The climate crisis is here. Emissions are still too high to avoid overshooting a 1.5C° temperature rise. The world now looks to COP27 in Egypt for the solutions, ideas, and agreements to propel ambitious climate action.
Organisations, groups, and individuals have been hard at work finding and implementing climate solutions. From green finance to indigenous land activism, this list celebrates the people making breakthroughs in the struggle against climate change.
Governments are at the forefront of climate action. That’s why this year our selection process aims to boost the profile of climate policymakers. This list also focuses on the underrepresented and unsung heroes of climate action, with voices from the Global South and grassroots campaigns.
If you want to learn more about how we made this list and decided who to include, you can take a look at our methodology.
Top 20
- Kate Raworth EconomistUnited Kingdom Known for: Doughnut economicsKates Raworth is a heterodox economist working to transition economics —A field with much responsibility for climate breakdown— into a science capable of transitioning our societies to a sustainable future. Her scholarship is dedicated to finding a balance between vital human needs and planetary boundaries, known as Doughnut Economics. This work is vital to ensuring that climate change is combated in a way that is equitable and improves our lives. She was the founder of the Doughnut economics action lab, and is currently on the World Health Organisations’ council for ‘Economics for Health of All’.
- Mia MottleyPrime Minister of BarbadosBarbadosKnown for: Creating Global South Climate PartnershipsMia Mottley came to the fore of climate policy following her explosive COP26 speech, where she called a 2C° world a “Death Sentence” for many in the global south. Since then, she has been building climate partnerships between developing nations, combining their efforts to push for greater action on climate change and the delivery of climate reparations. In 2021, she was awarded UNEP’s Champion of the Earth award for her work In Barbados and international advocacy.
- Nemonte NenquimoPresident of the Waorani of Patazo and Co-founder of Ceibo AllianceWaorani nation, EcuadorKnown for: Protector of the Ecuadorian AmazonNemote is an immensely impactful activist and leader, having successfully sued to protect half a million acres of the Ecuadorian Amazon from oil drilling, protecting its ecological integrity and preventing these reserves being exploited and the forest felled. She is also an active indigenous politician, ensuring the voice of the Waorani nation are heard and their stewardship of the Amazon is respected. In 2020, she was awarded UNEP’s ‘Champions of the Earth’ award and also named in Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
- Antonio GuterresSecretary-General of the United NationsPortugal Known for: Promoting international climate actionGuterres is an experienced politician who uses diplomatic power to organise international climate change cooperation. He was twice the Prime Minister of Portugal and served as president of the Socialist International. In his current role as Secretary-General of the United Nations, Guterres pushes world leaders towards ambitious climate action. In particular, he uses his platform to urge leaders to heed the demands of climate protestors, saying:“Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals. But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels.”
- Bill McKibbenCo-founder, 350.orgUSAKnown for: Founding 350.orgBill McKibben is the co-founder of 350.org, an international campaign working in 188 countries around the world to oppose new coal, oil, and gas projects in favour of clean energy solutions. It is the first global grassroots climate change movement, having held rallies in every country except North Korea. He is also a highly successful author and journalist: his 1989 book ‘The End of Nature’ is considered the first mainstream book on climate change and has been translated into 24 languages. He was the winner of the Gandhi Prize and has been described by the Boston Globe as “probably the nation’s leading environmentalist”—in fact, he has even had a new species of gnat named after him in his honour.
- Anne HidalgoMayor, City of ParisFranceKnown for: City climate transitionsAnne Hidalgo has served as the mayor of Paris since 2014. Using the disruption from COVID-19, she turned many of the city’s most traffic-filled areas into cycle-friendly neighborhoods. She jointly hosted the Climate Summit for Local Leaders in December 2015 with Michael Bloomberg, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, before being elected to the chairship of C40 Cities, an organisation bringing together the 90 leading global cities on the issue of climate change. CityLab said in 2018 that Paris under Hidalgo “could be a model for how cities can mitigate and plan for climate change”.
- Anthony NyongDirector for Climate Change and Green Growth, African Devlopment Bank GroupCôte d’IvoireKnown for: Climate conscious developmentAnthony Nyong is currently the director of Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank Group, where he leads its efforts to transition Africa to low-carbon and climate-resilient development. In his previous positions at the AfDB, Nyong led efforts to mainstream climate change policies throughout the AfDB’s development efforts, and coordinated the New Deal on Energy for Africa.
- Greta ThunbergYouth ActivistSwedenKnown for: School strike for climateGreta Thunberg is a 19-year-old climate activist from Sweden. In August 2018, she became known around the world for starting a schools strike for climate outside the Swedish parliament. She demanded that the government reduce carbon emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement, and she protested by sitting outside parliament every day during school hours. Within months, she had addressed the UN Climate Change Conference and had spoken at the World Economic Forum at Davos. She inspired school students around the world: more than 20,000 students from 270 towns and cities have now taken part in similar strikes.
- Fatih BirolExecutive Director, International Energy AgencyTurkeyKnown for: Energy transitions in the developing nationsFatih Birol has served as Executive Director of the International Energy Agency since September 2015, and has recently been re-elected for a second four-year term. The IEA is an intergovernmental organisation established in the OECD framework after the 1973 oil crisis. It aims to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for member countries and beyond. Under Birol’s leadership, the IEA has undertaken its first comprehensive modernisation program since its creation, opening itself to emerging countries like Brazil and India. Birol has spent over 20 years at the IEA and is the founder and chair of the IEA Energy Business Council, one of the world’s most active industry advisory groups in energy. Birol has been named by Forbes as one of the most influential people on the energy scene and recognised by the Financial Times in 2017 as Energy Personality of the Year. He is chairman of the World Economic Forum Energy Advisory Board and serves on the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on ‘Sustainable Energy for All’.
