UN Ocean Conference: Time for actions?

By Hannah Schartmann. Our oceans are the largest ecosystems on our planet and home to up to 80% of all life in the world. We all depend on the ocean, even if we don’t live by it. The ocean supplies half the oxygen we breathe and absorbs around 25% of all carbon dioxide we produce….

Interview with award-winning ocean filmmaker Ulf Marquardt

By Hannah Schartmann. Hi! A warm welcome and thanks a lot for the interview. Can you tell me a bit more about you? What is your background? Hello and thank you for having me here. Since I watched my first Godzilla movies in local cinema as a kid, I was interested in filmmaking, and when…

Interview with Susan Bengtson Nash, Program Director of the Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program at Griffith University, Australia

By Hannah Schartmann. A warm welcome and thank you very much for the interview. Can you tell me a bit more about you? What is your background? I am a polar scientist and I am passionate about Planetary Health. I lead the Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program (SOPOPP). The Program focuses on investigating how…

Interview with Sharon Livermore, International Fund for Animal Welfare

By Hannah Schartmann. A warm welcome and thank you very much for the interview. Can you tell me a bit more about you? What is your background? Thank you for the invitation to be interviewed! Ever since I was a small child, I’ve had a strong passion for animals and conservation, and a deep connection…

What is it like to live and work in the Antarctic?

By Hannah Schartmann. Julia Loftfield is working at the Alfred-Wegner Institute (AWI). Currently, she is overwintering in the Antarctic. The Neumayer Station III is the German Antarctic Research Centre. You are responsible for the air-chemistry observatory at the station. What does a typical day look like for you? Typically I get up around 7 / 7:30…

Interview with Thilo Maack, Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace Germany

By Hannah Schartmann. Thilo Maack is a graduate biologist with a focus on marine biology. Since 1999, he has been working for Greenpeace, primarily on fisheries and whale protection campaigns. On several occasions, he led the Greenpeace delegation to the meeting of the International Whaling Commission and represents Greenpeace in fisheries-related political forums. A warm…

Interview with Umair Shahid, Indian Ocean Tuna Manager at WWF – Ongoing problems of illegal and unsustainable fishing

By Hannah Schartmann. Umair Shahid is working as the Indian Ocean Tuna Manager for the WWF’s Smart Fishing Initiative (SFI), which has the overall aim to end overfishing in the oceans. A warm welcome to Umair Shahid. Can you tell me a bit more about you? What is your background? I am a development professional…

Cetacean research, conservation and management since 1946 – Interview with Andrej Bibič, Chair of the International Whaling Commission

By Hannah Schartmann. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the global body charged with the conservation of whales and the management of whaling. Andrej Bibič is the current chair of the IWC. Since when are you working for the IWC? What was your motivation to work for the commission? I will serve a two-year term…

Climate change – scaremongering or an unfortunate reality? Interview with Wendel Trio, Director of the Climate Action Network Europe (CAN Europe)

By Hannah Schartmann. A warm welcome, Wendel Trio. What are your tasks at the Climate Action Network Europe? I have been the Director of CAN Europe since September 2011. My main tasks include strategy development, political representation, developing the network and fundraising. I also coordinate and manage the secretariat. Can you tell me a bit…

Emily Cunningham – marine conservation consultant, researcher and educator working across the UK

By Hannah Schartmann. Hi Emily! What steps did you take to become a marine conservation specialist and which skills are important to pursue a career as a conservationist?  I always knew I wanted to work in marine conservation but after graduating from my integrated master’s degree in marine biology, I had no idea how to…