Martin Koehring is a senior blue economy and ocean sustainability leader with more than two decades of experience spanning multilateral institutions, think tanks and global initiatives.
He has shaped global discussions on sustainable ocean development through leadership roles at the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and The Economist Group.
At UNEP FI, he contributed to the development of innovative ocean finance mechanisms, including supporting the co-design of the One Ocean Finance Facility and serving on the BBNJ Finance Advisory Group linked to implementation of the High Seas Treaty.
At UNIDO, he authored the discussion paper Blueprint for Sustainable Development: The Blue Industry Contribution to the Blue Economy Agenda, presented at an Expert Group Meeting in Vienna.
As Head of The Economist’s World Ocean Initiative (2019–2023), he led the Initiative’s strategy and global convening work, strengthening its role as a leading platform for advancing a sustainable ocean economy and shaping the programme of the World Ocean Summit.
Selected Contributions
- Author of UNIDOs Blue Industry Contribution to the Blue Economy Agenda (UNIDO)
- Author of Accelerating the SDGs through Investments in Marine Natural Capital (T20 compendium)
- Author of Three reasons why 2023 could be the year of blue carbon (UN Today)
- Co-author of The Post-COVID-19 Ocean Economy: Building Back Bluer (Ocean Yearbook)
- Foreword for Preparing a Workforce for the New Blue Economy: People, Products and Policies
- Editor of ocean supplement in The Economist newspaper
- Editor of World Ocean Outlook 2023: Building on the ocean momentum
- Editor of A sustainable ocean economy in 2030: Opportunities and challenges
- Editor of Accelerating Energy Innovation for the Blue Economy
- Editorial supervisor of Protectors Oceans Series showcasing cutting-edge examples of ocean conservation
- Project Director of The ocean flows through all 17 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Project Director of How ocean observations power the fight against climate change
- Project Director of Ocean Changemakers Challenge
- Project Director of Rethinking plastics in a circular economy
- Project Director of The Future of Aquaculture to 2050
- Project Advisor of Back to Blue, a multi-year initiative on pollution and ocean health
- Inventor of Beyond the surface on best practice approaches to Marine Protected Areas
Latest Ocean Posts
- Speaking about blue financing for urban coastal resilience at Mumbai Climate Week
- Guest Lecture: The Blue Economy Paradox – Sovereignty, Finance & Resilience in the Indo-Pacific
- Financing Blue Economy Innovation: The Hidden Role of Intellectual Property
- Blue Finance Perspective on BBNJ Entry into Force
- Moderating high-level Blue Industry events at UNIDO’s General Conference in Riyadh