Hans Herrmann

Hans Herrmann is a marine ecologist and business manager with over 30 years experience in the field of biodiversity conservation and natural resource policy. Currently is the President and CEO of The Mare Nostrum Global Initiative, an international NGO committed to driving systemic change that eliminates plastic waste from our oceans. He is also Senior Associate and former Managing Director of the largest international sustainable development “think-tank” in Canada – the International Institute for Sustainable Development, (IISD). Founder and Senior Director of the Shearwater Institute, an international organization focused on assessing impact and evaluating performance of NGOs, international organizations, foundations and governments. Former Executive Director of the largest network of NGO is Canada, the Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN), and former Deputy Director of NatureServe Canada. As the former Head of the Biodiversity Conservation Program of the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), he led the development and implementation of a wide range of North American cooperation initiatives facilitating joint planning and a systematic approach to conserve North American species and spaces of common conservation concern, building country capacities — particularly in Mexico and creating and stewarding tri-national biodiversity and ecosystem conservation continent-wide networks.

Before joining the CEC he was the founding Director of Pronatura Mexico, the largest non-governmental organization devoted to the conservation of biodiversity in Mexico. Prior to that, Mr. Herrmann was the Science Director at the Scientific Research Center of Quintana Roo (CIQRO) in the Yucatan Peninsula and his main responsibility was the management and coordination of scientific research in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
He was Chair of the Mesoamerican Delegation at IUCN and as a Mesoamerican representative of the GEF Focal Points Network. He is also a member of the IUCN World Commission for Protected Areas. Has published since 1985 in multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals, science, and environmental policy books. His most recent contributions include, the State of Conservation Efforts to Protect Migratory Birds Beyond Canada’s Boundaries, for Canada’s Auditor General; The State of Biodiversity Information in Canada, for Canada’s Auditor General; Public Consultation in the Age of Web 2.0, for Canada’s Commissioner for the Environment & Sustainable Development; chapters for the “Future of North America: 2025” and CONABIO’s Mexico’s Natural Capital and coauthored CEC’s Marine Ecoregions of North America. He is a member of the Board of Directors of: the Nomomente Institute, the Canadian Healthy Ocean Network (CHONe), The Ocean Foundation, Sea Watch, The Mare Nostrum Global initiative and Senior Associate of the Pronatura System.