The health of the earth is the backbone of humanity’s survival. Though, in the last 100 years we did almost everything to cause damage to our planet – our home. But there’s hope! These dedicated & famous environmental activists are fighting hard for a better world.
While the largest portion of humanity takes things all simple, these environmental actvists see things as they are – our environment is not infinite. They are ready to challenge the status-quo in order to create a future in which humanity doesn’t need to exploit the environment anymore.
The free resources we enjoy each day, such as clean air, water, forests, and animals, can easily cease to exist. In fact, the effects of our irresponsible actions on the environment have started manifesting through climate change and environmental degradation. Environmental activism seek to create awareness about the impact of human activities on the environment and to put some sense of responsibility to humanity.
The world has been blessed with some outstanding environmental leaders, environmental activists, and sustainability advocates. In this list you can find some of the best international green leaders and most famous environmental activists.
What is Environmental Activism?
More and more people are starting to realize that humanity has to change and take action to stop climate change, so that future generations can still survive on earth – our home.
Many are trying to live more sustainably individually. However, there are plenty of additional things you can do to fight climate change. And one of these things is environmental actvism.
Environmental activism involves the collaboration of different groups of individuals and organizations with the purpose of addressing environmental issues, such as climate change, resource depletion, pollution, toxic waste, and deforestation.
Environmental activists identify issues that threaten the planet’s viability (from community to global concerns) and then develop strategies to promote awareness or produce solutions that directly address the problem.
The goal of environmental activism is to create a harmonious living environment that can be handed down from generation to generation without degrading in life quality due to poor human stewardship – thus, essentially a sustainable world.
Here are some of the best tips to become an activist!
In the following, you can find a list of the most famous environmental activists:
Top 10 Famous Environmental Activists
1. Greta Thunberg - Climate Activist
With growing news on climate change, the young generation is rising to speak up. Greta Thunberg has become one of the most famous environmental activists, despite her young age. She fearlessly challenges world leaders on climate change and political action. Her message has reached across the globe.
Greta’s activism began in her home country: Sweden. She has challenged her parents and convinced them to make sustainable changes and swaps to reduce their carbon footprint. Later on, this led to demonstrations such as the ‘School strike for climate.’ At just 15, she striked school on Fridays, and protested outside the Swedish Parliament as a demonstration for action to curb climate change. This encouraged other students and young people to demand changes in their respective communities, which ultimately led to the founding of the FridaysForFuture (FFF) movement.
Greta has given several speeches and held protests as a call for change. In 2019 at the World Economic Forum, she delivered a speech that highlighted the fact that “our house is on fire.” People know Greta for her straightforward manner in delivering her messages. The U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and the United Nations Climate Conference has also given her audience.
Her undying passion for creating awareness about the climate crisis has seen many young environmentalists come up (like Luisa Neubauer, head of FFF Germany) and spread this gospel even more. Ultimately, people like Greta are showing how important sustainability education is for the long-term protection of our environment.
2. Wangari Muta Maathai - Environmental Activist
Wangari Muta Maathai (1940-2011) was an environmental, social and political activist from Kenya. She made history as the first woman in Central and East Africa to earn a doctoral degree.
After her biology studies in the US, she returned to her home country to tackle environmental and women’s rights issues. Her dedication to women’s empowerment led to her active role in the National Council of Women of Kenya. During her time here, she conceived the idea of planting trees and having a positve human environment interaction. Although this had environmental benefits, Wangari also saw this service as a way to empower women.
The tree-planting initiative later developed into the Green Belt Movement, which she founded. This grassroots organization was committed to planting trees in Kenya as a way to tackle the problem of deforestation. By the early 21st century, they have already planted over 30 million trees, provided jobs, and secured firewood for rural communities. The Green Belt movement empowered Kenyan women to be involved in this process while drawing income to improve their quality of life. It spread across countries in Africa and now works on grassroots, national and international levels. Globally, people recognize Wangari for her resilience and persistence in fighting for environmental preservation and human rights.
Maathai was elected to parliament with 98% of the vote, and appointed Assistant Minister in the Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources. Finally, she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She was both, one of the most famous environmental activists, and an intellectual who contributed to the body of work in ecology, gender, and African studies.
3. Paul Watson - Conservation Activist
Paul Franklin Watson is a Canadian marine wildlife conservation and a famous environmental activist, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine conservation activism.
Watson exhibited an early affinity for protecting wildlife. At age nine he would seek out and destroy leghold traps that were set by beaver hunters, interfere with deer and duck hunters, and foil the attempts of other young boys to shoot birds.
