The Top 100 Environmental Technology Leaders in the World

Introduction

As we stand at the crossroads of technological innovation and environmental sustainability, a new breed of leaders has emerged. These visionaries are harnessing the power of technology to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. From renewable energy and sustainable agriculture to waste management and climate change mitigation, these leaders are pioneering solutions that promise a greener, more sustainable future for our planet.

This article presents a comprehensive list of the top 100 environmental technology leaders in the world. These individuals come from diverse backgrounds – entrepreneurs, scientists, policymakers, and activists – but they share a common goal: to leverage technology for the betterment of our environment. Their work spans various sectors and disciplines, showcasing the multifaceted nature of environmental technology and its potential to drive positive change on a global scale.

As we delve into their stories and achievements, we’ll explore how these leaders are shaping the future of environmental technology, inspiring innovation, and paving the way for a more sustainable world.

Top 100 Environmental Technology Leaders

1. Elon Musk

• Company/Institution: Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company
• Position: CEO, Founder
• Contributions: While controversial in some aspects, Musk’s work in electric vehicles, solar energy, and energy storage has significantly advanced sustainable transportation and renewable energy adoption. Tesla’s electric cars and Powerwall batteries have set new standards in their respective industries.

2. Boyan Slat

• Company/Institution: The Ocean Cleanup
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Slat founded The Ocean Cleanup at the age of 18, developing innovative technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic waste. His passive cleanup systems are designed to remove plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and intercept plastic in rivers before it reaches the ocean.

3. Christiana Figueres

• Company/Institution: Global Optimism
• Position: Co-founder
• Contributions: As the former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Figueres was instrumental in brokering the Paris Agreement. She continues to be a leading voice in climate action and sustainable development.

4. Yvon Chouinard

• Company/Institution: Patagonia
• Position: Founder
• Contributions: Chouinard has been a pioneer in sustainable business practices. Patagonia, under his leadership, has set new standards for environmental responsibility in the clothing industry, including the use of recycled materials and organic cotton.

5. Sundar Pichai

• Company/Institution: Alphabet (Google)
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Under Pichai’s leadership, Google has made significant strides in sustainability, including achieving carbon neutrality and committing to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. Google’s environmental initiatives extend to sustainable data centers and AI applications for climate research.

6. Lisa Jackson

• Company/Institution: Apple
• Position: Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives
• Contributions: Jackson, former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, leads Apple’s environmental initiatives. Under her guidance, Apple has made significant progress in renewable energy use, recycling, and reducing its carbon footprint.

7. Ma Jun

• Company/Institution: Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs
• Position: Founder and Director
• Contributions: Ma Jun is a Chinese environmentalist who has developed digital tools to monitor and reduce industrial pollution in China. His work has significantly improved transparency in environmental data and corporate accountability.

8. Nemonte Nenquimo

• Company/Institution: Amazon Frontlines
• Position: Co-founder
• Contributions: Nenquimo is an indigenous leader from Ecuador who has successfully used technology and legal strategies to protect Amazonian rainforests from oil extraction. Her work combines traditional knowledge with modern technology for environmental protection.

9. Andrew Forrest

• Company/Institution: Fortescue Future Industries
• Position: Founder and Chairman
• Contributions: Forrest is driving large-scale green hydrogen projects globally, aiming to make it a viable alternative to fossil fuels. His company is investing heavily in renewable energy and green hydrogen technology.

10. Melanie Nakagawa

• Company/Institution: Microsoft
• Position: Chief Sustainability Officer
• Contributions: Nakagawa leads Microsoft’s ambitious sustainability initiatives, including the company’s commitment to be carbon negative by 2030 and to remove all historical carbon emissions by 2050. She oversees the integration of sustainability into Microsoft’s products and operations.

11. Gaurab Chakrabart

• Company/Institution: Solugen
• Position: CEO and Co-founder
• Contributions: Chakrabart’s company, Solugen, is pioneering the production of chemicals using sustainable biological processes instead of petroleum-based methods. This innovative approach significantly reduces carbon emissions in chemical manufacturing.

