Fighting for the environment has become a top priority for many people, and women are at the forefront of this battle. From leading grassroots campaigns to creating innovative solutions, women around the world are playing an important role in protecting the environment.
One of the most influential women in the environmental movement is Wangari Maathai, the late Kenyan environmental activist who founded the Green Belt Movement. Maathai was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a tireless campaigner for environmental justice. She focused her efforts on reforestation, conservation, and sustainable development in her native Kenya, and her legacy of environmental protection has inspired generations of female activists.
In the United States, women like Winona LaDuke and Vandana Shiva have become leading voices for environmental protection. LaDuke, a Native American activist and writer, is a fierce advocate for indigenous rights and the protection of traditional lands in the United States and Canada. Shiva, an Indian environmental activist, has worked to promote sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty and is a key figure in the global anti-GMO movement.
Women around the world have also been at the forefront of the climate justice movement. From the Philippines to the United States, women are at the forefront of campaigns to hold governments and corporations accountable for their environmental policies.
Other notable female environmentalists include:
Sylvia Earle (United States) - A pioneering marine biologist, Earle has been an outspoken advocate for ocean conservation and has led numerous expeditions to the depths of the world’s oceans.
Jane Goodall (United Kingdom) - An English anthropologist and primatologist, Goodall is best known for her long-term study of the chimpanzees
Dian Fossey (United States) - An American primatologist and conservationist known for studying mountain gorilla groups
Rachel Carson (United States) - A marine biologist, writer, and conservationist who sparked an environmental movement with her book Silent Spring.
Bindi Irwin (Australia) - A conservationist and zookeeper
Biruté Galdikas (Germany) - An anthropologist, conservationist, and author.
Looking to support women in the environmental industry? Check out these women-forward organizations:
Women's Earth Alliance
Women's Environment & Development Organization