- Jennifer MorganSpecial Representative for International Climate Policy, German Federal Foreign OfficeUSA, GermanyKnown for: Leading climate campaignerJennifer Morgan is Germany’s first Special Representative for International Climate Policy. She was previously the executive director of Greenpeace International, one of the world’s leading environmental NGOs which campaigns on issues ranging from climate change to deforestation and nuclear power. Prior to joining Greenpeace, Morgan served as the global director of the Climate Programem at the World Resources Institute, Global Climate Change Director at Third Generation Environmentalism, and led the Global Climate Change Program of Worldwide Fund for Nature.
- Katharine HayhoeDirector, Climate Science Centre, Texas Tech UniversityUSAKnown for: Bridging climate science and communicationKatharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist and professor of political science at Texas Tech University. She specialises in the science of climate change and, together with her husband, wrote the book A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions, where she highlights the role of faith in shaping attitudes to global warming. She has co-authored numerous reports, including the 3rd National Climate Assessment of 2014, and featured as an expert reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report. In recognition of her work, she received the Climate Communications award from the American Geophysical Union and was listed in Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2014.
- Josefa Leonel Correia SackoCommissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union CommissionAngolaKnown for: Climate-proofing African agricultureJosefa Leonel Correia Sacko is a leading African Agronomist and the current commissioner for rural economy and agriculture of the African Union Commission. She was previously the special adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and the ministry’s Ambassador for Climate Change. She is a high profile speaker at international organisations, including African Development Bank and the World Trade Organisation.
- Marina SilvaSpokeswoman, Sustainability Party, BrazilBrazilKnown for: Forest and livelihood protectorMarina Silva is a Brazilian environmentalist and current spokeswoman for the Sustainability Party in Brazil. Born into a rubber-tapping community in the Amazon rainforest, she was a pioneer of “empates”. These peaceful protests by rubber tappers against deforestation and eviction from their communities saved vast expanses of rainforest and hundreds of families’ livelihoods. Despite having grown up illiterate, Silva made an impressive impact on the Brazilian political sphere —in 2018, she ran for president with an anti-corruption campaign and, while Minister of Environment, managed to reduce deforestation by nearly 60% and establish the Amazon Fund. She is the winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize for South & Central America and was declared a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program.
- Patricia EspinosaExecutive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)MexicoKnown for: International cooperation on climate changePatricia Espinosa is a Mexican politician and diplomat and former executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC secretariat is tasked with supporting the global response to the threat of climate change. It aims to gain consensus on the objective of stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent dangerous interference with the climate system. It does this through facilitating intergovernmental negotiations, providing technical expertise and assistance, and informing the public of progress on climate action. Espinosa has formerly been Mexico’s secretary of foreign affairs and its ambassador to Austria, Germany, Slovenia and Slovakia.
- Michael MannDirector, Earth System Science Center, Pennsylvania State UniversityUSAKnown for: Communicating climate change to policymakersMichael Mann is distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University, where he is also director of the Penn State Earth System Science Centre. His contributions to scientific understanding of climate change have been influential in environmental policy; he was a lead author of the Observed Climate Variability and Change chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Third Scientific Assessment Report of 2001. He is also the author of several books on climate change and co-founder of the science website RealClimate.org. The most recent of his many awards for his impact is the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement of 2019.
- Saleemul HuqDirector, International Centre for Climate Change and DevelopmentBangladeshKnown for: Climate mitigation and adaptation in the global southSaleemul Huq is a Bangladeshi scientist who is founding director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development and a senior fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development. Huq has been a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He has published numerous reports and articles in the space, and was awarded the Burtoni Award, which recognises outstanding contributions to the science of adaptation to climate change, for his work.
- Mpho Parks TauMember of the Executive Council, Economic Development for Gauteng ProvinceSouth AfricaKnown for: Equitable urban climate transitions.Mpho is an expert in ensuring development, particularly in urban settings, conforms to the needs of climate adaptation whilst ensuring equity and justice. He is a member of the Coalition for Urban Transitions, and was co-chair of the C40 Cities Steering Committee, a governing body helping cities act in concert to combat climate change. He was previously instrumental in the sustainable urban regeneration of Johannesburg, and now is working towards economic climate transition in Gauteng province, South Africa.
- Xie ZhenhuaSpecial Representative for Climate Change Affairs, National Development and Reform Commission, ChinaChinaKnown for: Coordinating international carbon reductionXie Zhenhua is the current special representative on climate change for China. In this role, he has been instrumental in a series of influential climate change negotiations: he coordinated an agreement between China and the US on reducing carbon emissions and collected political support for the adoption of the Paris Agreement. In his previous role as Minister of Environmental Protection, he was a strong advocate for clean air, resource conservation and sustainable development. His influential role in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has boosted China’s influence on international climate change agreements.
- David AttenboroughBroadcaster and Natural HistorianUnited KingdomKnown for: Nature communicationsDavid Attenborough is a renowned English broadcaster, natural historian and environmental advocate. His programs highlight the impact of human society on the natural world. His documentary series Blue Planet II prompted a surge in public interest in plastic recycling and was considered a catalyst for the Environmental Audit Committee’s creation of ‘Plastic bottles: Turning back the Plastic Tide,’ a report on plastic litter. He has been hugely influential in a range of campaigns such as the World Wildlife Fund’s push to create a protected area in Borneo’s rainforest. In May 2015, he discussed measures to protect the environment with President Barack Obama and, in 2018, he addressed the UN Climate Change Summit.
- Hoesung LeeChair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeSouth KoreaKnown for: Chairing the IPCCHoesung Lee has been chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since October 2015. He is also an endowed chair professor at the Korea University Graduate School of Energy and Environment. His research covers economics relating to climate change, energy and sustainable development. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Korean Academy of Environmental Sciences, council member of the Global Green Growth Institute, and a member of the Asian Development Bank President’s Advisory Board on Climate Change and Sustainable Development.
