The environment is the backbone of our survival; without it, we also can’t survive. Here are some dedicated environmental leaders who strive to ensure humanity maintains the desired human-nature interaction.
While the majority of humanity takes things simple, there is a group of people who see things as they are—our environment is not infinite.
The free resources we enjoy each day, such as clean air, water, forests, and animals, can easily disappear. The effects of our irresponsible actions on the environment have started manifesting through climate change and environmental degradation.
That’s why some great souls have taken it upon themselves to create awareness and promote environmental preservation. These people do both simple and extraordinary things to put some sense of responsibility to humanity.
Today, we learn about some of the famous environmental leaders worldwide whose actions are transforming the planet.
Top International Environmental Leaders
1. Jane Goodall
This is not a new name for environmental preservation and wildlife protection. As a young lady, Jane traveled to Tanzania, where she immediately started researching chimpanzees and has never stopped.
With a simple binocular, a pen, and a notebook, Jane started her research on the species, which has since become her legacy. Her research and relationship with these animals have greatly transformed how people look and live with animals.
In 1977, Jane established the Jane Goodall Institute, a non-profit organization that she uses to further her research and spread environmental preservation awareness. She later founded the Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots, which aims to empower youths to pursue their dreams.
Today, Jane is not only a chimpanzee researcher in Tanzania.
She travels around the globe advocating for a greener environment and encouraging youths to be active in preserving the planet. She’s among the few female environmental leaders whose passion for the environment can be felt worldwide.
2. David Orr
Regarding nature and its preservation, David Orr is a name we can’t miss on our list. The renowned Oberlin College Professor is an environmentalist in every sense. From writing numerous books to traversing the country and giving talks on the climate crisis, David is undoubtedly among the most visionary environmental leaders we have today.
His environmental preservation and sustainability vision led him to construct “the Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies, ” one of the greenest constructions in North America, located at Oberlin College. The project’s idea was to make the College and the larger Oberlin one of the most environmentally friendly communities.
He has won multiple awards for his astounding environmental work, including:
- The 2002 Bioneers Award
- A National Conservation Achievement Award in 1993
- The Lyndhurst Prize from Lyndhurst Foundation
- Benton Box Award in 1995
3. Greta Thunberg
For this young Swedish environmental activist, age has always been just but a number. The 17-year-old made headlines with her famous Fridays for Future movement.
Greta is known globally for her courage, especially concerning matters of the environment. She has fearlessly challenged world leaders to take charge of rectifying the climate change menace and criticized them for their failures.
Her activism started from her home when she convinced her parents to make some changes in their lifestyle using sustainable products, from reusable bags to eco-friendly trash bags, and more, to reduce their carbon footprint. Since then, Greta has become a famous female environmental activist, even at a young age.
She has managed to get an audience with world leaders on various occasions, such as:
- The World Economic Forum
- The US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis
- During the United Nations Climate Conference
Her undying passion for creating awareness about the climate change crisis has seen many young environmentalists spread this gospel even more.
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4. Hans Cosmas Ngoteya
The Tanzanian conservationist, who initially aspired to become a ranger or a tour guide, is now one of the most famous environmental activists around the globe. With a passion for photography and filming, Ngoteya doubles as an avid activist for environmental protection and sustainable living.
He’s a co-founder of the famous NGO Landscape and Conservation Mentors. This NGO promotes, supports, and empowers communities to grow their incomes through various sustainable environmental practices.
Living in the Serengeti since childhood, Ngoteya has always had a passion for wildlife and the environment. Instead of becoming a ranger or a tour guide, he opted for the higher goal of protecting the environment and wildlife.
Through his role as an “ambassador for the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of all,” Hans advocates for environmental preservation in numerous ways. One project he is using is the “Vijana na Mazingira” to educate the youths in Tanzania on how to responsibly use the resources at their disposal while still preserving the environment.
5. Malaika Vaz
This is another young lady who has proven that love for the environment surpasses age constraints. The 23-year-old is a wildlife presenter, filmmaker, adventurer, and conservationist. Malaika believes that her generation faces a unique dilemma.
She reckons this generation is the first to see first-hand the devastations brought about by climate change. However, she also notes that if any positive change occurs, this generation can cause it.
For this reason, she is doing everything she can to ensure that she is heard in matters of the environment. In 2018, Malaika offered a TV series to Discovery Channel and Animal Planet called “On The Brink.” The series explores India’s endangered species, featuring the challenging stories of scientists and researchers who dedicate their lives to protecting these species.
In addition, the young activist is currently creating a documentary about the illegal trafficking of Manta Rays throughout Southeast Asia.
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6. James Hansen
Born in 1941 to James and Gladys Hansen, Dr. James Hansen is a famous environmental scientist with impeccable track records. With a Ph.D. in physics, he is one of the bright minds who long ago saw the need for environmental preservation and sustainability.
He has studied the Earth’s atmosphere for a long time, evaluating how trace gases affect the Earth’s climate. His global climate models have improved our understanding of climate and how it is affected by various elements.
While he was a NASA graduate trainee from 1962-1966, he later became the director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City between 1981 and 2013. He is famous for his research and work in climatology and for his 1988 testimony at the Congressional Committee on climatic change.
He determined that the global temperatures had risen by 0.5 to 0.7 C in the past century through his 1880 to 1985 meteorological data analysis. His 2006 update concluded that the globe was 0.8 C warmer than the previous centuries’.
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7. Paul Hawken
This American entrepreneur, author, environmentalist, and activist is a perfect example of world environmental leaders whose vision for a greener future might save the planet.
