The Nature Conservancy appoints climate and conservation leader John Connor as Oceania Director

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has appointed respected climate and conservation leader John Connor as its new Oceania Director, bringing more than three decades of experience across climate policy, conservation, stakeholder engagement and organisational leadership to the role.

Leading TNC’s work across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, Connor will focus on strengthening regional collaboration and investment while supporting the strong country leadership and locally led conservation impact that remains at the heart of the organisation’s work.

Connor joins TNC following a distinguished career across government, business and the non-profit sector, including as Chief Executive Officer of the Carbon Market Institute and The Climate Institute, Executive Director of Fiji’s COP23 Presidency Secretariat, Campaign Director with the Australian Conservation Foundation, and most recently as a senior executive with Australia’s Net Zero Economy Authority.

TNC Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Will McGoldrick commented that Connor’s experience comes at an important time for climate and nature action across Oceania.

“John has spent his career bringing together governments, businesses, communities and civil society to tackle complex climate and conservation challenges.”

“Oceania faces growing environmental pressures, but also enormous opportunities. John’s leadership will help us deepen partnerships and mobilise the investment needed to deliver greater impact for people and nature across the region.”

Connor said Oceania was uniquely positioned to help shape the next chapter of global climate and conservation action.

"Oceania is on the frontline of the climate and biodiversity crises inflicting spiralling human, economic and environmental costs. Oceania is also home to globally significant environmental assets, Indigenous stewardship and private as well as public landholder leadership already driving innovative finance and technological solutions for people and nature.”

"Across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, we must build on those strengths, accelerate the protection and restoration of nature, strengthen climate resilience and create lasting benefits for communities throughout the region.”

Connor’s appointment comes as attention turns to the next phase of global climate and biodiversity action, including global meetings of the Biodiversity COP17 in Armenia and November’s Climate COP31 in Türkiye.

In particular Connor noted the growing opportunity for Australia to support solutions that reduce emissions while restoring landscapes, protecting biodiversity and providing tangible benefits to its regional communities.

“Australia’s climate and nature policy landscape is evolving with significant recent and pending environmental and climate law reforms. Stronger climate ambition and faster action will strengthen partnerships and leadership across the entire Oceania region.

“Australia's path to net zero and climate repairing negative emissions clearly requires ambitious emissions reductions and significant land-based carbon removals. This will require high-integrity carbon and nature markets as well as strategic public support to deliver investible and enduring environmental, social and cultural solutions.”

Connor said Indigenous Peoples and local communities must be central to climate and conservation solutions across Oceania.

“Indigenous Peoples and local communities own or have responsibilities for the majority of land across Oceania, hold deep knowledge and are already leading solutions for climate and nature. Supporting that leadership can deliver lasting environmental, cultural and economic benefits, while strengthening the resilience of communities across our region.”

“No single organisation, government or community can solve these challenges alone. I am honoured to build on the extraordinary leadership already present across Oceania and work with partners across the region to deliver lasting benefits for people, nature and climate.”