Marjan van den Belt

Ecological Economist

Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

About

I am an ecological economist with 28 years’ experience gained through research, teaching, advising, consulting, management, enterprising and governance in settings ranging from local to global. My professional career has been driven by a life-long passion for ecological sustainability, social-cultural fairness, and innovative economic and business solutions.

Experience

  • Global Council Member at Wellbeing Economy Alliance - WEAll
    Oct 2025 - Present · 9 mos

  • Member of Council - Ministerial Appointee at Lincoln University (NZ)
    Feb 2020 - Present · 6 yrs 5 mos

  • Member of Pool of Experts - World Oceans Assessment, Regular Process at United Nations UNCLOS
    2014 - Present · 12 yrs 6 mos

  • EHF Fellow at Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF)
    Oct 2020 - Apr 2026 · 5 yrs 7 mos

    Very excited about being welcomed into this community of change makers in 2020. Six years later, the EHF structure has closed itself. A true privilege and honour to have crossed paths and spent time with such amazing people. The relationships, knowledge sharing, innovative strategic thinking will undoubtedly last beyond the formal structure.

  • Impact Value Creator - Maternity cover at The Ocean Cleanup
    Aug 2025 - Feb 2026 · 7 mos

    Developing and piloting revenue-generating impact value propositions — including blue innovative impact finance — in partnership with project teams. Leveraging the circular, ecological and wellbeing economy approaches to turn recovered plastics (worth millions) into funding for cleanup operations, while avoiding billions in ocean plastic impacts and protecting ecosystem services. Creating adaptable, plug-and-play solutions to make river cleanups financially sustainable, ecologically regenerative, and socially impactful.