11 Women Honored in BBC’s 100 Women List for Impact on the Climate Crisis

We often hear about ‘Top Influential Woman in the World’. However, are we aware of who makes this list and how they choose which influencers to include? The names of 100 remarkable and significant women from around the globe are published annually as part of the BBC 100 Women series. This series was started in 2013. The BBC 100 Women, 2024 list was released after 100 women were chosen in five categories. We will talk about 11 women who were included in the BBC’s list for their climate-related efforts in today’s article. Let’s take a quick look at what they contributed.

1. Sasha Luccioni, Canada

– Computer Scientist

Because artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating development in this digital age, the problem of carbon footprints is sometimes disguised by the general public. A method developed by Sasha Luccioni enables developers to quantify their carbon emissions. Already, over 1.3 million downloads of this technology have been made. He leads climate at Huggins Face, a business that focuses on open-source AI models. He’s working on developing a system called the ‘Energy Star Rating System’ to gauge how AI startups affect the environment.

2. Rosemarie Wydler-Walti, Switzerland

-Teacher and climate campaigner

The first climate case in the European Court of Human Rights was won by Rosemarie Widler-Walty. As the co-chair of the organization KlimaSeniorinnen, or Senior Women for Climate Protection, she spearheaded a nine-year court battle against the Swiss government. Together with 2,000 other women, she claimed that their age and gender rendered them more vulnerable and that the Swiss government’s approach to addressing climate-related heatwaves had violated their health rights. In April of last year, the Swiss government’s efforts to reach its carbon reduction targets were deemed inadequate by the country’s court. Despite the decision’s rejection by the Swiss parliament, the case served as a model for climate litigation.

3. Inna Modza, Mali

-Artist and Climate Activist

Climate activist, musician, and filmmaker Inna Modza has tackled a variety of issues, from stopping female genital mutilation to advocating for sustainable development. The documentary “The Great Green Wall,” which she created and featured in, details the bold attempts to stop desertification and rehabilitate degraded land in Africa’s Sahel area, which is located south of the Sahara Desert. She represents the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification as a Goodwill Ambassador, giving voice to communities impacted by climate change.

4. Shilshila Acharya, Nepal

-Sustainability Entrepreneur

One of Nepal’s biggest plastic recycling networks, Avni Ventures, is operated by Shilshila Acharya. In her waste management company, she hires underserved groups, particularly women, to inspire them to get more involved in the green industry. The 2014 “No thanks, I carry my own bag” campaign, which resulted in a ban on plastic shopping bags, was largely her idea. She also participates in an annual cleanup effort in the Himalayas, where mountaineers remove remnant garbage.

5. Maheder Haileselassie, Ethiopia

-Photographer

Maheder Haileselassie, a photographer from Ethiopia who focuses on destroyed fields and dried-up rivers, has documented how extreme droughts are causing families to marry off their daughters when they are still quite young. Because of his work, he was awarded the 2023 Contemporary African Photography Award. Human rights groups predict that the climate catastrophe will raise the number of girls in danger of underage marriage by about a third by 2050.

6. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, Peru

-Chemical Biologist

By applying her grandmother’s traditional healing expertise, biologist Rosa Vásquez Espinoza contributes to preserving Peru’s Amazon rainforest’s biodiversity. In addition, she collaborates with indigenous people and established Amazon Research International to uncover missing biodiversity in the forest. She uncovered novel bacteria in the well-known “Boiling River” of the Amazon. One of the biggest indigenous groups in South America, the Ashaninka, has her as a worldwide ambassador.

7. Brigitte Baptiste, Colombia

-Ecologist

To broaden the definition of “nature” and better safeguard ecosystems, transwoman biologist Brigitte Baptiste examines nature and animals from a fresh angle. She used the national tree of Colombia, the Quindio Moem Palme, as an example in a 2018 TEDx talk. This tree is known to transition from male to female at several points throughout its life. She currently holds the position of president at Universidad EAN in Bogotá, a university that specializes in sustainability programs.

8. Nejla Isik, Turkey

-Village chief and forest defender

The farmer and recently elected mayor of the western Turkish district of Ikizköy, Nejla Isik, has spent the last five years combating deforestation. Isik and local women struggled to stop logging to clear the land through lawsuits and protests when a proposed coal mine endangered the Akbelen forest. She keeps fighting to save the forest despite threats. Women “are making the world beautiful and they will protect it, whether at home, in the fields, on the streets, or in the struggle,” she asserts.

9. Enas Al-Ghoul, Palestine

-Agricultural Engineer

Enas al-Ghoul looked for a way to alleviate the acute water deficit brought on by the war in Gaza, Palestine. Using recyclable materials like glass, tarpaulin, and wood, he constructed a solar-powered desalination machine to purify seawater. For many tent-dwellers in the Khan Yunis region south of the Gaza Strip, the plant has proved a lifesaver. To aid Palestinians who have been displaced, he has also constructed solar-powered stoves.

10. Naomi Chanda, Zambia

-Farmer and trainer

Naomi Chanda works at a training farm as an agricultural guide. Short-season agriculture and low-water drip irrigation are two examples of “climate-smart” techniques that she frequently highlights. She believes that the key to addressing climate change is women. She teaches around 150 young women how to adapt agricultural technologies and become climate-smart through Camfed, an NGO that focuses on girls’ education.

11. Adenike Titilope Oladosu, Nigeria

-Climate Justice Advocate

I Lead Climate Action, a grassroots campaign for women and youth to combat climate change, was founded by Nigerian climate advocate Adenike Titilope Oladosu. She tackles social and environmental issues in her work, especially those that impact African women. In areas where food security is in jeopardy, she strives to empower women in sustainable agriculture.

The contributions of the eleven climate activists who were highlighted in the BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women report have been outstanding. Through their unwavering bravery, unrelenting diligence, and unwavering will, they are tackling the climate problem. These ladies are our future and our source of inspiration.

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