Economic and Social Council

 Distr. LIMITED
5 February 1997
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

Organizational session for 1997
4-7 February 1997
Agenda item 8


                   ELECTIONS, NOMINATIONS AND CONFIRMATIONS

                Election to the Committee on Natural Resources

                         Note by the Secretary-General


     The Secretary-General has received the following nomination from
the Government of Canada for election to the Committee on Natural
Resources:  Denis Davis.  The candidate's term of office would begin
on the date of election.  Biographical information on the candidate is
set out in the annex below.


                                     Annex

               BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON DENIS DAVIS (CANADA)


                                    SUMMARY

     Senior water resource expert at the international and national
level with broad knowledge and directly related experience, including
management of Canada's federal water programme.  Specialized expertise
in resolution of resource management disputes and conflicts, water
resource assessment, water policy, ecosystem science, sustainable
management of land and water resources, and definition of global,
regional and basin scale water and related resource issues.


                                QUALIFICATIONS

     Excellent motivator and team builder with the ability to establish
partnerships, and negotiate and resolve complex issues;

     Demonstrated capability in managing large, diverse scientific,
professional, technical and policy groups and budgets at the national
and regional levels;

     Extensive experience in resolution of Canada-United States
transboundary issues and in management of global water issues at the
international level;

     Extensive knowledge of the machinery of government, ministerial
decision-making processes, and the United Nations system;

     Ability to adapt and innovate when facing new challenges and
complex issues.


                                  EXPERIENCE

                                 International

World Meteorological Organization:

     -   Chairman, Working Group on Hydrology, Region IV (Canada,
         United States, Central America, Caribbean) (1990-present)

     -   Hydrologic Adviser, Region IV (1990-present)

     -   Hydrologic Adviser for Canada (1986-1995)

     -   Member, Committee on Hydrology (1984-1995)


Ministerial Conference on Drinking Water and Environmental Sanitation,
March 1994:  led Canadian delegation

Dublin Conference on Water and the Environment, January 1992:  led
Canadian delegation

Committee on Natural Resources:

     -   Vice-Chairman, Water (1994-present)

     -   Rapporteur (1992-1994)

Canada-Russia Mixed Commission:  Chairman, Working Group II, Water
Science and Policy (1989-1995)

Middle East Peace Process:  Presentation of paper on transboundary
resource management (1994)

Co-developer of "global water assessment" (ongoing) and World Water
Council concept

Participation in technical exchanges or missions to developing
countries on behalf of United Nations agencies or Government of Canada


                             Canada-United States

International Joint Commission:

     -   Canadian Chairman, Water Quality Board for Great Lakes Water
         Quality Agreement (1992-present)

     -   Canadian Chairman, International Souris-Red River Engineering
         Board (1978-1986)

     -   Canadian Chairman, Souris River Board of Control (1978-1986)

     -   Canadian Chairman, Red River Pollution Board (1980-1986)

     -   Accredited Officer of Her Majesty, St. Mary-Milk River Treaty
         (1978-1986)

     -   Canadian Chairman, Poplar River Apportionment Task Force
         (1974-1976)

Government Bilateral:

     -   Canadian Chairman, Poplar River Monitoring Group (1977-1986)

     -   Member, Garrison Diversion Consultative Committee (1986-1995)

     -   Canadian Chairman, Garrison Diversion Technical Committee
         (1980-1986)

     -   Numerous intergovernmental issue groups dealing with Columbia
         River Treaty, Niagara River Treaty, Rafferty-Alameda Project,
         biota transfer etc. (1978-1995)

Federal-Provincial

Prairie Provinces Water Board:  Chairman or Alternate (1977-1991)


                              ENVIRONMENT CANADA

1993-1995    Director-General, Corporate, Environmental Protection
             Service.
             Responsible to Assistant Deputy Minister for staff advice
             and issues management at service/departmental level.  Led
             management of human resources and restructuring activity
             during period of downsizing and rapid change.  Participated
             as member of team defining "Environmental Protection -
             2000" and departmental activities associated with
             environmental sustainability and sustainable development. 
             Continued departmental level responsibility for
             international freshwater issues and liaison with
             International Joint Commission.  Retired from government
             service in June 1995.

1986-1993    Director-General, Inland Waters and Lands, Conservation and
             Protection Service.
             Responsible for policy development and strategies from the
             national perspective for Canada's inland waters and lands
             resources; management and direction of water planning,
             quality, quantity, sediment, snow- and ice-monitoring
             programmes, and water resources research programmes
             throughout Canada.  Also responsible for departmental
             environmental assessment and environmental emergencies
             programmes.  Responsible for development of the Federal
             Water Policy (approved by Cabinet in 1987), full
             implementation of the Flood Damage Reduction Programme and
             over 30 federal-provincial agreements under the Canada
             Water Act.  Provided expert advice to senior levels in the
             department, and other federal departments and participated
             in numerous interjurisdictional board or committee
             activities.

1978-1985    Regional Director, Western and Northern Region, Inland
             Waters Directorate.
             Responsible for federal water programmes within Alberta,
             Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories for
             enhancement of water quality and water resources
             management.  Included water quantity and water quality
             monitoring programmes, water resource planning, basin
             studies and federal-provincial implementation programmes
             under the Canada Water Act.

             Served on many federal-provincial and Canada-United States
             committees related to water resource management and
             conflict resolution.

1970-1978    Regional Chief, Water Resources Branch, Inland Waters
             Directorate, Regina.
             Responsible for management of all Water Resources Branch
             water quantity monitoring, sediment, studies and water
             resources data programmes in Saskatchewan.  Established the
             Saskatchewan Regional Office from small sub-components and
             developed an integrated, highly influential Saskatchewan
             Region.

1965-1970    Assistant Regional Chief, Water Resources Branch, Inland
             Waters Directorate, Calgary.
             Responsible for management and administration of the Water
             Resources Branch programmes in Alberta and the Northwest
             Territories.  Special involvement in hydrometric network
             planning, hydrologic investigations and programmes under
             the UNESCO International Hydrological Decade.

1961-1965    Various positions, Water Resources Branch, Inland Waters
             Directorate, Calgary.
             Supervised or participated in water quality monitoring
             sediment, snow and glacier studies, and watershed research
             programmes in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. 
             Participated in regional headquarters joint hydrologic
             investigations with a special focus on integrated network
             design.


                                 PERSONAL DATA

Born 1939, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Married, two children


                                   EDUCATION

B.Sc., Civil Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, 1961

M.Eng., Water Resources Engineering, University of California,
Berkeley, 1965


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Date last posted: 29 November 1999 12:16:05
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