Putting the 'Protected' back into Marine Protected Areas: from paper-parks to a healthy ocean and thriving communities

Speakers Bios

Dr Monica Verbeek
Executive Director Seas at Risk

Monica has led Seas At Risk since 2007. Her work to achieve strong ocean protection policy dates back to her role as a campaigner for Greenpeace, Netherlands in the early 1990s. With a PhD in biology, her passion for the ocean was sparked by her study of narwhals in the Arctic.

Dr Enric Sala
Explorer in Residence at National Geographic

Dr Enric Sala is a former university professor who saw himself writing the obituary of ocean life, and quit academia in 2008 to become a full-time conservationist as National Geographic Explorer in Residence. He founded and leads Pristine Seas, a global initiative that combines exploration, research, media, economics and policy – working with local communities, Indigenous Peoples and governments to protect vital places in the ocean. To date, Pristine Seas has helped to create 29 of the largest marine reserves on the planet, covering an area of 6.9 million square km (the size of the Amazon region). Enric has published over 250 research papers, three books, produced 30 documentary films, and received numerous awards, including 2008 World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader, 2013 Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Award, 2018 Heinz Award in Public Policy, 2021 Emmy Award for Nature Documentary, National Geographic Hubbard Medal, and Albert I Grand Medal. 

Ms Tone Madsen
Danish Ministry of Environment and Gender Equality

Areas of expertise are in regulatory policy, incentive design, resource management and change management. Tone has been the advisor to several ministers on these and more policy matters.

Mr Pierre Cannet
Global Head of Public Affairs and Policy at Client Earth

Pierre leads ClientEarth’s Global Public Affairs and Policy team, overseeing the organisation’s influence on decision-makers to achieve the systems change pursued in its strategy across the world. This includes targeted advocacy and policy insights in all its areas of work throughout the life cycle of the law.

With his team at ClientEarth, Pierre specialises in cross-cutting strategic policy advocacy, supports our legal teams, and leads on flagship policy initiatives to develop a wide range of environmental campaigns and files around the world.

Ms Vera Coelho
Deputy Vice President for Europe Oceana

Vera Coelho is Oceana’s Deputy Vice President in Europe. She leads the organization’s campaigns and Oceana’s policy, communications and science work in Europe.

Vera is a political scientist with 15 years of experience working with national, European and global environment NGOs to protect freshwater and saltwater ecosystems. She is intimately familiar with EU decision-making processes and what it takes to successfully implement EU campaigns to achieve measurable conservation impact.

Vera grew up in Portugal, where the mighty Atlantic is wild and cold, and the coast is windswept and beautiful. Her early childhood memories include hot sunshine and cold ankles when entering the water, and her parents’ advice to always respect the ocean – and not turn her back on it.

Ms Emma Hardy MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Oceans Minister, UK Government

Emma Hardy was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 9 July 2024. She was elected as the MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice in July 2024.

Mr Jianming Fang
Senior Prosecutor, Public Interest Litigation Department of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, China

Jianming Fang, Rank II Senior Prosecutor, Lead Prosecutor of the Public Interest Litigation Department, Supreme People's Procuratorate of China. Mr. Fang has led and handled numerous special cases and operations of public interest litigation in environmental and resource matters, and he has extensive experience in marine ecological or environmental litigation. He plays a key role in legislative amendments and drafting judicial interpretations of the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of China.