A Danish conservative politician with a background in journalism, Connie Hedegaard played a key role in the 2009 Copenhagen climate talks acting as Minister for Climate and Energy. In February 2010 she was appointed European Commissioner for Climate Action under the second Barroso Commission. She’s a familiar face in global climate negations and an advocate for continued diplomatic work, even if it takes time. In arguing the 2012 talks in Doha were not a complete write-off, she concluded “Although frustration is a renewable source, it does not reduce emissions. To overcome frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the final goal that all parties have signed up a global climate deal by 2015”. You can follow her on Twitter @CHedegaardEU.

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.