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Dr Jean-Michel Cousteau is an explorer, environmentalist, educator and film producer. As Executive Vice President of The Cousteau Society for almost 20 years and as Founder and President of the Ocean Futures Society he has met with leaders and policymakers around the globe, from grassroots level to the highest echelons of government and business.
The son of Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel spent much of his childhood onboard Calypso and Alcyone exploring the world's oceans. Cousteau set up the Ocean Futures Society to honour his father's heritage and continue his pioneering work.
The society is a non-profit marine conservation and education organisation, which acts as a voice for the world's oceans by communicating, through the media, the bond between people and the seas and the value of wise environmental policy.
Cousteau has produced more than 75 films, received an Emmy, the Peabody Award, the 7 d'Or and the Cable Ace Award. He has reached out to the next generation by special appearances in a DVD feature on exploring coral reef on Pixar and Disney's Finding Nemo and other children's DVDs.
His numerous environmental diplomacy successes are topped by convincing George W Bush to name the Northwest Hawaiian Islands a National Monumnet after screening his documentary on the subject at the White House. The NWHI National Monument is now the largest protected area in the world, larger than 46 of America's states. His several other efforts in seeking environmental change have met similar successes.
Cousteau has received a number of awards in recognition of his environmental stewardship, including the Environmental Hero Award, presented to him by Vice President Gore, and was also inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2003.
Jean-Michel Cousteau is the author of:
- Cousteau's Great White Shark
- Cousteau's Papua New Guinea Journey
- Cousteau's Australia Journey
- Ichthyo: The Architecture of Fish