Mike Stephenson is Executive Chief Scientist at the British Geological Survey. He has done research in the Middle East and Asia, including highlights in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Iran, Israel and Iraq.  He has honorary professorships at Nottingham and Leicester universities in the UK and is a visiting professor at the University of Milan, Italy and the University of Nanjing, China. He has published three books and over 100 peer-reviewed papers. His most recent book ‘Energy and Climate Change: An Introduction to Geological Controls, Interventions and Mitigations’ examines the Earth system science context of the formation and use of fossil fuel resources, and the implications for climate change. Mike regularly represents UK science interests in energy, as well as providing advice to the UK Government.