Harlan Cohen, Ph.D.

Advisor on Ocean Governance and International Institutions

IUCN Global Marine Programme: marine law and conventions, governance and high seas

Working within the IUCN Global Marine Programme, Harlan Cohen has
responsibility for IUCN’s international ocean governance work. He advises on IUCN’s policies and positions with respect to a wide range of international oceans and fisheries fora to ensure that IUCN’s positions are coordinated, balanced, practical, and in keeping with resolutions and recommendations as adopted at IUCN’s World Conservation Congresses.

Harlan is a former senior member of the U.S. Foreign Service, where he
worked on marine, Antarctic and Arctic issues. He served in Curaçao,
Frankfurt am Main, Paramaribo, and Geneva. While in Geneva, he focused on environmental and scientific issues and worked with the staff of Secretariats for six global environmental conventions, four regional environmental conventions and with a number of other environmental and scientific organizations. Harlan edited the 9th edition of the Antarctic Treaty Handbook. He has a B.A. from Columbia University, a Ph.D. in modern European history from Cambridge University and also completed a year of graduate study in science, technology and public policy at the George Washington University.