Fouzi Benkhelifa is the CEO of NEXQT, a company focused on climate intelligence and sustainable planning. With nearly 25 years of experience, he has worked with major metropolitan areas and local energy companies, primarily in France, the EU, Southeast Asia, and North Africa. NEXQT aims to make climate science and AI accessible for local stakeholders, and it has been recognized for its innovative solutions in urban planning and climate action.

Dr. Tatsuya Hanaoka is Head of the Global Sustainability Integrated Assessment Section at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Tokyo and has been with NIES since 2004. His expertise spans climate change mitigation, emission scenario analysis, and sustainability transitions, with a focus on multi-sectoral and multi-regional perspectives.

Since joining IGES, Kaoru Akahoshi has been involved in research work on Co-benefit approaches to climate change and pollution issues, international discussions and negotiations, and providing information and advice to the Japanese Ministry of the Environment as a member of the governance team.

Since 2021, she has been involved in a government funded research project on S-20 "Research on mitigation to climate change and environmental impacts caused by short-lived climate forcers" as one of the some theme leaders.

Ryo Suzuki works at the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. He is engaged in promoting mobility decarbonization in the Decarbonized Mobility Projects Office. He holds a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Chiba University.

Dr. Yixuan Zheng is an Associate Researcher and Director of the Office of Air Quality Management at the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning. He also serves as the Deputy Director of the Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Greenhouse Gases Co-control, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China. His research focuses on environmental policy assessment and co-control strategies of air pollution and GHG emissions.

Patience Gwaze is the Chief Director: Air Quality Management and the designated National air Quality Officer in the Department of Forestry, Fishery and the Environment, South Africa. She holds a doctorate degree in atmospheric science from the University of Witwatersrand and Max Planck Institute for Atmospheric Science. She has worked in the field of atmospheric science for over 20 years and has been with the department since 2010.

Christa Hasenkopf, PhD is the inaugural Director of the Clean Air Program at the University of Chicago Energy Policy Institute. She founded the EPIC Air Quality Fund in 2024 to back high-agency leaders in countries where small investments can unlock disproportionate policy impact. She serves on the Our Common Air Commission and the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council for Clean Air. Previously, Christa co-founded and was CEO of OpenAQ and served as the first Chief Air Pollution Advisor to the U.S.

Amanda Curry-Brown is the Clean Air Flagship Coordinator at Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). Amanda Curry Brown coordinates the Clean Air Flagship for the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. Before joining CCAC, Amanda spent 6 years working in the British Overseas Territories, leading on a broad range of policy issues, including oversight for implementation of environmental strategies. She previously worked for the U.S.

Hiroaki Takiguchi is a Senior Advisor for Environmental Management at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), specializing in air quality and pollution control. He advises on the design and implementation of JICA projects addressing air pollution, water pollution, and chemical management. Previously, he spent over 30 years at Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, serving as Director of the Air Quality Management Division and the Environmental Health and Safety Division. He has also taught environmental policy and sustainability at Japanese universities.