NEW YORK – Ocean Conservancy climate experts will be on the ground and available for interviews at New York Climate Week and the UN General Assembly High-level Week from Monday, September 23 through Thursday, September 26.

Climate change is the single largest threat to our ocean and marine species. The ocean absorbs more than 90 percent of the heat trapped by the greenhouse gasses released from burning fossil fuels. At the same time, the ocean is more than a victim of climate change: it holds powerful solutions to the problem that have long been overlooked. 

“We cannot solve the climate crisis without ocean solutions,” said Anna Marie Laura, Senior Director of Climate Policy at Ocean Conservancy. “As world leaders convene at the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week, the fact of the matter is that we are not on track to meet our climate goals – but ocean based solutions, like developing responsible offshore wind, halting offshore oil and gas and decarbonizing the shipping industry, have the power to turn the tide.”

###

RECENT CLIMATE PRESS RELEASES

• STATEMENT: Ocean Conservancy Applauds Marine Energy Technologies Acceleration Act as Critical Step Toward a Just Clean Energy Transition
• STATEMENT: Ocean Conservancy Applauds Plug Offshore Wells Act, Urges More Action to Hold Oil and Gas Operators Accountable
• NEWS: Ocean Conservancy Releases First Of Its Kind Analysis On Affordable Financing For Offshore Wind In Developing Countries
• STATEMENT: Ocean Conservancy Urges Congress To Pass International Maritime Pollution Accountability Act
• STATEMENT: New Interior Rule Will Help to Advance Responsible Offshore Wind in the U.S.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

ABOUT THE EXPERTS

Janis Searles Jones

Janis Searles Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Conservancy where, since 2008, she has led efforts against oil and gas development, increased shipping, and climate change, bringing her passion and commitment to the organization’s conservation programs.

In 1996, after completing her Juris Doctorate from Lewis and Clark College, Janis moved to Juneau, Alaska, shifting from working with Native American Tribes to focusing on public land and water legal issues. Since then, her career has been dedicated to defending the Arctic’s people and places. A respected marine conservation expert, Janis has authored chapters on sustainable ocean resource use and ecosystem-based management. Before Ocean Conservancy, she was senior regional counsel and policy advisor for Oceana and staff attorney for Earthjustice in Alaska. She currently resides in Portland, OR. 

Anna-Marie Laura

Anna-Marie is the Senior Director of Climate Policy at Ocean Conservancy. In this role, she manages the organization’s domestic and international ocean climate priorities, from advancing responsible offshore wind to working to have the ocean included in Nationally Determined Contributions. Prior to joining Ocean Conservancy, Anna-Marie was the Director of Policy and Strategic Partnerships at Rare, an international conservation and development non-profit and an Ocean and Coastal Policy Advisor for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, where she worked closely with many stakeholders to advance U.S. domestic ocean policy priorities. She was a Knauss Sea Grant Fellow in 2010, has a Coastal Environmental Management degree from Duke University and received a BSc in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina. Anna-Marie is based in Washington, D.C.

Shamini Selvaratnam 

Shamini Selvaratnam is Ocean Conservancy’s Associate Director of International Climate and Clean Energy. She is an expert at building organizational capital in multi-stakeholder environments. Her work at Ocean Conservancy focuses on advancing ocean-based clean energy and climate solutions by connecting with high-level officials, stakeholders and private sector partners to collaborate on solutions to accelerate the clean energy and low-carbon transition. She is an experienced strategist with a global outlook and expertise in energy and climate policy, multilateral engagement, strategic partnerships, and international development. 

Shamini has significant experience working with governments, multilateral institutions, United Nations agencies, NGOs, and the private sector. Prior to her time at Ocean Conservancy, Shamini worked at the World Bank, and UNDP. Shamini holds a Masters of Science in climate change and Development from SOAS, University of London and a Bachelor’s degree in sociology and communications from York University. In her spare time, she curates projects at the intersection of art, food, and civic engagement. She is based in Washington, DC.

Felipe E. Victoria  

Felipe E. Victoria is Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Manager, Multilateral Affairs, International Government Relations. He has supported advocacy efforts toward a strong International Legally Binding Instrument on plastic pollution, or global plastics treaty, at the United Nations. He brings a decade of diplomatic experience to the role: Prior to joining Ocean Conservancy, Felipe represented Spain’s regional Basque interests at the UN Economic and Social Chamber (ECOSOC), the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), and other UN System organizations and forums, and served as international advisor for Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia at the Spanish Embassy in Cairo, Egypt from 2013-2015. Felipe has a Spanish Law degree by the Complutense University of Madrid, a Masters Degree in Diplomacy and International Relations by the Spanish Diplomatic School, and a specialized Diploma in EU Law and Institutions by the same school. As well, he holds a Masters Degree in International Trade and Business Management through a joint program of the Menendez Pelayo International University of Spain and the Spanish Ministry of Economy.

ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.