wealthy nations through circular economy models, extended product lifespans, service-oriented systems, and shifts in consumption patterns toward less materialistic lifestyles, while enabling relative efficiency gains in developing countries. He has also stressed integrating biodiversity and ecosystem protection into climate strategies, warning that ignoring natural capital undermines efforts to stabilize the climate.

As Chair of the Governing Board of Climate-KIC since 2017, Wijkman has championed innovation for low-carbon transitions, resource efficiency, and climate-resilient systems. His advocacy consistently links climate policy to broader environmental limits, urging ambitious, integrated actions to avoid irreversible damage from climate change, ecosystem collapse, and resource scarcity.

### Work on sustainable development and global challenges

Anders Wijkman has contributed significantly to the discourse on sustainable development and global challenges through his leadership roles and authorship of key reports that address interconnected systemic risks, including poverty, inequality, resource depletion, and governance failures. His work emphasizes integrating environmental limits with human development and humanitarian concerns to foster resilient, equitable global systems.

As co-president of the Club of Rome from 2012 to 2018 (now Honorary President), Wijkman advanced the organization's focus on holistic responses to planetary boundaries and socioeconomic disparities. He co-authored the 2017 report *Come On! Capitalism, Short-termism, Population and the Destruction of the Planet* with Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker, a major update to the Club's seminal *Limits to Growth*. The report critiques the inadequacy of growth-dependent economic models in a "Full World" approaching eight billion people, highlighting how short-termism, unchecked population growth, and outdated capitalist structures exacerbate inequality, ecosystem collapse, and political instability. It calls for a "New Enlightenment" to rebalance humanity's relationship with nature, markets with state intervention, and short-term gains with long-term welfare, proposing systemic reforms to achieve genuine progress and sustainable development.

Wijkman has also influenced thinking on resource equity and development through his membership in the International Resource Panel (IRP) of the [United Nations Environment Programme](/organizations/united-nations-environment-programme) since 2015. His contributions to IRP reports, including the Global Resources Outlook, underscore the need to curb overconsumption and material footprints in high-income countries—where per capita resource use far exceeds that in low-income nations—to enable poverty reduction and fairer resource distribution globally while reducing ecological harm. This work promotes transitions to circular material flows and systemic changes in sectors like food, transport, and infrastructure to address inequality and environmental degradation simultaneously.

His earlier experience in development and humanitarian roles informed these broader perspectives. As Policy Director and Assistant Secretary-General at UNDP (1995–1997), Wijkman initiated programs such as "Information Technology for Development" and "Energy Access to the Poor," linking technological innovation with poverty alleviation and sustainable resource use. During his tenure as Secretary-General of the Swedish Red Cross (1979–1988), he pioneered disaster prevention efforts that recognized human-induced factors in famines and natural hazards, advocating for resilience-building among vulnerable populations to mitigate poverty and inequality amplified by environmental shocks.

Through these efforts and collaborations with organizations such as the Stockholm Resilience Centre and the World Future Council, Wijkman has advocated for integrated approaches that treat sustainable development as inseparable from addressing global inequalities and systemic vulnerabilities.

### Authorship and public influence

Anders Wijkman has established himself as a prominent opinion leader and author in the fields of sustainability, climate change, and global challenges.

His major works include co-authoring *Bankrupting Nature: Denying Our Planetary Boundaries* with [Johan Rockström](/people/johan-rockstrom) in 2012. The book, originally published in Swedish in 2011 as *Den stora förnekelsen*, critiques the denial of planetary boundaries and argues that treating natural capital as infinite is unsustainable, with the English edition launched as a report to the Club of Rome.

In 2017, Wijkman co-authored *Come On! Capitalism, Short-termism, Population and the Destruction of the Planet* with Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker. This Club of Rome report, prepared for the organization's 50th anniversary, builds on *The Limits to Growth* by advocating a "new enlightenment" to rebalance human-nature relations, short-term and long-term thinking, and private consumption with public goods.

Wijkman contributed as co-author to *A Finer Future: Creating an Economy in Service to Life* in 2018, alongside L. Hunter Lovins, Stewart Wallis, and John Fullerton. The book presents a blueprint for a regenerative economy, addressing global warming, inequality, and other crises through innovative policy, technology, and entrepreneurial approaches.

Earlier in his career, Wijkman co-authored *Natural Disasters – Acts of God or Acts of Man?* with Lloyd Timberlake in 1984, which drew on Red Cross research to emphasize prevention and resilience in addressing disaster risks.

Beyond books, Wijkman has authored reports such as a 2015 analysis on the circular economy's societal benefits, co-written with Kristian Skånberg, which examined economic and environmental gains in several European countries.

Through these publications and his engagement as a commentator, speaker, and social media contributor, Wijkman has shaped public and policy discourse on transitioning to sustainable systems.

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