Chair

Dr Bruno Oberle

Dr Bruno Oberle is the chair of the global tailings review, on behalf of ICMM, UNEP, and the PRI. Dr Oberle will oversee every aspect of the review and prepare a report which is expected to be published by the end of the year.

“This is a demanding role and we have a responsibility to the people of Brumadinho to get this right. My objective is clear: I will oversee a comprehensive review of the current situation and draw up a new international standard for tailings storage facilities that draws on the best practice from around the globe.”

Dr Bruno Oberle, Chair: Global Tailings Review

 

Dr Oberle brings a wealth of experience to the global tailings review, having explored and shaped the interface between environmental policy, economic development and social balance from the perspective of state regulator, entrepreneur and scientist. He has worked on both sectoral and national issues as well as working at the highest level of international policy-making.

After completing his studies in environmental and engineering sciences, and economics and placement sciences at ETH Zurich, Dr Oberle founded and managed companies in the field of environmental consulting and environmental management.

In 1999 he went on to be appointed deputy director of the Federal Office for the Environment, Forests and Landscape in Switzerland and director of the newly created Federal Office for the Environment in 2005. As State Secretary for the Environment, Dr Oberle worked on a variety of issues, ranging from environmental protection to climate policy to forest management. He also represented Switzerland at international negotiations. In particular, he was instrumental in managing the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and establishing the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Since 2016, Dr Oberle has been a professor for Green Economy and Resource Governance at L’Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland. He also heads the International Risk Governance Center. At the heart of his work is the transition to a society that generates more from fewer resources.

In addition to his full-time duties, Dr Oberle also acts both as an advisor and as a director in several organisations and companies.

Languages

  • Italian: Native language
  • German: Fluent in writing and speaking
  • French: Fluent in writing and speaking
  • English: Fluent in speaking, proficient in writing
  • Spanish: Proficient in writing and speaking