Youth
- Autumn PeltierClean Water ActivistCanadaAutumn Peltier is a thirteen year old activist from Manitoulin Island in Canada. In 2018, on World Water Day, she addressed the UN General Assembly demanding action to protect the environment and stop water pollution, as part of the launch of the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development. Prior to her speech, she had already established herself as a renowned advocate of safe drinking water for Indigenous communities. She attended the 2015 Children’s Climate Conference in Sweden and was nominated for the 2017 Children’s International Peace Prize.
- Ayisha SiddiqaCo-founder of Fossil Free University and Polluters OutPakistanKnown for: Climate justice activist and climate litigation scholarAyisha is a tireless activist who has organised, founded, and led multiple climate justice campaigns; such as Fossil Free University. She has consistently advocated for the fight against climate change as a global justice issue, and was an influential critic of climate action that excluded the Global South at COP26. More recently, she was a prominent voice connecting the devastating Pakistan floods to climate disruption. Alongside her work as an activist, she is also a research scholar in the field of climate litigation.
- Hilda Nakabuye Co-founder of Fridays for Future UgandaUgandaKnown for: Advocating for African voices in climate actionAs a climate activist Hilda has been instrumental in mobilising youth activists, both in Uganda and across the globe. Beyond her work as a climate activist, she pushes for African voices to be included in climate action at all levels and has spoken out when they are excluded. Hilda’s climate consciousness was shaped by first hand experiences of climate change in Uganda. She is currently fighting to stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a project that will significantly increase global emissions and destroy the communities in its path.
- Nalleli CoboActivist, Stand LAUSAKnown for: Combating urban oil rigs in L.ANalleli Cobo has been an environmental justice activist since the age of eight. As a child, having been made ill as a result of living near an oil well, she successfully organised a community campaign to shut it down. She was a key player in Standing Together Against Neighborhood Drilling L.A. and the South Los Angeles Youth Coalition, and the first youth leader in the People Not Pozos campaign. Since then, she has been working to change public policy so that it prioritises community health over corporate revenue.
- Neeshad ShafiCo-Founder, Arab Youth Climate Movement QatarQatarKnown for: Youth climate activism in the Middle EastNeeshad Shafi is a young environmental activist who raises awareness about climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals. Since 2012, he has been active in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations and has been influential in promoting youth involvement in action against climate change. He works to transform environmental policy: he is a member of policy working groups at World We Want 2030, the Civil Society Consultation for the UN Development System Review Process and the United Nations Environment Programme West Asia.
- Vanessa NakateClimate ActivistUgandaKnown for: The first Ugandan school strike activist and founder of Youth for Future AfricaVanessa Nakate’s work as a climate activist is informed by her own first-hand experiences of climate change, and she works to ensure the specific needs, vulnerabilities, and context of Uganda and Africa are taken into account when developing climate action. Vanessa has been an active voice at COP25, COP26, the Davos economic forum, and beyond, always calling for more ambitious investment in the future of Earth’s climate. Vanessa is also an author and filmmaker.
Politics and Government
- Raoni MetuktireKayapo Cacique (Political Leader) & Brazilian EnvironmentalistKayapo nation, BrazilKnown for: International rainforest advocacyRaoni Metuktire’s international advocacy was integral in the enlargment and protection of Xingu National Park, which covers 180,000km2 of the Amazon rainforest, one of the world’s most important carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots. In his long career as leader of the Kayapo people, he has been a tireless defender of the Amazon rainforest and its indigenous peoples, travelling the world to promote his homelands’ conservation and its importance to the world.
- Eduardo PaesMayor of Rio De JaneiroBrazilKnown for: Connecting climate-conscious citiesIn his multiple terms as mayor of Rio De Janeiro, Eduardo has created a worldwide network of mayors and city governments to fight against climate change. He was instrumental in making Rio the first city to be fully compliant with the requirments of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy. His work reaches across the political spectrum and includes all levels and sectors of cities in the sustainability transition.
- Corine MauchMayor of ZurichSwitzerlandKnown for: Ending Zurich’s gas dependencyCorine is completing Zurich’s transformation into one of Europe’s first gas-free cities, replacing it with renewable sources and district heating networks. Alongside this, her policies have also helped make Zurich’s air into the cleanest in Europe.
- Virginijus SinkevičiusEuropean Commissioner for Environment, Ocean, and FisheriesLithuaniaKnown for: Protecting Europe’s environmental integrityIn his previous role as Minister of the Economy and Innovation, he helped make Vilnius one of the greenest cities in Europe. In his current role, Virginijus has pioneered legislation to reduce chemical fertiliser overuse, which is a major driver of both climate change and ecological decline.
- Huang RunqiuChinese Minister of Ecology and EnvironmentChinaKnown for: Orchestrating China’s foreign coal divestmentAs China’s newly appointed minister for ecology and environment, Huang has helped engineer the end of China’s role in funding and building coal-fired powerplants abroad. This move has withdrawn billions from the fossil fuel investment market and will help make coal a less attractive energy option for many developing nations.
- Carlos Manuel RodriguezMinister of Environment and EnergyCosta RicaKnown for: Sustainable environmental use incentivesCarlos Manuel Rodriguez is the Environment and Energy Minister of Costa Rica and the former Vice President of Conservation International’s Mexican and Central American programme. He also served as minister from 2002-2006 and, during this time, pioneered the development of payments for ecosystem services to incentivise farmers and landowners to use their land for environmental good. This policy helped preserve ecosystems and contributed significantly to Costa Rica’s economy.
