Sweden's Laura Piriz elected OSPAR Chair

Laura Píriz, holds a MSc in marine biology and a PhD in human ecology. She works for the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SWaM) and has been the Swedish OSPAR HoD, as well as being actively involved in HELCOM.

Laura started her career within the Swedish Development Cooperation in the fields of marine science and fisheries. She has worked as the Swedish support to fisheries research in Africa, and to the IMO and UNEP - including the Regional Seas Conventions and their Global Program.

She worked for the UNESCO Regional Office for Science and Technology in Latin America and has planned and evaluated projects for UNDP, EU and International Banks. From the Global Water Partnership Organisation she focused on Water Governance issues.

She has experiences from the design of participative processes for co-management and protected areas as well as the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan. She has advised the HELCOM Secretariat on a part-time basis and the Swedish Ministry of Environment on Arctic Cooperation.

She is an active happy grandma that enjoys tennis, yoga, cycling, zumba, sailing and body attack!

She also has basic knowledge in navigation which will now be tested in her new role with OSPAR.

“There is no good captain without professional and constructive sailors. To all Contracting Parties, please get on board! ” Laura