Watson was an early member of Greenpeace International. During his years with the organization, he often employed daring and innovative tactics to defend wildlife from hunters, such as positioning his inflatable Zodiac boat between a pod of whales and the harpoon of a large Soviet whaling vessel, or forcing sealing ships to a halt by standing on the ice in their path. He also was known to handcuff himself to a pile of seal pelts being hoisted up onto a sealing vessel. Because of conflicts concerning such unconventional protest methods, Watson left Greenpeace, and established the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in 1977. This organozation frequently undertakes dangerous expeditions to protect and defend marine wildlife from illegal poaching. This is usually done by actively hindering and even fighting or attacking whalers at open sea.
Watson shared his passion for animals and the environment through his involvement with numerous other organizations, including Defenders of Wildlife, Friends of the Wolf, Fund for Animals, the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals, and the Sierra Club, of which he was director.
For his efforts on behalf of wildlife, Watson was granted the Genesis Award, the George H.W. Bush Daily Point of Light Award, and enrollment in the U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame. All of these accomplishments and his contiuous drive & ambition are making Paul Watson one of the most famous environmental activists of our time.
4. David Attenborough - Environmental Broadcaster
Sir David Attenborough is Britain’s best-known natural history filmmaker and one of the most famous environmental actvisists. His career as a natural and history broadcaster has spanned nearly seven decades. His first job—after Cambridge University and two years in the Royal Navy—was at a London publishing house. Then in 1952 he joined the BBC as a trainee producer and it was while working on the Zoo Quest series (1954–1964) that he had his first opportunity to undertake expeditions to remote parts of the globe to capture intimate footage of wildlife in its natural habitat.
He was the Controller of BBC 2 (1965–1968), during which time he introduced colour television to Britain, then the Director of Programmes for BBC Television (1969–1972). In 1973 he abandoned administration altogether to return to documentary making and writing and established himself as the world’s leading natural history programme maker with several landmark titles, including ‘Life on Earth’ (1979), ‘The Living Planet’ (1984), ‘The Trials of Life’ (1990), ‘The Private Life of Plants’ (1995), ‘Life of Birds’ (1998), ‘The Blue Planet’ (2001), ‘Life of Mammals’ (2002), ‘Planet Earth’ (2006), ‘Our Planet’ (2019), and ‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet’ (2020).
Sir David was knighted in 1985 and received the Order of Merit in 2005. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and stands at the forefront of issues concerning the planet’s declining species and wildlife conservation.
5. Malaika Vaz - Wildlife Filmmaker
Stepping into the shoes of David Attenborough, Malaika Vaz is a young lady that has proven that love for the environment surpasses age constraints. The 24-year-old is one of the most famous environmental activists and couples as a wildlife presenter, filmmaker, adventurer, and conservationist. She believes that the current generation can significantly contribute to positive changes in our world today.
She reckons that this generation is the first to see first-hand the devastations brought about by climate change. But, she also notes that, if any positive change to the situation will occur, this is the generation with the power to 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, known as “On The Brink”. The TV series explores India’s endangered species, featuring the challenging stories of scientists and researchers who dedicate their lives to protect these species. In addition, the young activist has recently created a documentary about the illegal Manta Rays’ trafficking throughout Southeast Asia.
Malaika works with organizations like WildAid as part of her commitments to wildlife trade inquiries. As a windsurfer, she experienced firsthand the damaging effects of unsustainable tourism. This also deepened her connection to the waters. She co-founded Untamed Planet, a production house that creates factual and wildlife documentaries.
6. Jane Goodall - Wildlife Protection Environmentalist
Jane Goodall is one of the most famous environmentalists, particularly in the wildlife protection space. Her story has been the subject of numerous articles, books and films.
The young English woman who ventured to Africa in 1960, conducted research on chimpanzees and wound up revolutionising primate science. Today, her extensive studies have become a crucial aspect of her legacy.
What makes her story so unique is that Jane started without any formal background in research. But she did have a passion for and deep empathy with animals. Her research and relationship with these animals has greatly transformed how people look at and live with animals. Plus she had extraordinary drive. Starting with the chimpanzee research, then in the protection of the chimps, then with local environmental issues in Africa, and more prominently in recent decades speaking out about global environmental issues, such as the impacts of climate change.
In 1977, Jane established the Jane Goodall Institute, a non-profit organization, which she uses to further her research and spread environmental preservation awareness. She later founded the Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots, which aims at empowering youths to pursue their dreams.
Now aged in her 80’s Jane still 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 all over the world.
7. John Muir - Naturalist & Environmental Activist
Most people know John Muir as the father of national parks. After he was born in Scotland and emigrated to Wisconsin as a young boy, he spent a large portion of his life fighting for forest conservation. Throughout this lifetime, he shared his love for the natural world and contributed to establishing national parks in many countries, but mostly in the US. Some of these parks include Yosemite National Park and Sequoia National Park in California.