- Caroline LucasCo-leader, Green PartyUnited KingdomKnown for: Popularising green politics in the UKCaroline Lucas entered Britain’s Parliament, representing the Brighton Pavilion seat, in 2010. She was leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2008-2012, and Co-leader from 2016 to 2018. From 1999-2010 she served as one of the Party’s first MEPs and represented the South East region until becoming the UK’s first Green MP. An internationally recognised speaker on climate change, Lucas is considered a highly influential member of the global green movement.
- Debbie RaphaelFormer Director, San Francisco Department of the EnvironmentUSAKnown for: Introducing ambitious carbon neutral programs in San FranciscoDebbie Raphael is an American scientist and public servant. She is the former Director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment and was previously Environmental Programme Manager at Santa Monica. She was responsible for the introduction of original policies on rooftop solar panels and electric vehicle chargers, and for setting the ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
- Elizabeth MayLeader, Green Party of CanadaCanadaKnown for: Canada’s first green MPElizabeth May is the leader of the Green Party of Canada. She has practised as a lawyer in both Canada and the US, and advised the Canadian government on environment policy in the 1980s. In 2011 she became the first Canadian Green Party candidate to be elected to parliament, serving the seat of Saanich—Gulf Islands. She has written eight books on environmental politics.
- Harsh VardhanMinister for Environment, Forest and Climate ChangeIndiaKnown for: Anti-plastic bag campaignsHarsh Vardan is the union minister for Environment for India. As Union Minister he has focused on motivating scientists to develop new technologies that address social and environmental problems. He has also played an integral role in making India a leader in environmental preservation. In 2008, he launched the anti-plastic bag campaign in Delhi and the “Green Shopper Campaign”, which promotes business partnerships with manufacturers of environment-friendly products.
- Jay InsleeGovernor, Washington StateUSAKnown for: State-level renewable energy transitionsJay Inslee has been governor of Washington state since 2012. Throughout this political career, he has been known as a lead thinker on clean energy and the environment. As governor, he has made Washington a top state for renewable energy and a leader on electric vehicles. He co-founded the bipartisan US Climate Alliance — a 17-governor coalition working to uphold US goals under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
- Jørgen AbildgaardExecutive Climate Project Director, CopenhagenDenmarkKnown for: Copenhagen 2025 Climate PlanJørgen Abildgaard is the executive climate project director for the Copenhagen 2025 Climate Plan, an initiative which aims to make Copenhagen the world’s first carbon neutral city by 2025. Copenhagen is widely considered one of the greenest cities in the world and, under Abilgaard’s leadership the city has been at the forefront of innovative climate policy.
- Katharina SchulzePolitician, Alliance 90/The Greens partyGermanyKnown for: Grassroots-party cooperation on green issuesKatharina Schulze is a German politician and co-leader of the Bavarian Green Party. She gained traction in Bavaria when she started a grassroots campaign against Munich’s bid to host the Olympics in 2022. She has organised several conferences aimed at bringing together the police and security officials with Green activists.
- Mohamed SefianiMayor, City of ChefchaouenMoroccoKnown for: Sustainable city transitions in MoroccoMohamed Sefiani is the mayor of Chefchaouen in Morocco, a city commended for its commitment to sustainability. He has also extended his impact to other areas: he is president of the Moroccan Association of Eco-Cities and the UCLG Forum, a biannual meeting dedicated to policy development. He is a member of the Intermediate Cities Board and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.
- Mohammed Adjei SowahFormer Mayor, City of AccraGhanaKnown for: Improving the environmental health of AccraMohammed Adjei Sowah was elected mayor of Accra, Ghana’s capital, in 2017. His policy platform centres on improving the cleanliness and health of the city, including improved waste management, better sanitation and a “polluter pays” scheme to disincentivise environmentally unfriendly behaviour.
- Rick KrisemanMayor, St Petersburg, FloridaUSAKnown for: Community solar energy projectsRick Kriseman is the mayor of St. Petersburg in Florida. In recognition of his commitment to environmental action, the city has recently been declared the twentieth winning city in Bloomberg’s American Cities Climate Challenge, a scheme that works with cities to accelerate their efforts to tackle climate change. Under his leadership, St Petersburg has embarked on an innovative plan to reduce air pollution, implement a community solar programme and increase renewable energy financing.
- Sergio BergmanFormer Environment Minister, Argentina ArgentinaKnown for: Including faith-based communities in environmental legislationSergio Bergman is the former minister of environment and sustainable development of Argentina and a Rabbi. As a faith leader, he has advocated for taking a more ethical approach to environmental policies rather than scientific. Elected in 2015, he oversaw the 2017 G20 Sustainability Working Group, which was tasked with rebuilding the discussion around climate change for developing nations.
- Sonam Phuntsho WangdiSecretary, National Environment Commission, BhutanBhutanKnown for: Helping Bhutan achieve net zero statusDasho Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi, secretary of the National Environment Commission of the Kingdom of Bhutan, was newly selected to be chair of the UN Least Developed Countries Group in February 2019. He has helped Bhutan become a leader in the fight against climate change as one of the few countries to achieve a net zero carbon footprint.
- Teresa RiberaSpanish Minister for the Ecological TransitionSpainKnown for: Ecological transition in SpainTeresa Ribera is the minister for the ecological transition in Spain’s government. As minister, she plans to transform Spanish environmental policy — she is proposing the country’s first climate plan which requires corporations to report their carbon footprint and aims for Spain to be carbon-neutral by 2050 at the latest. Previously, she served as the secretary of state for climate change and the director of Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations in Paris.
- Tri RismahariniMinister of Social AffairsIndonesiaKnown for: Cleaning and greening SurabayaTri Rismaharini is Indonesia’s minister of social affairs and former mayor of Surabaya in Indonesia. She transformed what was a city renowned for pollution and congestion, into one with an emphasis on sustainability and rich in green spaces — there are now eleven landscaped parks. In recognition of her impact, she came second runner up of the World’s Best Mayor 2015 and was declared one of the World’s 50 greatest leaders by Fortune Magazine.
