(Related: 2019 Rolex Awards: Meet The Five Laureates Helping Keep Planet Earth Perpetual)

I am pleasantly surprised and excited that a luxurious heritage brand is playing its part in an issue that concerns everybody. It’s heartwarming. Rolex has a huge role to play in breaking down barriers in people's acceptance of the existing environmental issues. When you see a big brand like Rolex come onboard, it makes it more real. It’s leadership by example—demonstrating that it cares and that it is doing something about the issues we face. It has set the bar higher for its peers to follow and, at the same time, also inspire the regular folks out there."

“I left my job as an investment banker eight years ago to work on what I really believe in—a social enterprise that benefits rural communities. Together we boosted rice yields by improving on inefficiencies in agricultural practices and we sought to reduce the debts of the farmers. I provide training, financial education and market development in addition to pure organic seeds and fertilisers. Now I have over 2,500 families working with me, encompassing over 12,000 people. Creating a sustainable social enterprise that truly benefits such a large number of people is no easy task. It needs long-term commitment, just like the Rolex Perpetual Planet campaign. Rolex is a huge brand and that certainly helps to garner a lot of attention. When a brand of this calibre gets involved in a commitment like this, heads will always turn and interest will always increase. Just like what Sylvia Earle and David Doubilet are doing with Rolex's support.

(Related: Rolex and National Geographic Society Will Keep The Planet Perpetual)

And rightly like what Earle pointed out [to me during the Perpetual Planet symposium], the air we breathe and the water we drink comes primarily from the ocean. If you looked at Earth from space, you will see that it is a blue planet. However, the oceans are choking because of our actions. It is critical to document the condition of the world's oceans and in particular to build up "Hope Spots". These areas are protected marine zones that are expected to reverse the damage we have done to the planet. Their work in showing us these Hope Spots and helping to raise awareness of their importance is critical.

We are all responsible for the condition of this world. Don’t rely on governments to be proactive. Change starts with all of us individually. Unless we do something, we will get the future we deserve—one that we should be ashamed to pass on to future generations."

(Related: What I Learnt From The Rolex Perpetual Planet Campaign)

"What we do right now will determine the future for all life on Earth. If we keep denying climate change, our future will probably be shorter than our past. According to the UN Climate Change Annual Report 2018, we only have about 12 years left to fix the problem. By then I will probably still be alive and thriving, but I can’t deny that my future will be shorter than my past. We seriously need to rethink our view on how to protect nature and the environment. The issue of climate change has been in the news since the 1930s, but we are still debating it today. That's why I think it is such a great thing that more and more people are aware of the importance of keeping our planet perpetual, and even grateful for a big brand like Rolex to embark on a campaign like Perpetual Planet."