For more than three decades, Arsenio Rodriguez has worked at the intersection of environmental governance, sustainable development, and human consciousness. His career bridges science, diplomacy, policy, and culture. Trained as a scientist, he evolved into a strategist and international convener, fostering collaborations among governments, business leaders, multilateral organizations, and civil society.

He has held senior leadership positions within the United Nations, the World Bank, and large-scale international alliances. His work focused on building multidisciplinary partnerships to address complex global challenges — biodiversity loss, climate change, equity in development, and ethical business. He led high-level negotiations, created alliances across sectors, and directed programs involving millions of people across Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Arsenio is also a published poet, exploring themes of consciousness, unity, and the inner landscape of transformation. His poetry books include The Fermentation of Light (with a foreword by Deepak Chopra) and Soulwriter (2017).

Chair and CEO of Devnet International, an NGO promoting sustainable development, founded in Rome, Italy, in 1989 (2015-2019).

For 39 years senior advisory positions with the United Nations and later the World Bank, in the design and coordination of international policy for sustainable development. Overseeing and managing negotiation of alliances for sustainability between governments, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.

Development of TIERRAMERICA, a major award-winning communications/media entrepreneurial initiative based on partnerships between newspapers, governments, business, international organizations, and civil society that provided millions of Latin Americans the opportunity to dialogue on issues affecting their sustainability and quality of life.

He also led the development of the Forum of Environment Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the establishment of an institutional alliance between UNDP, Harvard Center for Latin American Studies, Colegio de Mexico, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund to develop annual high-level policy forums on major environmental issues of Latin America.

He coordinated a Special Task Force for the assessment of UNEP’s role in international environmental governance in collaboration with the Rockefeller Foundation and senior advisors, including Maurice Strong, Miguel de la Madrid, Mabu ul-Hak, and Julius Nyerere.

Scientific Advisor for the Caribbean Environment Programme 1977-1980, Senior Scientific Officer at the UNEP Regional Seas Programme 1980-1984, Senior Advisor UNEP Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (1984-1990), Deputy Director UNEP Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (1990-1992), Director for UNEP Latin America and Caribbean Office (1992-1998) Senior Environmental Advisor Latin American Regional for Sustainable Development (World Bank) 1998-2000.

He co-founded, in 2002, the Alliance for a New Humanity, with a group of leaders from all sectors of society, including Deepak Chopra, Oscar Arias, Betty Williams, Ricky Martin, Baltazar Garzon, Kerry Kennedy, Roberto Savio, and Ashok Khosla. He served as its Secretary General from 2003 until 2008. The Alliance aimed to be a broad alliance for human understanding and global sustainability, integrating agents of change operating in the areas of social equity, environment, ethical values, human rights, artistic expression and other endeavors of the human agenda.

Earlier, he coordinated the World Bank Mesoamerican Biological Corridor Initiative, a public-private sector civil society partnership to integrate development, social, environmental, and disaster management factors for sustainability in Central America. Was Director of the Regional Office of UNEP for Latin America and the Caribbean and Special Advisor to the Executive Director of UNEP. Co-Founder of Tierramérica, a unique communications instrument for sustainable development in Latin America jointly sponsored by Inter Press Service, World Bank, UNDP, and UNEP, and partnering with regional and national media. He was the coordinator of an Action Plan for Environment and Development of the Coastal Areas of the Wider Caribbean Region developed by UNEP and the Economic Commission for Latin America.

Has been a Special Editor of AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science for a special number on the Caribbean, Editor of “The Americas we Want” a book of essays with visions of the future of the Americas published by the Fondo de Cultura Economica, which includes articles from political, academic, business and social leaders of the Americas. Has been an invited lecturer on sustainable development at the Universities of Cambridge, Elon, Colegio de Mexico, and Universidad Austral de Chile. Some of his lectures:

• Elon University Discovery Series "The Total Ecosystem Approach: Combining Scientific Knowledge with Development Objectives"

• University of Puerto Rico Graduate workshops on Coastal Management

• Colegio de Mexico/Harvard/UNEP’s/ Seminars on Environment and Development

• Cambridge University PPR Group/ Consciousness and Sustainable Development

He has published several poetry and essay books in English including The Fermentation of Light with a Foreword by Deepak Chopra (2008) and Soulwriter, Conversations I would have loved to have with my Grandchildren, The Imperishable Sweetness, A Sense of Being, Apparition and Soulposts and also has published essay and poetry in Spanish Gatito y Yo and Mujer de Agua Bendita. He is also an invited columnist at Cambio Politico, an Internet Journal published daily in Costa Rica.

He graduated in biochemistry from the University of Puerto Rico, worked as a researcher on electrophysiology at the School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico. Later, he received a Ph.D. with high honors from the University of Miami School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. He was granted fellowships for his research and studies by the Organization of American States, the Economic Development Administration of Puerto Rico, and the National Institutes of Health.