International and Non-Governmental Organisations
- Dickens KamugishaChief Executive Officer of Africa Institute for Energy GovernanceUgandaKnown for: Oil development activist and sustainable community energy leaderAs CEO of AFIEGO, Dickens has been an important protector of vulnerable communities and environments against fossil fuel developments, in particular the EACOP pipeline which threatens both climate and the communities in its path. He also works directly with communities across Uganda to transition their energy usage away from wood and towards cleaner, more sustainable sources.
- Ayan MahamoudInitiative on Drought Resilience coordinator DjiboutiKnown for: Climate and drought resilience plannerAs Coordinator for IDDRSI, Ayan has fostered cross-state cooperation in the Horn of Africa to combat the interlocking climate and ecological crises that are causing regional drought and famine. She was also instrumental in studying the impact of climate change on pastoralists in the Horn of Africa.
- Jon CreytsRocky Mountain Institute CEOUSAKnown for: Market-based climate solutionsJon has grown RMI tenfold in his time with the company, and his work on market-based solutions to climate change and energy transition has been influential in governments, businesses, and NGOs all over the world.
- Agnes KalibataPresident, Alliance for a Green Revolution in AfricaRwandaKnown for: African agricultural resilienceAgnes Kalibata is a Rwandan agricultural scientist and policymaker. She is president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, an organisation working to improve agricultural products and support local farm owners. During her time as Rwanda’s minister of agriculture and animal resources between 2008 and 2014, the nation’s budget for the agricultural sector tripled and it became the first country to sign an agreement under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.
- Amal-Lee AminChief of Climate Change Division, Inter-American Development BankUnited KingdomAmal-Lee Amin is Chief of the Climate Change Division at the Inter-American Development Bank. She played a key role in designing and implementing their Climate Investment Funds. Previously, she was influential in the design of a new Green Investment Bank for the UK government, and heading up negotiations at the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change and the World Summit on Sustainable Development of 2002.
- Barbara BuchnerGlobal Managing Director, Climate Policy InitiativeAustriaKnown for: Climate financeBarbara Buchner is an Austrian economist and the Global Managing Director of Climate Policy Initiative. She was formerly executive director of the Climate Finance program at Climate Policy Initiative. She advises leaders on climate, energy and land investments around the world. She is also the director of the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, which develops cutting edge finance tools to combat challenges in sustainable investments, and the founder of the San Giorgio Group, which unites influential green financial institutions in collaboration with the World Bank Group. In 2014, she was listed in the Top 20 Most Influential Women in Climate Change by the International Council for Science.
- Catherine AbreuExecutive Director, Climate Action Network CanadaCanadaKnown for: Building climate partnerships across CanadaCatherine Abreu is one of Canada’s most influential climate campaigners. She is the Executive Director of Climate Change Action Network Canada, a coalition of over 100 organisations across the country that advocates for policies and solutions to tackle climate change. It is the only movement to unite communities affected by climate change with key organisations in the field. Previously, she was head of the energy and climate programs at the Ecology Action Centre, a Canadian environmental advocacy organisation, and co-ordinator of the Atlantic Canada Sustainable Energy Coalition, a network of groups campaigning for sustainable energy solutions. She has demonstrated her commitment to collaboration in her work as a community organiser, having founded and supported numerous coalitions, and is also an influential public speaker on environmental topics.
- Christiana FigueresConvener, Mission 2020Costa RicaChristiana Figueres was executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 2010-2016. She took over the international climate change negotiations in 2009 following the failed Copenhagen Conference, and shepherded them through six annual conferences, culminating in the 2015 Paris Summit, which resulted in a historic accord on climate change. Mission 2020 seeks to secure rapid action on greenhouse gas emissions, in order to protect the most at risk nations and people from the worst effects of climate change.
- Connie HedegaardChair, OECD Round Table for Sustainable DevelopmentDenmarkKnown for: Pushing European climate actionConnie Hedegaard is a Danish former politician and journalist and currently serves as a chair and board member on several foundations that support green initiatives. From 2010 to 2014 she represented the EU in international climate negotiations as the European Commissioner for Climate Action. She was the youngest person elected to the Danish National Parliament in 1984. She was appointed Minister of Environment to Denmark from 2004 to 2009 and was responsible for leading the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in 2009. She is currently a member of the board of the European Climate foundation.
- Debra RobertsCo-Chair, Working Group II, International Panel on Climate ChangeSouth AfricaDebra Roberts is the director and founder of the Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department of eThekwini Municipality in South Africa, where she is responsible for directing their Climate Protection Program. She was recently awarded the AfriCAN Climate Research Award for pioneering projects that have made Durban a world leader in climate change adaptation. For instance, she was instrumental in the Durban Adaptation Charter for Local Governments, a partnership deal to advance local government strategies against climate change, which was signed by more than 100 cities around the world in 2011.
- Elizabeth YeampierreExecutive Director, UPROSEPuerto Rico, USAElizabeth Yeampierre is a lawyer and environmental activist from New York. She is the co-chair of the Climate Justice Alliance, an alliance of communities working towards sustainable development, and the executive director of UPROSE, Brooklyn’s oldest Latino community based organisation. As the first Latina chair of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, she was influential in the the state’s first Brownfield legislation and Solid Waste Management Plan. She was selected as the opening speaker at the Obama Administration’s first White House Forum on Environmental Justice.
