With over 25 years of experience with UNEP, Mr. PRADHAN was designated as COBSEA Coordinator by UNEP’s Executive Director in July 2022. Prior to this role, Mahesh was based at UNEP HQs in Nairobi leading UNEP’s global portfolio on nutrients, where he oversaw the secretariat function of the Global Partnership on Nutrient Management (GPNM). He was based UNEP’s International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) in Osaka, Japan during 2016-2019, he focused on holistic waste management at the global, regional and national levels, with linkages to climate change as well as mainstreaming of disaster waste management. During 2011-16, Mahesh served as Chief of UNEP’s global Environmental Education and Training Unit, based at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. During 1993-2011, Mahesh was based at UNEP’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok, where he focused on regional and sub-regional environmental partnerships, proposal development and implementation, as well as capacity building and support for environmental protection and management across the Asia Pacific region. Concurrently, he was also appointed interim Director of the joint AIT UNEP Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP) during 2009-11.