Chief Scientist
James Kerry’s passion for the ocean began in 2003 when he learned to dive among the cold kelp forests off the coast of Cape Town. After studying International Relations in South Africa, James worked in the British Parliament where he gained key insights into how laws are made and amended, while also becoming keenly aware of the climate crisis. This awareness of environmental impacts combined with his love for the ocean led to him undertaking a Master’s degree and then PhD in Marine Biology at James Cook University in Australia. During this time, James worked extensively on coral reef ecosystems and climate change impacts.
After his studies, he played an instrumental role in an international research taskforce that responded to mass coral bleaching events in 2016, 2017 and 2020. After leaving academia, James moved into government, overseeing strategy and governance for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, as well as acting periodically as its Chief Scientist.
James joined OceanCare in 2023, as a Senior Marine and Climate Scientist where he established the work programme on marine geoengineering. Taking on the role of Chief Scientist in 2026, James now oversees the scientific integrity, coherence, and strategic direction of OceanCare's policy and advocacy work, and manages the science team. His role continues to include substantial work on marine geoengineering, where he seeks to scrutinise high-risk proposals that may distract from the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis at source and protect marine ecosystems. James continues to hold an adjunct Senior Research Fellow position at James Cook University.