- Hakima El HaitéPresident, Liberal InternationalMoroccoHakima El Haité is a Moroccan politician, climate scientist and entrepreneur. She has been Morocco’s environment minister, vice president of COP 21 and Special Envoy and UN High-Level Champion of COP 22, which she helped bring to Morocco. Prior to serving as environment minister, she founded EAU GLOBE, the first environmental engineering firm in Africa and the Middle East. She is currently president of Liberal International, the world federation of liberal and progressive democratic political parties. She has won numerous awards for her commitment to climate change, including the French Legion of Honour.
- Helen MountfordCEO and President, ClimateWorks FoundationUSA, ScotlandHelen Mountford is the CEO and President of ClimateWorks Foundation, a global platform that organises and coordinated philanthropy to innovate and accelerate scalable climate solutions. She was previously the vice president of climate and economics at the World Resources Institute (WRI) where her team helped policymakers, businesses, and civil society to identify and advance the structural shifts needed to successfully address climate change.
- Jacqueline PattersonThe Chisholm Legacy Project, Founder and Executive DirectorUSAKnown for: Just transitions for black communities on the frontlines of climate changeJacqueline Patterson is the Founder and Executive Director of The Chisholm Legacy Project: A Resource Hub for Black Frontline Climate Justice Leadership. The mission of the Chisholm Legacy Project is rooted in a Just Transition Framework, serving as a vehicle to connect Black communities on the frontlines of climate justice with the resources to actualize visions. Prior to the launch of The Chisholm Legacy Project, Patterson served as the Senior Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program for over a decade. During her tenure, she founded and implemented a robust portfolio which included serving the state and local leadership whose constituencies consisted of hundreds of communities on the frontlines of environmental injustice.
- James ThorntonCEO, ClientEarthUSAJames Thornton is an environmental lawyer and social entrepreneur who since 2007 has served as the founding CEO of ClientEarth, Europe’s first public interest environmental law organisation. The New Statesman magazine in the UK has named him as one of 10 people who could change the world, and The Financial Times gave him a Special Achievement accolade at their 2016 innovative lawyers awards. Previously, as founder of the Citizens’ Enforcement Project at NRDC in New York, he fought corporations in 80 federal lawsuits aimed at enforcing the Clean Water Act.
- Jos DelbekeSenior Adviser, European Political Strategy Centre, European CommissionBelgiumJos Delbeke is Senior Adviser at the European Political Strategy Centre at the European Commission, and part-time economics professor at the European University Institute in Florence and the KU Leuven in Belgium. He has played a key role in formulating EU legislation, including the climate targets for 2020 and 2030. He has also been influential in developing Europe’s International Climate Change strategy and previously served as the European Commission’s chief negotiator at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties.
- Laura TuckVice President, Sustainable Development, World Bank GroupUSALaura Tuck has been the World Bank’s vice president for sustainable development since 2015. She oversees the practices and thematic groups on: agriculture; climate change; environment and natural resources; social, urban, rural and resilience; and water. Together, these help countries tackle their most complex challenges in the area of sustainable development.
- Laurence TubianaCEO, European Climate FoundationFranceLaurence Tubiana is CEO of the European Climate Foundation (ECF), and also serves as chair of the board of governors at the French Development Agency (AFD), as well as holding a professorship at Sciences Po, Paris. Before joining the ECF, Laurence held France’s Climate Change Ambassadorship and served as Special Representative for COP21, roles in which she became a key driver behind the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. Following COP21, she was appointed High Level Champion for Climate Action by the UN. In 2018, President Emmanuel Macron appointed her to France’s High Council on Climate Change.
- Mahama KappiahFormer Executive Director, ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy EfficiencyGhanaMahama Kappiah is the Executive Director of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency — an organisation with the aim of improving access to affordable and clean energy in West Africa. He was instrumental in the establishment of the entre and, as director, has turned it into an internationally recognised establishment. He is the creator of the West African Power Pool and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulation Authority, and the recipient of the 2017 African Energy Leader Award and the 2017 Green Future Leadership Award.
- Maria NeiraDirector, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, WHOSpainMaria Neira is the director of the Department of Public Health and Environment at the World Health Organization. She works to promote a healthier environment and influence public policy across all sectors to combat health threats. She was awarded the Médaille de l’Ordre national du Mérite by the Government of France.
- Michael BruneExecutive Director, Sierra ClubUSAMichael Brune is the executive director of the Sierra Club, an influential US grassroots organisation that promotes policies to protect the environment. While working at the Rainforest Action Network, he successfully led a campaign to stop Home Depot stores from trading wood from old-growth forests. He is the author of Coming Clean — Breaking America’s Addiction to Oil and Coal.
- Miguel Arias CañeteFormer Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, European CommissionSpainMiguel Arias Cañete was the European Commissioner for climate action and energy. In this role, he was responsible for: diversifying energy sources, proposing new EU laws to implement the 2030 climate framework; making the EU the world leader in renewable energy and strengthening the Emissions Trading System, the EU’s flagship climate policy. He is also Spain’s former minister of agriculture and fisheries and a former member of the European Parliament (MEP). He represents the EU at international climate negotiations, including the 2014 UN Climate Change Conference in Lima and COP 21 in Paris for the signature of the Paris Agreement.
- Mithika MwendaCo-Founder, Pan African Climate Justice AllianceKenyaMithika Mwenda is a climate change activist and Secretary General of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, a network of African organisations seeking to influence climate change policy at a national and global level to make it more equitable and pro-poor. He has been a strong advocate in encouraging politicians in the global north to support environmentalist efforts in the global south.
- Naoko IshiiCEO and Chairperson, Global Environment FacilityJapanNaoko Ishii is the CEO and chairperson of the World Bank’s Global Environment Facility, an organisation that provides financial support for environmental projects. Previously, as Japan’s deputy vice minister of finance, she worked on policies on environmental issues and international investments. She led the Japanese delegation at the Transition Committee for designing the Green Climate Fund, dedicated to helping developing countries fight climate change.
