The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has paid tribute to international maritime lawyer Kristina Maria Gjerde who has died at the age of 69.
The IUCN has described her as “a towering figure in international ocean governance and a cherished colleague whose impact on the protection of the high seas and the deep ocean is immeasurable”.
Gjerde served IUCN for decades as its High Seas Adviser and represented it at numerous international for a.
These included the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Seabed Authority (ISA), and throughout the negotiations of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).
“In these spaces, she was widely respected for her intellectual rigour, principled leadership, and unwavering commitment to science-based, precautionary ocean governance,”it said.
“When I think of the high seas and the deep ocean, I think of Kristina Gjerde—a committed lawyer whose clarity of purpose, quiet authority, and generosity of spirit shaped the course of ocean history,” Dr Grethel Aguilar, Director General IUCN said.
“As we await the entry into force of the High Seas Treaty on January 17th, we will do so with Kristina foremost in our thoughts, mindful that her vision and perseverance helped make this moment possible,” Aguilar said.
“ At IUCN, we are profoundly grateful for her stewardship, her friendship, and the wisdom she shared so freely with our Union. Through the Ocean Stewardship Award and the many lives she inspired, Kristina’s legacy will continue to empower new generations to safeguard the ocean she so deeply loved.”
The IUCN says that “long before global attention turned to the high seas and deep ocean, Kristina recognised both their vulnerability and their vital importance to planetary health”.
“Her vision and persistence were instrumental in shaping the ideas, alliances, and legal foundations that ultimately led to the adoption of the BBNJ Agreement in 2023—a landmark achievement for multilateral environmental cooperation and ocean conservation. As the Agreement prepares to enter into force in January 2026, her legacy is deeply embedded in its ambition and design,” it says.
“Within IUCN, Kristina was more than an expert negotiator or legal scholar. She was a mentor, a bridge-builder, and a moral compass bringing together governments, civil society, youth, scientists, and philanthropies to advance shared solutions for the ocean,”it says.
“Her contributions spanned the protection of deep-sea ecosystems, opposition to destructive fishing practices and premature deep-sea mining, and emerging concerns around novel ocean interventions such as marine geoengineering,”it says.
"Kristina's legacy will resonate through the advancements she championed in marine conservation, reminding us all of our shared responsibility to safeguard the high seas for current and future generations,” Madhu Rao, Chair of IUCN World Commission of Protected Areas says.
"For the last two decade,s Kristina has been an unwavering and inspiring champion for ocean conservation. Her warm enthusiasm will be deeply missed by all the organisations she supported and the people she motivated so effectively,” David Freestone, Executive Secretary, Sargasso Sea Commission, says.
Kristina’s calm determination, generosity of spirit, and steadfast belief in the power of multilateralism inspired generations of ocean leaders, the IUCN says.
It has extended its deepest condolences to her husband Adam, her son Darius, her family, and her vast ocean community of friends and colleagues around the world.
