Dan Laffoley, Marine Strategy

Professor Dan Laffoley is a well-respected world leader on Marine Protected Areas and ocean conservation. Scientist, communicator, explorer and conservationist, at IUCN he is Marine Vice Chair for IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, and Senior Adviser on Marine Science and Conservation in the Global Marine and Polar Programme. For over 30 years Dan has been responsible for the creation of many global, European and UK public and private sector partnerships, alliances and frameworks that underpin modern-day marine conservation. This work includes creating the concept of Blue Carbon, global conservation standards for MPAs, global IT infrastructure engaging with the ocean (e.g. Google Earth and Maps), successful scaling up action on ocean warming and acidification, successful scaling -up work on marine World Heritage and conservation of the High Seas, creation and implementation of Sylvia Earle’s Hope Spots initiative, and various recognized  global guidance on implementing Marine Protected Areas and Marine Spatial Planning.