Woman’s Hour Power List: Our Planet

Earlier today BBC Radio 4 revealed the 30 names on this year’s Woman’s Hour Power List, which celebrates women across the UK who are making a significant contribution to the health and sustainability of our planet.

The result is a truly inspiring list of female changemakers, spanning politics, science, industry, law, conservation and the voluntary sector.

At number one on the Power List is Caroline Lucas MP, who has worked tirelessly in Parliament to hold the government accountable on climate policy. Speaking to Jane Garvey and Lucy Siegle this morning when the list was revealed, Lucas said that “aiming to get to net zero climate emissions by 2050 is like dialling 999 and asking for the fire brigade to come in 30 years’ time”, arguing that the government needed to respond to the climate emergency with the same urgency they have shown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the news that the UK will be fielding an all-male team to host COP26 next year, it’s more important than ever to amplify the voices of women dedicating their time, careers and lives to environmental causes – particularly when evidence suggests that women and girls are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change globally.

Here’s the Woman’s Hour Power List 2020:

1. Caroline Lucas – Green Party MP

2. Farhana Yamin – Lawyer

3. Rosamund Kissi-Debrah – Founder of The Ella Roberta Foundation

4. Mya-Rose Craig – Birder and Environmentalist

5. Sophie Howe – Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

6. Ella Daish – Founder of Plastic-Free Periods

7. Joanna Haigh – Physicist and climate change researcher

8. Beccy Speight – CEO of the RSPB

9. Minette Batters – President of the National Farmers Union

10. Carolyn Cobbold – Co-founder of the Manhood Peninsula Partnership

11. Gail Bradbrook – Co-founder of Extinction Rebellion

12. Judy Ling-Wong – Founder of the Black Environment Network

13. Franny Armstrong – Film Director

14. Brenda Boardman – Domestic energy efficiency researcher

15. Diane Gilpin – CEO of Smart Green Shipping

16. Caroline Mason – CEO of Esmée Farbairn Foundation

17. Miranda Lowe – Curator at the Natural History Museum

18. Zarina Ahmad – Climate Change trainer at CEMVO Scotland

19. Holly Gillibrand – Youth climate activist

20. Amanda Absalom-Lowe – Founder of Pembrokeshire Care, Share and Give

21. Catherine Howarth – CEO of ShareAction

22. Rebecca Willis – Expert Lead to Climate Assembly UK

23. Kate Humble – Broadcaster

24. Fiona Harvey – Environmental Correspondent at The Guardian

25. Judy Webb – Local Conservationist and Ecologist

26. Yvonne Witter – Chair of the Peak District Mosaic Club

27. Mikaela Loach – Climate justice influencer and podcaster

28. Safia Minney – Founder of People Tree

29. Mandi Roberts – Hedgehog rescue volunteer

30. Christine Grosart – Team leader at Ghost Fishing UK

The Greenhouse team is fortunate to have worked with many of the incredible women featured on this year’s list and we’d like to extend our congratulations to each and every one of them. As well as promoting a healthy and sustainable planet, they are also inspiring the next generation of female leaders. Please keep up the good work!

To read more inspirational stories of pioneering women taking action for our planet, visit the Greenhouse blog where you’ll find interviews with Sophie Howe, Savita Custead, Juliet Davenport, Fi Radford, Alex Jellicoe Zakiya McKenzie & Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley and many more besides!