The in-coming head of Greenpeace USA, Annie Leonard is best known for her 2007 animated documentary, The Story of Stuff, which explores the lifecycle of material goods and offers a critical perspective on excessive consumerism. The film is credited with taking a networked approach to engagement, building a community around educational resources, materials for faith based groups and showings of the film itself. Similar approaches have been very successful in anti-fracking movement as well as the recent rise of 350.org, and it is expected that Leonard will take this focus on community organising to her new role at Greenpeace. She is less active on Twitter than some others in the field, but can be found @AnnieMLeonard.

Barbara Buchner
How will we pay for action on climate change?

Sharan Burrow
Leading the workers’ fight on climate

Winnie Byanyima
Oxfam’s leader bringing expertise on gender and climate change

Heidi Cullen
Climatologist leading us through Years of Living Dangerously

Judith Curry
Blogger and scientist favoured by sceptics

Christiana Figueres
Most powerful woman in climate? Heads the UNFCCC

Tamsin Edwards
Scientist making a name for herself as a fearless communicator

Joanna Haigh
Solar expert, rare female Fellow of the Royal Society

Katherine Hayhoe
Evangelical Christian climate scientist and communicator

Connie Hedegaard
Danish politician, been leading EU work on climate

Lesley Hughes
Scientist standing up to politicians’ scepticism in Australia

Naomi Klein
Writer inviting us to consider ideological sides of climate debate

Annie Leonard
New head of Greenpeace USA, community organiser

Corinne Le Quéré
Scientist highly respected in communications and policy

Gina McCarthy
Head of the EPA, face of Obama’s recent climate push

Naomi Oreskes
Historian of science pointing out the ‘merchants of doubt’

Mary Robinson
First female President of Ireland, UN Special Envoy for Climate Change

Julia Slingo
Helping us understand climate and weather

Koko Warner
World authority on climate change and migration

Ailun Yang
Helping unpick low-carbon development in China and elsewhere
Founded in 1931, the International Council for Science (ICSU) is a non-governmental organization representing a global membership that includes both national scientific bodies (121 National Members representing 141 countries) and International Scientific Unions (30 Members).
Road to Paris is where science, policy and economics meet on our way to the 2015 climate conference in Paris.
Road to Paris is where science, policy and economics meet on our way to the 2015 climate conference in Paris.