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Join for The Independent the first Climate 100 event, a landmark celebration to honor those committed to the fight against climate change.
The event will be held in New York City on September 25 to mark the launch of the Climate100 List, a roll call of climate activists, innovators, scientists, business leaders, creators, policymakers and entrepreneurs from around the world, selected by The Independent.
Taking place during Climate Week NYC, the event will be broadcast via Zoom, and you can attend online for free. Simply register here to reserve your spot.
Our inspirational speakers include former UK Prime Minister Theresa May; best-selling author John Vaillant; Bel Trew, the Independent’s award-winning international chief journalist; and Wawa Gatheru, climate activist and founder of Black Girl Environmentalist.
The keynote address will be given by our keynote speaker, Theresa May, the 76th prime minister of Great Britain and the second woman ever to hold the position. His tenure as prime minister marked the culmination of 21 years of continuous service on the front bench.
During her time in Downing Street, May introduced legislation to end the UK’s contribution to global warming – making the UK the first G7 country to legislate for net zero emissions. He also oversaw the publication of the Clean Growth Strategy and the decision to end coal-fired power generation in the UK.
He served as Member of Parliament for Maidenhead for more than 27 years, standing down earlier this year. He continues to do philanthropic and campaigning work around the world and was recently appointed to the House of Lords.
The Climate100 event will open with Wawa Gatheru, a powerful advocate for inclusive climate action dedicated to amplifying the voices of black women.
His work challenges traditional narratives that often portray marginalized communities as victims rather than leaders and problem-solvers in the climate crisis.
Growing up, Gatheru first learned about the climate crisis when his first-grade art teacher showed him An Inconvenient Truth, the Oscar-winning climate documentary by former vice president Al Gore. As she gets older, she realizes the disconnect between decision makers on climate issues and those most affected – often people of color, and women.
In response, she founded Black Girl Environmentalist, the largest Black, youth-led climate organization in the U.S. The group supports Black girls, women, and expansive gender people interested in joining the climate movement and pursuing a green career.
His many accomplishments include being the first black person to receive the prestigious Rhodes, Truman, and Udall scholarships for his environmental work. He graduated from Oxford University in 2022 with an MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance.
He was an inaugural member of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Youth Advisory Council and serves on the boards of organizations including EarthJustice and Climate Power.
He has been identified as one of the Forbes 30 under 30; a Glamor College Woman of the Year; and displayed on the cover of VOGUE along with Billie Eilish.
Gatheru’s purpose in life is to help create a climate movement created in the image of all of us. As the Climate 100 keynote speaker, he will share what it means to be an environmentalist today – and how we can make the tent of climate activism big enough for all of us.
Next up will be award-winning author John Vaillant. Instead of relying on traditional activism, the writer, who is based in Vancouver, BC, uses fiction and non-fiction to illuminate the often overlooked consequences of human impact on the environment.
His best-selling books, The Golden Spruce and The Tiger, are a testament to his ability to address critical issues through brilliant narrative.
Vaillant’s latest work, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World is a Finalist for the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction. This powerful book tells the story of the 2016 wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta – an event that destroyed vehicles, burned the neighborhood, and displaced 88,000 people in one day.
Through this harrowing story, Vaillant provides a stark warning about the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in a world that is overheating. With cinematic detail and deep insight, he explores the deep connection between the oil industry, climate change, and the new era of megafires.
Attendees will also hear from Bel Trew, The Independent’s award-winning international correspondent, photographer and documentary filmmaker.
Trew began his career in the Middle East at the start of the Arab Spring in 2011, reporting on uprisings and wars from South Sudan to Yemen, from Israel/Palestine to Syria. He has since expanded his scope to cover news events around the globe, including Europe, Pakistan and Ukraine, where he made his first feature documentary, The Body in the Woods.
Most recently she has crisscrossed the US for her new film before the election. Bel was named Foreign Reporter of the Year at the UK Press Awards and also won the Marie Colvin Award last year.
The focus of Bel’s work is to uncover evidence of war crimes, the devastating impact of conflict on civilians, and bring the stark reality of human war to audiences thousands of kilometers away. Bel’s talk will focus on the impact of the planet becoming hot and dry and how this drives conflict – from fueling recruitment for jihadi groups to gender-based violence.
How to join Climate 100
The event will be held on Zoom and starts at 2pm EST (11am PST or 7pm BST) on Wednesday 25 September. You must book a place to access the stream.
After registering, you can attend as few or as many events as you want. It is set to run until 5.30pm EST (2.30pm PST/10.30pm BST).
For more information and to book a place click here.
