Category: Heroes_Communities

Climate change is undoubtedly one of the most important issues of our generation, and in the bid to change climate change, planet Earth and its people need all the help they can get. In light of that, we’ve put together a list of influential people across the world who are helping to shine a light on climate action.

Greta Thunberg is only the latest in a series of climate champions.

From sinking islands to drought-ridden savannas, women bear an outsize burden of the global—warming crisis, largely because of gender inequalities.

Environmental Law
Julia Olson works at the intersection of human rights and environmental protection. She is the Executive Director at Our Children’s Trust and chief Legal Counsel for plaintiffs in Juliana v. U.S.. Olson founded Our Children’s Trust in 2010 to lead this strategic legal campaign on behalf of the world’s youth against governments everywhere. Julia leads Juliana v. the United States, the constitutional climate change case brought by 21 youth against the U.S. government for violating their Fifth Amendment rights to life, liberty, property, and public trust resources.

As another Earth Day approaches, I feel the need to make a confession related to something I heard at a climate conference two years ago. The speaker (who will remain anonymous), exclaimed to the jam-packed and dumbfounded room, “Folks, somehow, I am able to hold two totally contradictory ideas in my head at once: ONE — that we are probably doomed, and TWO — I am filled with hope.”

Climate scientists and decision-makers at all levels of government around the world agree on this – any approach to tackle climate change must be multi-faceted, with support from the local, state, and federal levels. Cities can aim to reduce their carbon footprint by transitioning their local energy grid, converting public transportation systems, and creating sustainable development.

Think you can’t mix a healthy climate with a healthy economy? These business leaders and innovators are betting the world on the fact that we can.