.
Prof. Dr. Clüsener-Godt is German, graduated in Biology on 'Mangrove Ecology along the West Coast of South America' and obtained his Ph. D. on 'Statistical Analysis on the Relationship between Nutrients, Plants and Soils in the Natural Vegetation at a Global Scale' in Germany.
He worked for more than 30 years at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris where he served as UNESCO's Director of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences and Secretary of the Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB), and, at the same time the Secretary of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Programme (UGGP) until 2021.
He obtained the titles of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Pará, Belém, Brazil in 2008, and form the Yokohama National University in 2023.
As of 2021, he is a Senior Research Associate at the UNESCO Chair on Biodiversity Safeguard for Sustainable Development, Life Sciences Department, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
In March 2022, he became a Professor at the Yokohama National University, Division of Natural Environment and Information, Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences.
Prof. Dr. Hiroyuki Matsuda graduated from Kyoto University with a degree in Biology and obtained a DSc in Biophysics. He served as a Research Associate at Nippon Medical School, Senior Scientist at Japan Fisheries Research Institute, and Associate Professor at Kyushu University and the University of Tokyo. He later became a Professor at Yokohama National University (YNU) and, in 2023, a Distinguished Professor at the Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, YNU. He led the G-COE "Global Eco-Risk Management from Asian Viewpoints" (2007-2012), was President of the Ecological Society of Japan, Director of Japan Society of Ocean Policy, Board member of Earthwatch Japan, and has been a Pew Marine Fellow since 2007.
Dr. Benno Böer is a professional project manager with over 35 years of international experience in the global environmental sciences, with longer service periods in Europe, the Arab Region, Africa, and Asia. His work addresses socio-ecological issues, such as climate change, ecosystem conservation and restoration, blue carbon ecosystems, science-education, and climate resilience for human living. He published many books, including three volumes on 'The water-energy- and food-security nexus in Asia Pacific' (2024), he produced several films, and global exhibitions on mangrove ecosystems and climate-science-literacy. He is co-editor of a new book series at Springer Nature 'Blue Carbon Ecosystems for Sustainable Development'. He currently serves as Chief of the Natural Sciences Unit at UNESCO in New Delhi.
Dr. Loughland is an Australian professional senior environmental consultant with over 30 years of international experience in the Middle East, North Africa, West & Central Asia, Canada and Australia. Ronald has a PhD in coastal zone management, focused on the management of marine and coastal (blue carbon) ecosystems, particularly those occurring throughout Arabia.
