Erik Solheim, executive director of UN Environment, was travelling for 529 out of the 668 days audited, spending $488,518 (£370,380), according to the report. The audit also said he had “no regard for abiding by the set regulations and rules” and claimed unjustified expenses.

The audit criticised Solheim’s extensive travel, especially given that ‘Unep is supposed to be the lead on sustainable environment matters’. Photograph: Natalia Mroz/UNEP

The development comes amid growing concern among some UN Environment officials, with sources claiming his “haphazard and dictatorial management style” has “already made us dysfunctional in many respects”.

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Numerous Unep staff have contacted the Guardian, on condition of anonymity, criticising Solheim’s leadership of the organisation, which is governed and funded by UN member states.

“He thinks he is a CEO when he is actually an international civil servant,” said one source. “A lot of us were very excited when he came. He’s Norwegian and an ex-environment minister. It was the dream CV that turned into a nightmare.”