Dr. John Bohorquez is an interdisciplinary conservation scientist and expert in finance for nature. As founding director of the Blue Economy Solutions Lab, he performs research and advisory for several institutions including the United Nations, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, NGOs, foundations, and research universities. His work has contributed to 30×30 and protected area finance at the global and country level, including as a consultant for Minderoo Foundation’s Marine 30×30 Finance program. John has also contributed to the design and implementation of innovative finance vehicles to support conservation at the global scale, and several tools or resources to help build finance capacity among practitioners and policy makers. John is also a research affiliate with Stony Brook University and the Conservation Finance Alliance.
John previously worked in international fisheries conservation with The Ocean Foundation in partnership with the Pew Charitable Trusts. Before then, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship and Ph.D. at Stony Brook University (New York, USA) where his research included protected area finance in Latin America and the Caribbean, marine protected areas in China, ecosystem service valuations for coastal communities in the New York metro area, and ecosystem restoration along Long Island’s coastline.
Prior to entering graduate school, John worked in finance within the renewable energy and commercial real estate space, performing acquisitions as well as asset management and advisory duties for multiple firms. He received his bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College (USA) where he majored in Economics and Environmental Studies and minored in Earth & Oceanographic Sciences.
John serves on committees and advisory panels with several environmental organizations including IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), the USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The Economist magazine, and The Explorers Club. A citizen of both countries, he is based between the United States and Colombia.
