German Chair and Vice-Chairs
Lilian Busse
Chair of HELCOM 2020-2022
Dr. Lilian Busse
German Environment Agency (UBA)
Since April 2015, Dr. Lilian Busse is leading the Division of Environmental Health and the Protection of Ecosystems at the German Environment Agency (UBA)*. The tasks of the division include the protection of freshwater, coastal, marine and polar ecosystems as well as the protection of soil, groundwater and drinking water. In addition, the division is working on the environmental issues due to current agricultural practices and develops management measures for a sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, the division is working on the improvement of air quality by monitoring and assessing air quality and establish concepts for the reduction of air pollutants.
Currently, Dr. Busse is a member of the scientific advisory board of the Helmholtz Center of Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany.
From 2006-2015, Dr. Busse was a lead scientist at the California Environmental Protection Agency, USA, working on the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program of California’s freshwater and marine ecosystems. She worked as a scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego from 2002-2006 focusing on harmful algal blooms. From 2000-2002, Dr. Busse received a postdoctoral fellowship to conduct research on eutrophication in freshwater and coastal ecosystems at the University of California in Santa Barbara, USA. She received her Ph.D. in Freshwater Ecology at the Technical University Berlin, Germany, and holds a M.S. in Biology from the Technical University Munich, Germany.
Throughput her career, Dr. Busse is focusing her work on the protection of freshwater and marine ecosystems. For over a decade, she is working on the interface between science and policy in this field.
* since September 2021 she has been the Vice President of UBA.
Johannes Oelerich
Vice-Chair of HELCOM 2020-2021 (Schleswig-Holstein)
Dr.-Ing. Johannes Oelerich
Ministry of Energy, Agriculture, the Environment, Nature and Digitalization
Schleswig-Holstein
Germany
Born on 14th of December, 1958 in Husum (Northen Frisia), married, four adult children. Raised in Turkey and Schleswig-Holstein. From 1979 to 1985 studies in civil engineering at the Technical University (TU) Braunschweig. From 1985 to 1990 research assistant at the Leichtweiss-Institute for Hydraulic Engineering. Participation in the research project “Optimization of coastal protection on the Island of Sylt”. 1990 Doctorate with the topic “Calculation of coastal parallel sand transport”. From 1990 to 1992 internship at the Federal Water and Shipping Administration. Since 1992 in the Higher Technical Administration Service of the Water Management Administration of the State of Schleswig-Holstein. One of the defining challenges in 1998 and 1999 was the emergency management at the State Environment Agency Schleswig for dealing with the consequences of the “Pallas” shipwreck accident and securing the wreck. From 2003 to 2005 Head of Department at the State Agency for Nature and Environment in Flintbek. From 2005 to 2007 Head of the Office for Rural Affairs in Husum. Set-up and organisation of the State Agency for Coastal Protection, National Parks and Ocean Protection (LKN.SH) in Husum. Director of the LKN.SH from 2008 to 2018. Since 2018 Head of the Department “Water Management, Marine and Coastal Protection” in the Ministry for the Environment (Ministry of Energy, Agriculture, the Environment, Nature and Digitalisation/ MELUND) of the State of Schleswig-Holstein.
The department’s tasks include soil and groundwater protection, legacy contamination management and water supply, marine protection and the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, the protection of inland waters and facility-related water protection, coastal- and flood protection, and the operation of the state owned ports. The department management also includes the tasks of the Federal Commissioner for Hydraulic Engineering in the Schleswig-Holstein naval ports for the Federal Ministry of Defence as well as the management of the “Special Unit for Ordnance in the Sea”.
Andreas Röpke
Vice-Chair of HELCOM 2021-2022 (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern)
Dr. Andreas Röpke
Ministry of Agriculture and Environment
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Germany
Born June 2nd 1961 in Emden (Eastern Frisia/Germany) – married – three children.
Diploma/University of Kiel in Biological Oceanograhy and Fishery Biology. Studies on mackerel larval recruitment in the Celtic Sea.
PhD/University of Hamburg in Fishery Science. Studies on fish larvae distribution in relation to physical oceanography in the Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean.
Postdoctoral and Scientist positions/University of Miami RSMAS/NOAA SEFSC. Work on reef fish replenishment mechanisms in the Florida Current system.
1996-1997 Scientific Advisor at State Agency for Environment and Nature Protection Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Work on nutrient trends in Baltic coastal waters of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
1997-2000 Advisor in Marine Protection and International Cooperation (e.g. HELCOM) at the Ministry of Environment Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
2001-2006 Head of Division for Marine Protection, integrated environmental monitoring and international cooperation (e.g. HELCOM).
Since 2006 Head of Division for Freshwater and Marine Protection, including HELCOM coordination, implementation of EU WFD, MSFD and prevention/combat of marine pollution (e.g. oil) in the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
2019-2021 Chair of the German Federal Coordination Group of Marine Protection.
Member of the German Society for Marine Research. Member of the German Section of the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
