Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara (PhD 1985, U. California) is a speaker at our 2024 ClientEarth Summit. He is a marine ecologist who has contributed for over 40 years to the advancement of knowledge of the ecology, behaviour and taxonomy of marine mammals and sharks. He is the honorary president of the Tethys Research Institute which he founded in 1986.

In 1991 he spearheaded the creation of the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals, the world’s first high-seas MPA. From 1996-2003 he served as president of ICRAM, a government body tasked to provide scientific support to national marine conservation policy. He served from 1999-2004 as the Italian Commissioner of the IWC; from 1991-2022 as Deputy Chair of IUCN’s Cetacean Specialist Group; from 2002-2010 as Chair of the Scientific Committee of ACCOBAMS; and from 2014-2022 as the Convention of Migratory Species CoP-appointed Councillor for aquatic mammals.

In 2013 he started the Important Marine Mammal Area programme as an initiative of the IUCN Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force, which he created and co-chairs, and supports the Important Shark and Ray Area initiative as senior advisor. He taught conservation of marine biodiversity at the University Statale of Milan from 2007-2016. He has authored over 240 scientific works and several books.