Mark Smith does research and policy work about water management, especially in relation to climate change and sustainable agriculture. He heads the Global Water Programme for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Before joining IUCN in 2006, he studied agriculture, forestry, and hydrology. From 2001 to 2004, he worked with Australia’s national science agency to support sustainable development in tropical river catchments. He holds a masters in climatology and a Ph.D. in ecology.