Hans Niewenhuis

Hans Nieuwenhuis studied Environmental Science, with a specialization in atmospheric chemistry, air pollution and environmental policy, at Wageningen University. He worked at the Ministry of Environment (as delegate to the climate change negotiations, and IPCC Bureau member) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries (responsible for inter alia marine Natura2000 policy). After these years in public service, he joined the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as Program Director Benelux to work on incentivizing sustainable fisheries through market mechanisms. He later took up the position of Regional Director Northern Europe at MSC.

In 2020 he decided to rejoin the public administration and he now heads the Marine Policy Unit at The Netherlands’ Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. In this position he is responsible for coordination of the North Sea Policy across all  involved government departments. This pertains e.g to the Maritime Spatial Plan, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the marine environment. His Unit also works on the NL ocean policy and the facilitation of marine science for policy development.