I have been working on environmental policy since 2001, focusing on the world’s coasts and oceans - an interest that goes back to my childhood exploration of the Danish islands by sail.

At GRID-Arendal, I head the Marine Environment Programme. We address a diverse range of marine challenges, including carbon storage in coastal and marine ecosystems, Integrated Ocean Management, preservation of ecosystem services, the blue economy and governance of the world’s ocean resources.

My engagement with UNEP started in the preparation for the Johannesburg Summit in 2002. Since then I have functioned as one of four European youth advisors for UNEP, worked on climate and energy policy at the UNEP Risoe Centre, researched coastal governance at the University of Oxford, taken part in founding the UNFCCC Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN) and worked as technical advisor for CTCN, UNEP-DHI and IFAD.

As part of my research, I developed the universal coastal classification and management framework, the Coastal Hazard Wheel, with the aim to support coastal governance worldwide. Following the methodological development, I founded a broader partnership with the goal of providing an open access classification of the world’s coastlines and improve hazard management by coastal societies.

My educational background includes a Ph.D. in Decision-support for climate change adaptation from UNEP DTU Partnership, graduate studies in environmental policy at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a M.Sc. in Geography from the University of Copenhagen.