After nearly losing his eye due to an industrial accident, John left his career and became dedicated to nature, starting his new life as a passionate hiker. This naturalist and writer used his words and actions as driving forces for positive environmental changes. In the 1870s, he played a role in urging the government to establish a forest conservation policy and several initiatives to clean the most polluted rivers in the US. He was a prominent figure in land-use debates as he fought for preservation.
John was the co-founder of The Sierra Club, an organization with the mission to protect the environment. All of this makes John Muir one of the most famous environmetal actvists in the world.
8. Julia Hill - Environmental Activist
Julia Hill, who people popularly refer to as Julia “Butterfly” Hill, is one of the most dedicated environmental leaders of this time. In a protest against the cutting down of a 1500-year-old Californian redwood tree, Julia lived in it for 738 days. The Pacific Lumber Company was set to cut down the tree, but Julia’s action showed her stance against tree logging.
Her actions garnered media attention and also highlighted the destructive consequences of unsustainable actions. Julia’s commitment to environmental preservation charged up after a near-death experience. She had an epiphany and later joined the environmental movement in the fight for the protection of natural habitats and saving the planet. Her dedicated protest garnered attention around the role forests play in our world.
The conservation group, Earth First!, supported Julia’s efforts as they provided her with supplies. After spending over two years living in the tree, the Pacific Lumber Company settled to preserve it and its immediate surroundings. Julia and her supporters had raised $50,000 during the cause and decided to donate it to the company to compensate them for lost revenue. Later, the company agreed to donate the money to Humboldt State University to support its sustainable forest research.
Julia has written several books, including “The Legacy of Luna: The Story of a Tree, a Woman, and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods” and “One Makes the Difference: Inspiring Actions That Change Our World.”
Nowadays, her way of protesting against logging is used by many other young activists who live in trees to prevent forests from being cut down. For example, in order to hinder the expansion of a coal mine and the associated logging of the Hambach Forest in Germany, climate activists are living in trees so that logging is prevented.
9. Paul Hawken - Intellectual Environmentalist
Paul Hawken is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, author and activist who has dedicated his life to environmental sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. He is one of the environmental movement’s leading voices, and a pioneering architect of corporate reform with respect to ecological practices. His work includes founding successful, ecologically conscious businesses, writing about the impacts of commerce on living systems, and consulting with heads of state and CEOs on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy.
Paul is Founder of Project Drawdown, a non-profit dedicated to researching when and how global warming can be reversed. The organization maps and models the scaling of one hundred substantive technological, social, and ecological solutions to global warming.
In addition, Paul has founded several companies, starting in the 1960s with Erewhon, one of the first natural food companies in the U.S. that relied solely on sustainable agricultural methods. He went on in 1979 to co-found Smith & Hawken, the retail and catalog garden company. In 2009 Paul founded OneSun, an energy company focused on ultra low-cost solar based on green chemistry and biomimicry that is now known as Energy Everywhere.
You could say that Paul Hawken is one of the leading drivers when it comes to green innovations and the development of sustainable business models.
10. Gaylord Nelson - Politician & Environmentalist
Finally, Gaylord Nelson completes the list of the top 10 most famous environmental activists.
He was an American activist and politician who also served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was an instrumental figure in the passage of crucial environmental acts. Some of these acts include the Wilderness Act, Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and Clean Water Act, which had the goal to clean up the most polluted rivers. During the 20th century, Gaylord was a prominent environmental activist highlighting environmental issues and fighting for social justice. Already decades ago, he demanded employers to encourage sustainability at work and even proposed to compensate those companies if they would do so. Also, he was a fighter for the stakeholder theory.
Gaylord served as the governor of Wisconsin and represented the state in the U.S. senate. As a governor, he held a vision that addressed sustainable use of resources and environmental preservation. One of his most prominent contributions was the creation of the Outdoor Recreation Acquisition Program. The program sought to acquire lands maintained as wilderness areas and public parks. His efforts paid of, as some cities under his authority made it into the list of the greenest cities in the US.
As a senator, he encouraged the creation of a national hiking trails system, including the Appalachian Trail. He also served on the board of The Wilderness Society and was one of the sponsors of the Wilderness Act. This Act established the National Wilderness Preservation System. This is geared towards wilderness preservation and essentially protecting public lands.
Apart from his fight against issues like pollution, he also spoke on poverty. Perhaps one of Gaylord’s most significant contributions to the conservation movement was his creation of Earth Day. Since its inception in 1970, the world continues to celebrate this day.
These famous environmental activists are shaping our world how we know it today in extraordinary ways. They will clearly leave their mark on this planet! But now it’s time for you to act! Learn how to live more sustainable, save the planet, or educate yourself about the environment while reading the best sustainability books.
Want to be an activist yourself? Here are our top tips on how to become an activist!
