Professor Geoffrey Heal of Columbia Business School is noted for contributions to economic theory and resource and environmental economics. He holds bachelors and doctoral degrees from Cambridge University and an Honorary Doctorate from the Universite´ de Paris Dauphine.

Author of eighteen books and about two hundred articles, he is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, Past President of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, recipient of its prize for publications of enduring quality and Life Fellow, a Director of the Union of Concerned Scientists and a founder, Director and Chairman of the Board of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations. Recent books include Nature and the Marketplace, Valuing the Future, When Principles Pay and Whole Earth Economics.

Heal chaired a committee of the National Academy of Sciences on valuing ecosystem services, was a Commissioner of the Pew Oceans Commission, is an IPCC coordinating lead author, was a member of President Sarkozy’s Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress, was a member of the advisory board for the World Bank’s 2010 World Development Report and UNEP’s 2011 Human Development Report, and advises the World Bank on its Green Growth Project. He is also a Director of Public Business.