Sir Crispin is arguably the world's foremost authority on climate change. He is a leading international environmentalist and has been independent environmental advisor to successive UK Prime Ministers.
From his home in the peaceful English countryside he informs, educates and advises governments, scientists, businesses and universities throughout the world on the importance of sustainable development.Leading international environmentalist and independent environmental advisor to successive British Prime Ministers.
He wants to save the planet and gives at least partial credence to fears that civilisation will not survive into the next century. But he is not a doomsday fanatic. What Sir Crispin actually is, is profoundly sensible. "Everything is a system, including yourself. If you hang up a human corpse, 10 per cent of its weight is bacteria that we rely on to survive," he says. "Cities are just big systems like living organisms too. They suck in materials and emit waste."
After a distinguished career in the Diplomatic Service and United Nations, Sir Crispin spends most of his time driving home the message that unless something changes, that very system is about to break down.
Main Current Appointments:-
Director of the Policy Foresight Programme, James Martin Institute for Science and Civilization at Oxford Univeristy 2006-
Chairman of the Trustees of the St Andrew's Prize for the Environment 1998-
President of the South East Climate Change Partnership 2005-
Senior Advisor to the Global Leadership for Climate Action 2006-
President of Tree Aid 2007-
Former Appointments include:-
President, National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection 1997-99
President, Marine Biological Association 1990-2001
Chairman, Board of the Climatic Institute of Washington DC 1990-2002
Convenor, Government Panel on Sustainable Development 1994-2000
Chairman, International Institute for Environment and Development 1990-1994
Chairman, Earthwatch Europe 1991-1997
Chairman, Advisory Committee Darwin Initiative for Survial of Species, 1992-99
Chairman, Advisory Committee Environment of International Council for Science
Senior Inaugural Visitng Fellow at Harvard Univeristy Centre for the Environment 2002-2003
Sir Crispin has written several books including Climatic Change and World Affairs, and has been a contributor to numerous books & papers including Sustaining Earth: Response to the Environmental Threats; Sudden and Disruptive Climate Change; Scientists debate Gaia; Managing the Earth.
He has held numerous business positions including:-
Director (non executive) Govett Enhanced Income Investment Trust 1999-2004
Director BOC Foundation for the Environment 1990-2003
Member of Environment Committee of Friends Provident 1995-1999
Stewardship Committee of Reference ISIS Asset Management 1999-2007
Director (non executive) IBM (UK) 1990-1995
Director (non executive) Govett Mexican Horizons 1991-1996
Sir Crispin has been a member of numerous task forces including Oxford Commission on Sustainable Consumption; China Council for International Co-operation in Environment and Development; Environmental Advisory Council of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Government Task Force on Urban Regeneration; and the Copenhagen Council for Climate Change 2007.