Professor Reshma Sucheran, an Associate Professor and Research Chair in the Department of Hospitality at Durban University of Technology (DUT) since 1997, holds a PhD in Geography and Environmental Management. With three decades of academic experience, she has significantly contributed to sustainable tourism, climate change mitigation, and environmental management. Her teaching includes undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Sustainable Tourism Development, Climate Change and Environmental Management, Research Methodology, and Crisis Disaster Management. As Research Chair, she supervises postgraduate students, advises on research ethics, and leads multidisciplinary research. Her research focuses on sustainable tourism, climate change impacts, waste, water, energy management, corporate social responsibility, and crisis management. She has published 19 journal articles, six book chapters, and an edited book, Sustainable Waste Management in the Tourism and Hospitality Sectors (2025). She has collaborated on research in Australia, Vietnam, Portugal, India, and Russia and presented at international conferences. Professor Sucheran leads the CoP in Tourism and People2People Exchange in the BRICS Research Institute, chairs the Faculty Research Committee, and serves on national and international committees. She is an editorial board member for journals like the BRICS Journal of International Relations and Development and the International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management. Her accolades include the 2022 Faculty of Management Sciences Researcher of the Year Award (Gold Status) and grants from the DUT Women in Research and Innovation Program and Erasmus+ KA107.

I am a Research Associate in the Climate Change, Urbanization, and Sustainability (CCUS) team at ICRIER, New Delhi, India. I have been working on issues of climate change, energy transition, and sustainable development. I am currently involved in projects related to climate change, sustainable environment, circular economy, geospatial sciences, and policy relevance in India. I was part of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and oversaw the work of the Wetland Authority of Delhi. She contributed to the book “States of Wetlands in Delhi, 2021” in coordination with the Member Secretary of the Wetland Authority of Delhi. I completed my master’s in Environment Management from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, and B.Sc. in Life Sciences from Maitreyi College, Delhi University. I did her dissertation at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, on “Forest Fire Susceptibility Mapping of Uttarakhand Using a Machine Learning Approach.” I also worked on the “Solid Waste Management of Upper and Lower Dharamshala” during my internship with EduCare India, Dharamshala. Her areas of interest include climate change and sustainability, disaster management, remote sensing, and GIS.

Ms. Shelja Alawadhi is a PhD scholar specializing in climate resilience and urban wetland systems, with a strong interdisciplinary background in climate policy, adaptation planning, and climate risk governance. She currently serves as Sector Expert (Climate Change/Finance) at the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power, India. Her professional affiliations span premier institutions, including NITI Aayog, IREDA, and the Environment Department, Delhi.

Dr. Parvathi Vallivattathillam is a physical oceanographer with expertise in ocean modelling. She earned her Ph.D. in Marine Science from the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India, where her research focused on the physical drivers of hypoxia along west coast of India from interannual to long-term time-scales. She then moved to NYU Abu Dhabi to pursue her postdoctoral research, further investigating the bio-physical interactions with a focus on oxygen changes in the Arabian Sea. During this period, she also gained experience in setting up a regional model for the Arabian Gulf to understand the basin-scale circulation. Currently, she is a Research Scientist at the National Oceanography Centre, Liverpool, UK. Her work focuses on understanding climate change impacts on the large-scale and regional circulation, particularly the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and the dynamics of the UK shelf seas.

Dr. Keshav Kumar Upadhyay is an Assistant Professor (Stage III) of Forestry at Mizoram University in India. He has a Ph.D. in forestry from Mizoram University and an M.Sc. in wood science and technology from FRI, Dehradun. With over 16 years of research and teaching experience, he specialises in dendrochronology, dendroclimatology, wood science, and climate change. He has published over 35 research papers, written a book, and supervised numerous postgraduate and doctoral students. He has international academic collaborations and served as Visiting Senior Lecturer to Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

Sirine Dia brings over 12 years of academic and professional experience, holding a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, a specialization in Environmental Engineering & Water Resources, and an MBA in International Business. She has led projects in wastewater treatment, recycling, and clean energy solutions in the UAE, and today works with organizations across the Middle East to drive strategic enterprise growth, enabling digital transformation and market expansion across MENA. She will also be delivering a talk on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), walking through the full journey from capturing CO₂, to transporting it safely, and securely storing it underground — while addressing the region’s unique challenges such as arid climates and leveraging depleted oil and gas fields for long-term storage.

Dr. D.R.Mailapalli is an Associate Professor in Agricultural and Food Engineering Department at IIT Kharagpur, India. He has over 15 years of teaching, research, capacity building, and research experience in land and water resources engineering. Prior to his affiliation with IIT Kharagpur, He has three years of post-doctoral experience at UC-Davis (USA) and three years of research experience at UW-Madison (USA). His current work is particularly focused on surface and groundwater quality assessment/modeling, and precision agriculture. He has led/involved in training and capacity building activities, in both online and offline modes, in the areas of irrigation and nutrient management for participants from different colleges and research institutes in India and abroad. He has published over 65 peer-reviewed journal articles, 8 book chapters, and 40 conference articles/proceedings. He is currently positioned as Associate Editor for Nature-Scientific Reports and Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.

