10 Woman Environmentalists You Should Know

Marina Silva is a warrior for the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. Silva was a colleague of Chico Mendes, who was assassinated for defending the rainforest in 1988. She and Mendes led demonstrations in the 1980s to protect the rainforest from government control. After Mendes’ assassination, Silva became a politician and fought for environmental protection, sustainable development, and social justice. Deforestation decreased by 59% from 2004 to 2007, during her political career.

9. Gretha Thunberg

Greta Thunberg is the 17-year-old environmental activist from Sweden that took the world by storm with her Fridays for Future movement. Gretha is known for her activism around the global climate crisis. She has addressed world leaders at the World Economic Forum, United Nations Climate Conference and at the US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. “The Greta Effect” has inspired young environmentalists across the world, and has brought the global climate crisis to the public’s attention.

10. Vanessa Nakate

Vanessa Nakate is a 23-year-old environmental activist from Uganda. Vanessa is known for her protests outside of the Ugandan Parliament — to draw attention towards the rising temperatures in her country. She attended the 2020 World Economic Forum in Davos along with other environmental youth activists. After being cropped out of a photo with other activists, Vanessa spoke out — bringing attention to the importance of amplifying voices from the global south and African continent in climate activism.

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The underlying connection between all of these awe-inspiring women is that they believed in their cause. Never underestimate the power you have as a citizen to create change within your community. Be fearless, be courageous, be passionate. Stand on the shoulders of all of the powerful women that came before us.

Originally published at https://greenpop.org on February 13, 2018.