Mike Young was the Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser Chair in Australian Studies at Harvard University, USA. He holds a Professorial Chair in Water and Environmental Policy at Adelaide University, Australia, and is an Honorary Professor at the University of College London, UK, and a Research Fellow at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Sustainable Environmental Policy Solutions, USA.

Christine Esau is a journalist and research editor based in Australia, with a particular interest in compelling environmental dialogues.