As a writer, he has published several great books, especially on the relationship between business and nature. Some of these books include:
- The Ecology of Commerce
- Natural Capitalism
His main environmental preservation work and activism include:
- Establishing ecological businesses.
- Vigorously writing about the effects of commerce on nature.
- Consulting on industrial ecology, economic development, and environmental policies.
He is a co-founder and the current executive director of Project Drawdown, a non-profit organization whose main aim is to raise awareness about global warming and establish ways to reverse it.
The project is quite ambitious. Top global scientists and researchers came together to identify the 100 most feasible solutions to curb global warming. Their goal is to reverse this global crisis.
8. Lennox Yearwood Jr.
The “Hip Hop Rev,” portrayed in a documentary by Discovery Communications, loves music and adores nature. The 51-year-old minister is a passionate activist who creates social movements for youths and minority communities. The movements are meant to address voting, equality, and environmental preservation issues.
Born in Louisiana, Lennox is the founder and president of the Hip Hop Caucus. He also served in the U.S. Air Force before that.
His activism towards climate change came after the devastating Hurricane Katrina. In his statement, he noted that Hurricane Katrina was an eye-opener of the devastation the world can suffer due to extreme weather resulting from dramatic climate change.
He reckoned that climate change would become paramount when the narrative stopped being only for environmental leaders and was embraced by everyone.
As a member of The Climate Mobilization’s advisory board, Lennox called for revitalizing the US economy and declaring “net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.”
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9. Katharine Hayhoe
Katharine is a 46-year-old atmospheric scientist and evangelical Christian whose activism has illuminated environmental preservation campaigns. As an evangelical Christian and scientist, she has made it clear that science and faith can go hand in hand—they don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Together with her husband, who is also a pastor and a linguist, she has published a book on climate change. The book, which targets Christian audiences, has made her a famous and sought-after speaker on merging science and religion.
She reckons that the same people suffering from the devastation of climate change are the same people the Bible calls us to help.
These are the needy, poor, and everyone short of necessary resources.
Katherine says that climate change is the source of all environmental issues that endanger natural and economic resources and global security. We cannot solve the issues of hunger, drought, poverty, pollution, and environmental degradation without tackling climate change.
She is one of the renowned female environmental leaders whose actions are influencing the young and old.
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10. Alex Honnold
The famous American free-solo rock climber knows another more dangerous thing than climbing those open rocks – climate change.
After one of his exploratory climbing tours in Chad, Hannold says he encountered extreme poverty for the first time. He lived in a place without roads, schools, or any kind of infrastructure.
This encounter was quite an eye-opener for him and ultimately drove him to establish the Honnold Foundation. He aimed to support environmentally friendly projects to raise various people’s and communities’ livelihoods.
Apart from using his fame to support climate change action, he devotes money from his foundation to fund various projects like:
- Grid Alternatives – brings solar energy and job opportunities to deserving US communities.
- Solar Aid – Brings solar power to poor communities in Africa.
Through his actions, he hopes to raise awareness of climate change impacts and inspire more people to live eco-friendly lives. He wishes that the American people would just learn the impact of their actions—consuming excess animal products and using fossil fuels extensively.
11. Julia Lorraine Hill
Famously known as Julia “Butterfly” Hill, the American environmental activist hit the headlines between 1997 and 1999. This was after she decided to live on a 180-foot redwood tree for more than two years – 738 days, to be exact.
This was to prevent loggers from Pacific Lumber Company from cutting down the tree, estimated to be around 1500 years old. This showed her courage and dedication to preserving our natural environment.
She is seen as one of this age’s most committed environmental leaders and has continued her fight in even greater ways. She has written and co-authored several books on the environment, including:
- “The Legacy of Luna, the famous tree.”
- “One Makes the Difference”
- “Circle of Life Foundation”
All this passion for the environment started after her near-death experience in a car crash back in 1996. She has since been a great advocate for the environment and natural habitats.
Back in 2012, Hill was arrested and imprisoned in Quito, Ecuador, for her protest against a proposed oil pipeline, which was to pass through a virgin forest full of rare birds.
FAQs
environmental movement leaders
Environmental movement leaders are key in advocating for environmental protection and sustainability. They are often activists, scientists, policymakers, and educators who work to raise awareness about environmental issues, promote sustainable practices, and influence policies that impact the environment. Some notable environmental movement leaders include Rachel Carson, Al Gore, Wangari Maathai, and Greta Thunberg.
Who were the leaders of the environmental movement?
The environmental movement’s leaders advocated for protecting the natural environment and conserving natural resources. Some notable leaders include Rachel Carson, who wrote the influential book Silent Spring, which exposed the dangers of pesticides, and John Muir, who founded the Sierra Club and was instrumental in establishing national parks in the United States. Other important leaders include Wangari Maathai, who founded the Green Belt Movement in Kenya to promote reforestation and conservation, and Al Gore, a prominent advocate for addressing climate change.
Who is the most famous environmental activist?
The most famous environmental activist is Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenager who gained international attention for her activism on climate change. In 2018, Thunberg began striking from school to protest outside the Swedish parliament and has since become a prominent voice in the global movement for climate action. She has been recognized with numerous awards and has spoken at high-profile events like the United Nations Climate Action Summit.
Who is one famous environmentalist?
An environmentalist is a person who advocates for the protection of the natural environment. One famous environmentalist is Rachel Carson, an American marine biologist and conservationist best known for her book Silent Spring, which helped launch the modern environmental movement by exposing the dangers of pesticides.
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