Professor Coleen Vogel
Coleen Vogel is an independent scholar whose current research interests include global change, urban risk reduction, and development issues. She was the BMW Chair of Sustainability at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and also chaired the Scientific Committee of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Change (IHDP). In 2010, Vogel was awarded the Burtoni Award in recognition of her work on adaptation and climate change diplomacy.
Mohammad Shahbaz
Mohammad Shahbaz is Advisor to the National Centre for Research and Development in Jordan. The center is part of the Jordanian Higher Council for Science and Technology. Shahbaz is a specialist in mechanical and chemical engineering with an interest in water management. Between 1995 and 2005 Shahbaz was President of the Jordan Badia Research and Development Centre.
Professor Johan Rockström
Johan Rockström is the Executive Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Stockholm Resilience Centre. He is an internationally recognized systems researcher on global sustainability issues with a particular focus on resilience and development. Rockström chairs the International Council for Science’s team tasked with the transition to a new global sustainability initiative. In 2009 he was awarded “Swede of the Year”.
Dr Jill Jäger
Jill Jäger is an independent scholar and senior researcher at the Sustainable Europe Research Institute. Her primary interest is in the linkages between knowledge and action for sustainable development. She received her BSc degree in environmental sciences from the University of East Anglia (UK) in 1971. In 1974 the University of Colorado (USA) awarded her PhD in geography (climatology).
Professor Richard Wilkinson
Richard Wilkinson is Professor Emeritus of Social Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham Medical School, Honorary Professor at the University College London and a Visiting Professor at the University of York. He has played a formative role in international research on the social determinants of health and on the societal effects of income inequality. Professor Wilkinson studied economic history at the London School of Economics before training in epidemiology. He co-wrote The Spirit Level with Kate Pickett and is a co-founder of The Equality Trust.
Daniela Mariuzzo
Daniela Mariuzzo is the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Rabobank International, Brazil. Mariuzzo trained as a food engineer and subsequently obtained a PhD in environmental bioremediation. She represents Rabobank in several initiatives, including the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Financial Initiative. She also participates in the Roundtables on Responsible Commodities, such as the Round Table on Responsible Soy.
Professor Diana Liverman
Diana Liverman is the Regents Professor of Geography and Development at the University of Arizona, where she co-directs the Institute of the Environment. Professor Liverman’s research focuses on human dimensions of global environmental change, including climate impacts, vulnerability, adaptation and policy, land use change, and environment in Mexico. She chaired the advisory committee of the Global Environmental Change and Food Systems (GECAFS) program and is currently co-chair of the transition team for the Earth System Sustainability Initiative.
Connie Hedegaard
Connie Hedegaard is the European Union Commissioner for Climate Action. In 2004, Hedegaard was appointed Denmark’s Environment Minister where she set up the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy. Hedegaard played a leading role in the 2009 UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen. She became an MP in 1984 at the age of 23 – the youngest ever Danish MP at that time.
Rowan Douglas
Rowan Douglas is Chief Executive Officer of Global Analytics, Willis Re, and Chairman of the Willis Research Network. Willis Re is a world-leading re-insurance company employing 20,000 people. The Willis Research Network is the world's largest collaboration between public science and the finance sector. In 2011 Douglas was appointed to the UK Prime Minister's Council for Science and Technology and sits on the UNEP Finance Initiative Insurance Commission.
Professor Nigel M. de S. Cameron
Nigel M. de S. Cameron is a Research Professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law in the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). He is also the President of the Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies (C-PET). Professor Cameron is an interdisciplinary scholar, facilitator, and communicator who has initiated projects at the interface of science, technology, values, business, and policy. He currently chairs the Social and Human Sciences Committee of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.
Professor Will Steffen
Will Steffen is Executive Director of the ANU Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University, Canberra. From 1998 to mid-2004, Steffen was as Executive Director of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP). His research interests cover Earth System science, with an emphasis on the incorporation of human processes in Earth System modeling and analysis.
Jeremy B. Bentham
Jeremy Bentham is Royal Dutch Shell’s Vice President for Global Business Environment. Since 2006, the Oxford physics graduate has headed up Shell’s Global Business Environment team. Prior to this, Bentham was part of the leadership team of Shell Global Solutions where he became chief executive of Shell Hydrogen.
Barbara J. Krumsiek
Barbara Krumsiek is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Calvert Investments, a globally recognized leader in the field of sustainable and responsible investing. Krumsiek also co-chairs the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Finance Initiative. This initiative is a partnership between UNEP and 200 global financial institutions, and is mandated to develop and promote links between sustainability and financial performance.
Professor Sir John Beddington
Sir John Beddington is the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser. A fellow of the Royal Society, Sir John has spoken widely about the “Perfect Storm” of climate change and food, energy and water security. Sir John was Professor of Applied Population Biology at Imperial College, London. His main research interests are the application of biological and economic analysis to natural resource management.
Professor Oran Young
Oran Young is a professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California. The author of over 20 books, Young is a world-leading expert on Earth system governance. The most recent book co-authored by him is Science Diplomacy, published in 2011. From 2005 to 2010, Young chaired the Scientific Committee of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change.
Conclusion
This diverse range of invited speakers exemplifies the commitment of the Planet Under Pressure conference to bringing together experts from various fields to address the pressing global challenges of climate change and sustainability. From renowned scientists and researchers to influential policymakers and industry leaders, these speakers will provide valuable insights and perspectives on key issues such as food and water security, energy management, and the social determinants of health. Their collective expertise will contribute to shaping the discourse around planet stewardship and inspire action towards a more sustainable future.
If you're attending the conference, make sure to take advantage of the opportunity to hear from these distinguished speakers and engage in meaningful discussions on the critical issues facing our planet. Together, we can build a more sustainable and resilient world.