Tessa Goverse UNEP Death, Salève Hiking Accident, UN Environment Programme member has died

Tessa Goverse, UNEP Official, Remembered After Salève Hiking Accident

The international environmental community is mourning the sudden passing of Tessa Goverse of the United Nations Environment Programme, who died following a hiking accident on Mont Salève near Geneva, Switzerland. Her death has left colleagues across multilateral environmental negotiations in shock and deep grief.

Goverse had been an influential figure within the environmental governance space for over two decades, most recently serving as Head of the Interim Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP), an emerging global platform advancing evidence-based policy on pollution and hazardous substances. Her work also spanned earlier roles within UNEP, including contributions to global environmental assessments and chemical safety governance.

At the opening of a plenary session during Basel Convention OEWG15, delegates observed a moment of tribute in her honor. The Geneva Environment Network reflected on her personal and professional legacy, stating: “By losing Tessa, our community has lost not only a highly respected expert but also a friend whose humanity and calm, thoughtful presence enriched our negotiations and our work together.”

Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, remembered her as a unifying presence in complex negotiations. He said she was someone “who brought people together” and had “dedicated more than two decades to advance environmental action and the establishment of the ISP-CWP.” He added that her legacy would continue to inspire ongoing efforts in global chemicals and waste governance.

ISP-CWP Chair Osvaldo Álvarez also paid tribute, describing Goverse as a “warm generous person, deeply committed to multilateralism, and to advancing our collective work on chemicals, waste & pollution.” His remarks reflected the deep respect she earned across diverse stakeholder communities working on environmental policy.

UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, who shared a personal message of condolence, expressed profound sorrow at the loss. She noted that Goverse passed away in Geneva while on mission, and extended sympathy to her family and loved ones. Andersen highlighted Goverse’s long career at UNEP, beginning in 2000 as a Junior Professional Officer in the Early Warning and Assessment Division.

Over the years, Goverse contributed to key scientific and policy processes, including the Global Environment Outlook reports and work as a Global Environment Facility Task Manager. In recent years, she focused on chemicals, waste, and pollution, serving as Chief of the Source to Sea Pollution Unit and later leading the interim secretariat of the ISP-CWP. Andersen recalled the moment the panel was established in Punta del Este as a defining achievement that Goverse helped deliver.

“She was a much-loved member of the UNEP team, a brilliant leader and a caring colleague that was always there for others,” Andersen said, emphasizing the personal and professional void left by her passing.

As the environmental governance community gathers in Geneva and beyond, tributes continue to underscore Goverse’s legacy: a life dedicated to strengthening science-policy interfaces, advancing multilateral cooperation, and fostering trust across global environmental negotiations.