- Rachel KyteDean at The Fletcher School at Tufts UniversityUSARachel Kyte is the dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Prior to joining Flethcher, Rachel Kyte was the Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All, an organisation that helps improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy. She also used her energy expertise as a Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN Energy. In 2016 she received the Women and the Green Economy Leadership Award for her work in climate action. She previously worked at the World Bank from 2011 to 2015 as vice president and head of network of sustainable development and group vice president and special envoy on climate change.
- Rodolfo LacyDirector, Envionment Directorate, OECDMexicoRodolfo Lacy is an environmental engineer and Mexican civil servant. In 2018, he was appointed Director of the Environment Directorate of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. He was influential in bringing renewable energy to Mexico during his post as Vice Minister of Environmental Policy and Planning from 2012 to 2018.
- Upendra TripathyDirector General, International Solar AllianceIndiaUpendra Tripathy is the director general of the International Solar Alliance, a coalition of over 100 countries dedicated to increasing the use of solar power and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Tripathy joined the ISA in 2017, after serving as the secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in the Government of India.
Academia and Advocacy
- Rafiqul Islam MontuEnvironmental JournalistBangladeshKnown for: Coastal climate journalism and photographyRafiqul is a Bangladeshi journalist using stark, unflinching photography to document the unfolding impact of climate change on Bangladesh’s drowning coastal communities. The recipient of over 20 awards, his work was integral to communicating the urgency of climate adaptation at COP26.
- Ayana Elizabeth JohnsonUrban Ocean Lab Co-founderUSAKnown for: Ocean climate action advocacyTrained as a marine biologist, Ayana combines, science, communication, and policy to combat oceanic climate change. She is also co-founder of the think tank Urban Ocean Lab and the podcast How to Save a Planet. Her work mobilises climate activists from all walks of life, with her ‘Climate Action Venn Diagram’ serving as a guide to action regardless of background or profession.
- Jason HickelEconomic AnthropologistEswatini, United KingdomKnown for: Degrowth advocate and scholarJason Hickel is an Economic Anthropologist, author, and journalist, known for his groundbreaking work in the developing Degrowth movement. His scholarship within the field of Degrowth considers how we can structure our societies to consume and emit less whilst giving us freer lives, stronger communities, and a thriving biosphere.
- Julia SteinbergerEcological EconomistSwitzerlandKnown for: Ecological economics advocacyProfessor Steinberger co-authored the paper ‘*A good life for all within planetary boundarie*s’, which empirically demonstrates that humanity can provide a just and equitable standard of living for everyone, without triggering catastrophic climate change. She teaches the science and politics of climate change to audiences ranging from kindergarten to policymakers. She has also been an active protestor, engaging in direct non-violent action against government inaction on climate change.
- Sam FankhauserOxford Net Zero Research Director and Professor of Climate Economics and PolicyUnited KingdomKnown for: Green growth researchSam has worked in multiple roles in and out of academia within the field of climate economics, where he promotes paths toward net zero within our existing economic system. He also engages in popular debates with prominent thinkers, bringing climate economic concepts to wide audiences.
- Gavin SchmidtDirector, NASA Goddard Institute for Space StudiesUSAGavin Schmidt is a British climatologist whose research aims to better understand climate change and develop new climate models. He is Director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York and an adjunct researcher at the Columbia Earth Institute. He co-founded the award-winning blog RealClimate, which provides climatology commentary from scientists that will give context to mainstream discussion of climate change.
- Ben CaldecottDirector, Oxford Sustainable Finance Group and the Lombard Odier Associate Professor of Sustainable Finance, University of OxfordUnited KingdomKnown for: Promoting sustainable financeBen is an expert in the intersection between sustainability, energy, decarbonisation, and finance. He has worked throughout government, academia, and business to help green the UK’s financial system; in roles ranging from The Alan Turing Institute to the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative.
- Gina McCarthyProfessor of the Practice of Public Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthUSAGina McCarthy was the US government’s administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency under Barack Obama. She led initiatives that cut air pollution, protected water resources, reduced greenhouse gases and strengthened chemical safety — and connected these to public health and equality. She signed the Clean Power Plan, the first-ever national standards for reducing carbon emissions from existing power plants. She is now professor of the practice of public health in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and director of Harvard’s Centre for Climate, Health and the Global Environment.
- James HansenProfessor, Columbia UniversityUSAJames Hansen is director of the Program on Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions, adjunct professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and a research scientist at The International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University in New York. In 1988 he told a US congressional hearing that he could say “with 99% confidence” that recent temperature rises were caused by humanity — considered to be the first alarm raised to the wider public about global warming.
- Johan RockströmProfessor, Stockholm UniversitySwedenJohan Rockström is a Swedish scientist whose research focuses on global sustainability. In 2009, he pioneered the development of the highly influential planetary boundaries framework. The framework has since been employed as a guide for governments, organisations and corporations in pursuit of sustainable development.
- Jyoti Kirit ParikhExecutive Director, Integrated Research and Action for DevelopmentIndiaJyoti Kirit Parikh is the executive director of Integrated Research and Action for Development, a research and policy analysis institute focusing on sustainable development. She was a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change in India and has served as energy and environment consultant to the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program. In 2007, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
- Ma JunDirector, Institute of Public and Environmental AffairsChinaMa Jun is a Chinese environmentalist, environmental consultant, and journalist. He currently directs the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs, one of China’s leading environmental NGOs dedicated to greater transparency around pollution issues. His 1999 book, China’s Water Crisis, was one of the first on the country’s burgeoning crisis.
- Mark JacobsonProfessor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford UniversityUSAMark Jacobson is professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program at Stanford University. He has developed computer models to study the effects of fossil fuel and biomass burning on air pollution, weather and climate. He published a famous paper proposing that the world move to 100% renewable energy, namely wind, water, and solar power, in all energy sectors.