Prof. Singh is an agricultural engineer from IIT Kharagpur with a Ph.D. in Finance from IIM Indore. His research focuses on the intersection of advanced econometrics, experimental and quasi-experimental methods, big data, and AI/ML, with a particular emphasis on climate change and its implications for rural and agricultural finance, development policy, and sustainable agribusiness. His work integrates engineering, finance, and data science to address critical challenges in climate-resilient rural development.

Dr. KrishnaKumar Sugumaran obtained his PhD from the University of Madras, India, in Biotechnology, and his research group is focused on the enhancement of agricultural produce and quality in Kuwait’s environment using innovative research ideas and strategies in protected agriculture. His research specialization is on greenhouse management and environmental control with a special focus on applications of LED lighting systems for optimized plant growth, hydroponics, and soilless cultivation in protected agriculture. His main areas of funded research projects in Kuwait are on modular agriculture production systems with an aim to establish a self-reliant, sustainable, protected environment food production system for Kuwait. His current research projects are focused on plant aerial and root environments, leading to optimized plant growth, water savings, increased nutraceuticals value, and yield, with an ultimate goal to permit maximum economic returns and conservation of natural resources. He has a growing interest in climate-smart agriculture and its ways to reorient agricultural systems to effectively support the development and ensure food security in a changing climate. He is also an expert in closed-type plant factory systems, urbanized city farming, usage of smart technology in agriculture, and he has many publications to his credit from his previous experience in these areas of research

Dr. Bimbisar Dayanand Waghmare is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Arts, Commerce & Science College, Nanded, Maharashtra, India. He holds a Ph.D. in Zoology and has extensive teaching and research experience in biodiversity, freshwater fisheries, aquaculture, and environmental sustainability. His research interests include climate change impacts on ecosystems, wetland restoration, and innovative waste management solutions. He has published research papers in reputed journals, presented at national and international conferences, and actively contributes to academic development through curriculum design and student mentorship. Dr. Waghmare is also engaged in applied research and innovation, with a recent provisional patent on a 'Blatt composting System' for organic waste management.

H.E. Dr. Rashid Alleem is the Founder and Chairman of the Alleem Group and the former Chairman of the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA). He is a respected figure in sustainability, innovation, and leadership, recognized for his work in promoting clean energy, corporate responsibility, and knowledge-driven development in the UAE and internationally. Dr. Alleem is the author of several books on sustainability and leadership, including Sustainability: The 4 Directions, My Green Journey in Hamriyah, and I Am Committed. He is also the creator of the Alleem Sustainable Development Goals (ASDG), which extend the global SDG framework to include key values such as happiness, tolerance, and innovation. Through his writings, initiatives, and public talks, Dr. Alleem continues to inspire individuals and organizations to lead with purpose and contribute to a sustainable future.

She teaches and researches macroeconomic policy and sustainable development, with a focus on the fiscal dimension of the green transition. Her recent work explores the circular economy, responsible consumption, and the socio-economic impacts of climate change. She has authored numerous academic publications, designs innovative case-based curricula for graduate students, and actively participates in international research networks and staff-training programs to promote sustainable campus strategies and cross-border academic collaboration.

Mrs Sweta Sinha is an academician, administrator, and researcher dedicated to education, governance, and sustainable development. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Law and Deputy Registrar (General Administration) at Sarala Birla University, Ranchi. With over 15 years of teaching and administrative experience, she has actively contributed to student development, institutional governance, and training initiatives. Presently pursuing her PhD on climate change policies and sustainability, her research interests include environmental ethics, governance, and Indian traditions.

Simran Monga is an award-winning designer, researcher, and founder of the Hieco Center for Design and Learning, a UAE-based platform for sustainability-led education, design, and storytelling. She also leads REELIN, India’s first initiative for regenerative entertainment, housed within Hieco. With an MFA in Design for Sustainability from Savannah College of Art & Design, Simran has collaborated with leading organizations including Academy Award-winning Sikhya Entertainment, Women in Film, WRI India, and the Gates Foundation. Her pioneering thesis, Lights, Camera, Climate Action, introduced a first-of-its-kind climate storytelling toolkit for Bollywood filmmakers, offering tangible pathways to embed sustainability in mainstream cinema. Over nearly a decade, she has offered her expertise at the intersection of design, culture, and climate, partnering with renowned filmmakers, actors, entrepreneurs, organisations and advocates to spark systemic change. Through REELIN, she is shaping new narratives of hope and climate action that resonate across India, the UAE, and global diasporas.