Bente Nielsen received her M.S. in Agriculture at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen, Denmark. One year later, she received an M.S. in Business Economics from the Copenhagen business school before returning to the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University to receive her Ph.D. in Agricultural Law (environmental issues).
Ms. Nielsen was part of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency from 1980-1984 and again from 1987-1988. She served as a member of the Danish Parliament from 1984-1987.
From 1992-1998 Ms. Nielsen acted as vice-president of the Danish United Nations Association (UNA). She has served multiple times as part of the Danish Delegation to the United Nations to both the Commission on Human Rights and the General Assembly.
Since 1990, Ms. Nielsen has been active in the Ministry of Environment and Energy, first serving as political advisor where her duties included developing an environmental strategic plan, coordinating the ”Danish Nature and Environment Policy” and overseeing the research strategy for environment and energy. In 2000, she was appointed Deputy Head of the Division of Economic Affairs. Since 2002 she has been the Head of the Division for Controlling and Special Advisor to the Minister concerning structuring of the public sector in the environmental field. In January 2007 she was appointed Deputy Director General for Environment Centre Roskilde. In, February 2008 she was appointed Director General for the Centre for Corporate Management, an institution in the Ministry of Environment.