- Mark NewDirector, African Climate and Development InitiativeSouth AfricaMark New is the director of the African Climate & Development Initiative, a research initiative at the University of Cape Town, and professor of international development at the University of East Anglia in the UK. His research career spans over 20 years, with a focus on detecting climate trends, climate modelling and assessing the impact of failed climate mitigation policy.
- Myles AllenProfessor, Environmental Change Institute, University of OxfordUnited KingdomMyles Allen is a professor of geosystem science at the University of Oxford, where he leads and co-directs multiple climate research initiatives. Allen is also a coordinating lead author on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on the impacts of 1.5 degree global warming, and leads the www.climateprediction.net project, using distributed computing to run the world’s largest ensemble climate modelling experiments.
- Naomi KleinAuthor and activistCanadaNaomi Klein is a Canadian author, activist and filmmaker whose advocacy focuses on environmentalism, alter-globalisation, anti-war and anti-capitalism issues. She is the author of numerous bestsellers on the subject of climate change, including her 2014 book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs The Climate which won the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction. In 2016, she was awarded the prestigious Sydney Peace Prize for her activism inspiring democratic action against climate change.
- Naomi OreskesProfessor of the History of Science and Affiliated Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard UniversityUSANaomi Oreskes is a globally influential geologist, historian and public speaker, whose work has been instrumental in raising public awareness and understanding of climate change and the role of science in society. She has been involved in the writing of over 200 books and articles, including her book Merchants of Doubt which was later made into a film.
- Ngụy Thị KhanhExecutive Director, Green Innovation and Development Centre, VietnamVietnamNgụy Thị Khanh is the executive director and founder of the Green Innovation and Development Centre in Vietnam, an organisation working to promote sustainable development in Vietnam. She is also the advocacy coordinator for the Vietnam Rivers Network, a forum designed to protect rivers and promote sustainable development. In 2018, she won the Goldman Environmental Prize Asia for persuading Vietnamese government agencies, using scientific research, to develop sustainable energy solutions to reduce coal dependency.
- Opha Pauline DubeProfessor, University of BotswanaBotswanaOpha Pauline Dube is a professor and world-renowned environmental change specialist. She served as one of the Vice Chairs of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme for five years, and is the Founder and Chair of the Botswana Global Environmental Change Committee at the University of Botswana. Dube is also a a coordinating lead author in the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change.
- Ove Hoegh GuldbergDirector, Global Change Institute, University of QueenslandAustraliaOve Hoegh-Guldberg is the inaugural director of the Global Change Institute and professor of marine science at the University of Queensland. In his mission to find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems — including climate change and clean energy — he has served as an advisor to governments, businesses and organisations, ranging from The World Bank to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
- Peter GleickPresident Emeritus, Pacific InstituteUSAPeter Gleick is an American environmental scientist and the founder of Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security. He has spent many years studying the affects of climate change and has been credited with producing the earliest work on the link between water and climate change and international security.
- Robert BullardProfessor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, Texas Southern UniversityUSARobert Bullard is a distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University in the US, and previously served as the founding director of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University. Bullard is the author of 18 books on sustainable development and climate justice, and a leading theorist of environmental racism, the idea that environmental injustices disproportately impact disenfranchised racial minorities.
- Robert StavinsProfessor of Energy & Economic Development, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityUSARobert Stavins is A.J. Meyer Professor of Energy and Economic Development at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is also Director of the Harvard Environmental Economics Program and the Harvard Project on Climate Agreements. His research has been influential in shaping policy and has been featured in a range of policy journals, and he has been a consultant to several government agencies, companies, organisations and advocacy groups. He was the chair of the U.S.
- Sunita NarainDirector General, Centre for Science and the EnvironmentIndiaSunita Narian is an Indian environmentalist and political activist. She is the director of the Centre for Science and the Environment and the editor of the fortnightly magazine, Down To Earth. In 1985 and 2012, she played a key role in the creation of the State of India’s Environment Reports and, in 2005, was awarded the Padma Shri prize by the Indian government. She is a strong advocate of the importance of local democracy in climate issues.
- Vandana ShivaActivistIndiaVandana Shiva is an Indian physicist and environmental activist whose work focuses on promoting fair and sustainable agriculture. She is the founder of the Research Foundation for Science, Technology, and Natural Resource Policy, an organisation designed to develop and promote sustainable agricultural methods, and Navdanya, a movement committed to biodiversity and farmers’ rights. She is the author of Making Peace With the Earth and an advisor to the Women’s Environment and Development Organisation, as well as several government bodies.
- Victoria HerrmannPresident and Managing Director, The Arctic InstituteUSAVictoria Herrmann is a climate change advocate and researcher. For six years, Victoria served as the Managing Director of The Arctic Institute, an independent think tank providing in-depth analysis on the Arctic. Stepping down to serve as a 2021-2022 White House Fellow working on climate policy, she is now a Senior Fellow at The Arctic Institute and continuing her work as a National Geographic Explorer, where she led the America’s Eroding Edges project to advance national assistance for US coastal communities severely affected by climate impacts. Victoria currently leads a National Geographic project that envisions a world where we celebrate our diverse cultural heritage and safeguard every site against climate impacts by empowering communities with the scientific knowledge and technical training to achieve appropriate place and people-based climate adaptation plans.
- Xuemei BaiProfessor, Australian National UniversityAustraliaXuemei Bai is professor of Urban Environment and Human Ecology at the Australian National University, and a world-renowned researcher who authored or co-authored over 100 papers on climate change and sustainability. She served as a lead author for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the Global Energy Assessment, and is a lead author for the sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. She was elected a Fellow of Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia in 2017, and was the Volvo Environment Prize Laureate in 2018.
