Dr. Sarantuyaa Zandaryaa is the Lead of Theme on Water for Human Settlements of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) in the Division of Water Sciences at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. She leads, designs and implements of UNESCO activities, aimed at providing science-based policy advice, technical support and capacity building to world’s countries in responding to water and climate change challenges in human settlements and transitioning to sustainable urban water management based on innovative approaches such as a circular economy. In the past, she also led the IHP Theme on Water Quality, including the launch and implementation of major UNESCO projects on Emerging Pollutants and Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems. She has a doctoral degree in Environmental Engineering and a post-doctoral degree in Environment and Sustainable Development. Dr Sarantuyaa has been working for the United Nations system for 20 years, including at UNESCO and UNU.
Dr. Ali Fares is the Endowed Water Security and Food-Energy-Water Nexus Professor at the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Prairie View A&M University, USA. He is a co-authored of the US Fifth National Climate Assessment Report and has secured over $100 million in research funding. With over 130 publications, he has edited several books and organized numerous international scientific conferences. His research focuses on water allocation and management, artificial intelligence, and climate change adaptation and mitigation for water, energy, and food. He has testified before the US Congress and served on various national working groups.
Dr. Gabriel Eckstein is Professor and Director of the Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resource Systems Law Program, in the School of Law at Texas A&M University, USA. His research focuses on natural resources and environmental law and policy at both the national and international levels, as well as on the interrelationship of law and science. His recent publications have addresses endangered species challenged to oil and gas development, climate change challenges to the management of global water resources, and the international law of transboundary aquifers. He is currently researching the management and regulation of pharmaceuticals in waters and environment.