UNEP Shelf Programme

The UNEP Shelf Programme helps coastal states to prepare a submission for delineating the outer limits of their continental shelf.

Go off the shelf

Recent Publications

In Continental Shelf - The Last Maritime Zone status and summary of results for the extent of the sovereignty or jurisdiction of coastal States are presented.

Enlighten me

Google Earth

Use the Google Earth plug-in to explore a 3D globe with Earth view in Google Maps and on sites across the web.

Get excited

EarthWire Marine

EarthWire is an environment news service which provides a daily overview of the environment as reported in the media.

Get wired

Elaine Baker

Elaine Baker has a diverse background in marine science. Her MSc (environmental toxicology) and PhD focused on the oceanography, sedimentology and marine geochemistry of the tropical waters and mega deltas of the Asia Pacific region. She has explored global change through the ancient sedimentary record and the modern use of natural resources in large cities. She is now most interested in making science useful to people.

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• Elaine
  Baker

  Senior Expert, Marine Sciences

Yannick Beaudoin

Yannick Beaudoin is a geoscientist. He received his PhD in Marine/Economic Geology from the University of Toronto with a focus on deep ocean hydrothermal systems and their associated polymetallic sulphide deposits. Yannick has also been actively involved with the nascent marine mining community and promoting sustainable development and good governance.

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• Yannick Beaudoin

  Head of Marine Programme

Joan Fabres

My degree education background is in general geology while during my postgraduate studies I specialized in marine geology and oceanography. My research efforts focussed on investigating sedimentary processes in continental margin environments, and their role in carbon sequestration.

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• Joan
  Fabres

  Coordinator UNEP Shelf Programme

Øystein Halvorsen

With a master degree in physics and applied cybernetics, Øystein has been around since the early computing years. His main tasks consists of software engineering and system maintenance with focus on developing, managing and serving the in-house GIS systems.

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• Øystein Halvorsen

  Software Engineer

Steven Lutz

There is a body of evidence to show that there are particular ecosystems that act as carbon sinks. That is they are absorbing and removing large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere every day and storing it in plant material or sediments for long periods of time. Steven is currently leading the Blue Carbon Initiative.

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• Steven
  Lutz

  Blue Carbon Initiative

Christian Neumann

Christian's academic background is in Marine Ecology. Before joining GRID-Arendal in 2011, Christian has been with WWF Germany for seven years. Advocating for Marine Protected Areas in European waters and in the High Seas, he has worked on the development and implementation of marine conservation policy.

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• Christian Neumann

  Marine Ecology/Biology

Rannveig Nilsen

Rannveig has a master degree in development management, and wrote her thesis on waste management. She has participated in two exchange programmes, taking her to Peru and Uganda. Currently she manages the outreach section of the marine programme and its services.

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• Rannveig
  Nilsen

  Communications

Jean-Nicolas Poussart

As a physical geographer, Jean-Nicolas is the focal point for GIS -based activities at GRID-Arendal. Having worked in several countries, Jean-Nicolas' experience and expertise in spatial analysis now focuses primarily on marine-related issues.

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• Jean-Nicolas Poussart

  Marine Spatial Analysis

Wouter Rommens

Wouter is an aquatic ecologist. He obtained his PhD in Ecology at the Leuven University in Belgium and specialized in the ecology of shallow lakes. Since then, he is involved in sustainable management of natural resources, hereby focusing on the marine environment through specialized capacity development projects.

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• Wouter Rommens

  Capacity Development

Tina Schoolmeester

Born and raised near the sea, Tina Schoolmeester was determined to dedicate her professional career to the marine environment. A marine geologist by education, she concentrated her research and professional career around issues of climate change, seafloor morphology and benthic ecosystems, geohazards, Law of the Sea, and geophysics. In the future she wants to focus on capacity building related to marine environmental issues in coastal communities, deep sea and in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

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• Tina Schoolmeester

  Geology/Geophysics

Morten Sørensen

Morten Sørensen is a human geographer with specialization in natural resource accounting. He is the former head of the Marine Programme and have a long record of involvement with GRID-Arendal from the establishment. He has also worked for UNEP in Nairobi.

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• Morten
  Sørensen

  Senior Advisor

Kristina Thygesen

Kristina is a geologist and geophysicist. Prior to GRID-Arendal she was an employee of Statoil.

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• Kristina Thygesen

  Geology/Geophysics