Stefan Hain

Dr. Stefan Hain serves as Head of the Environmental Policy Unit at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), leading efforts to develop science-based policy for Antarctic marine protected areas. His work focuses on the Weddell Sea Marine Protected Area (WSMPA) proposal under the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Since 2011, he has driven international collaboration on Antarctic conservation, building on prior roles at the OSPAR Commission (1994–2000) and the UN Environment Programme’s Coral Reef Unit (2003–2009). His research emphasizes protecting pristine Antarctic ecosystems from human impacts, particularly in the Weddell Sea, which remains largely untouched due to extreme sea ice conditions.

Key contributions include advancing the WSMPA proposal since 2012 and advising German federal policy on biodiversity and climate resilience. His interdisciplinary work bridges science and policy, addressing climate change adaptation and sustainable governance in polar regions.