The National Council For Science and the Environment runs a big conference every year in Washington DC.  This years theme is “Our Changing Oceans” and it is shaping up to be one of the most important ocean conservation conferences ever.

Some of the major speakers include:

Dr. Carl Safina, President, Blue Ocean Institute

Steve Murawski, Director of Scientific Programs and Chief Science Advisor, NOAA Fisheries

Hon. Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, NOAA

Dr. Sylvia Earle, Explorer-in-residence, National Geographic; Founder, Mission Blue; Chairman & CEO, Sylvia Earle Alliance

Jean-Michel Cousteau, Ocean Futures Society

John Podesta, President and CEO, Center for American Progress; Member, Joint Ocean Commission Leadership Council

Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality

John Holdren, Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (Invited); Co-Chairs, National Ocean Council

Ove and I organized a session on climate change impacts on the oceans.

See the full conference overview here and a list of conference sessions here.