Honorary Adviser
Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, former President of Timor-Leste and 1996 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
“The most important investment is in improving education. Because it is only with education that people will know how to cope better with the environment."
Specialists
Balgis Osman-Elasha (PhD), Climate Change Adaptation Expert in Tunisia, Africa; 2008 UNEP Champions of the World Recipient; 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate as part of the Intergovernmental Panel in Climate Change (IPCC) that jointly received the award with Al Gore
"I believe Gaia Discovery is fulfilling its objective of educating people and encouraging them to take some of the lessons home. I also believe that, no matter how little things we do to conserve the environment, their positive impacts would always be felt and appreciated."
Thomas J. Goreau (PhD), President of the Global Coral Reef Alliance (GCRA); President of Biorock S.A.; Coordinator of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development Partnership in New Technologies for Small Island Developing States
“To restore reefs we must eliminate the stresses that damage corals and use new methods to grow them faster and more resistant to stress."
James Canton (PhD) is a renowned global futurist, social scientist, keynote presenter, author, and visionary advisor to businesses and governments. He is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Institute for Global Futures - a San Francisco based think tank that forecasts innovations and trends. Also known to media as the Future Guru, Dr Canton authored The Extreme Future: The Top Trends That Will Reshape the World in the 21st Century, Dutton 2006, and Technofutures: How Leading-Edge Innovations Will Transform Business in the 21st Century, Next Millennium Press, 2004.
Kala Vairavamoorthy (PhD), Professor at UNESCO-IHE and UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. He is the Chair in Water Engineering at the University of Birmingham, UK. He heads the SWITCH project researching water planning worldwide in conjunction with UNESCO. SWITCH: Sustainable Water Management Improves Tomorrow's Cities' Health.
“One of the biggest issues we see in sustainable water management is in asset management, not the supply of water itself."
Hitesh Mehta is one of the world’s leading practitioners on ecotourism. President of HM Design, Hitesh is an eco-Architect, eco-Landscape Architect, Environmental Planner, Professional Photographer, Adjunct Professor and Editor/Author of three books: Authentic Ecolodges (Harper Collins, NY), International Ecolodge Guidelines (The International Ecotourism Society, DC), Wild Beauty Accommodation Handbook for Montenegro (GTZ, Germany). He is the longest serving board member of The International Ecotourism Society.
"With indigenous cultures, native languages, local customs and rituals under threat, it is important that ecotourism companies are involved with the local community and offer sustainable benefits."