Ken Kassem is the acting interim Regional Programme Coordinator for IUCN Oceania. Ken is a half Egyptian and half American passionate conservationist who has worked for International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for three years as Strategic Partnerships Officer. His background is in marine sciences and geography with an emphasis on natural resources management, economics and policy.  His experience includes working for environmental NGOs in the USA, Malaysia, Indonesia and Fiji.  He is an avid scuba diver, bird watcher, and author of numerous popular articles on marine conservation.

Together with Ken, we will explore how nature-based solutions and traditional knowledge can help addressing climate change and increasing resilience in the Pacific.  We will also analyze how they can be integrated and implemented by development partners working on climate and security.