12. Jennifer Holmgren

• Company/Institution: LanzaTech
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Holmgren leads LanzaTech, a company that transforms waste carbon emissions into sustainable fuels and chemicals. Their technology captures industrial emissions and converts them into usable products, offering a circular economy solution.

13. Amar Inamdar

• Company/Institution: KawiSafi Ventures
• Position: Managing Director
• Contributions: Inamdar leads KawiSafi Ventures, which invests in clean energy companies in East Africa. His work is crucial in bringing sustainable energy solutions to underserved communities and promoting economic development.

14. Inna Braverman

• Company/Institution: Eco Wave Power
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Braverman founded Eco Wave Power, which develops technology to generate clean electricity from ocean and sea waves. Her innovative approach to wave energy is opening new possibilities in renewable energy generation.

15. Satya Nadella

• Company/Institution: Microsoft
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Under Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft has made significant commitments to sustainability, including plans to be carbon negative by 2030. The company is also applying AI and cloud computing to solve environmental challenges.

16. Christoph Gebald

• Company/Institution: Climeworks
• Position: Co-founder and Co-CEO
• Contributions: Gebald co-founded Climeworks, a company that has developed direct air capture technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. This technology is crucial for achieving negative emissions and combating climate change.

17. Julia Collins

• Company/Institution: Planet FWD
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Collins founded Planet FWD, a company that develops climate-friendly snacks and provides software to help other food brands reduce their carbon footprint. Her work is pioneering sustainable practices in the food industry.

18. Laurence Kemball-Cook

• Company/Institution: Pavegen
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Kemball-Cook invented and commercialized technology that converts footsteps into electricity. Pavegen’s innovative flooring systems are being used in smart cities to power lighting and provide data on foot traffic.

19. Miranda Wang

• Company/Institution: BioCellection
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Wang co-founded BioCellection, which develops technologies to recycle previously unrecyclable plastics. Her work is crucial in addressing the global plastic waste crisis and promoting a circular economy.

20. Pat Brown

• Company/Institution: Impossible Foods
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Brown founded Impossible Foods, which develops plant-based meat alternatives. His work is reducing the environmental impact of meat production, one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

21. Eben Bayer

• Company/Institution: Ecovative Design
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Bayer co-founded Ecovative Design, which develops sustainable materials using mycelium (mushroom roots). Their products offer biodegradable alternatives to plastics and are used in packaging, textiles, and construction.

22. Jigar Shah

• Company/Institution: Generate Capital
• Position: Co-founder and President
• Contributions: Shah is a clean energy entrepreneur who founded SunEdison, a solar energy company. At Generate Capital, he continues to drive investment in sustainable infrastructure and clean energy projects.

23. Emily Reichert

• Company/Institution: Greentown Labs
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Reichert leads Greentown Labs, North America’s largest climatetech startup incubator. Her work supports and accelerates the development of clean energy technologies and solutions.

24. Bertrand Piccard

• Company/Institution: Solar Impulse Foundation
• Position: Founder and Chairman
• Contributions: Piccard initiated the Solar Impulse project, which developed and flew a solar-powered aircraft around the world. He now leads the Solar Impulse Foundation, which identifies and promotes profitable solutions to environmental challenges.

25. Anne Wojcicki

• Company/Institution: 23andMe
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: While primarily known for genetic testing, Wojcicki’s work at 23andMe has implications for environmental health. The company’s research contributes to understanding how environmental factors interact with genetics to influence health outcomes.

26. Ibrahim AlHusseini

• Company/Institution: FullCycle
• Position: Founder and Managing Partner
• Contributions: AlHusseini founded FullCycle, an investment firm focused on reversing the effects of climate change through sustainable infrastructure projects. His work is crucial in directing capital towards climate solutions.

27. Daniela Rus

• Company/Institution: MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
• Position: Director
• Contributions: Rus is a pioneer in robotics and AI. Her work includes developing self-reconfiguring robots and systems that could be used for environmental monitoring and disaster response.

28. Shailendra Singh

• Company/Institution: Khethworks
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Singh co-founded Khethworks, which develops solar-powered irrigation systems for small-plot farmers in India. His work is improving agricultural productivity while promoting sustainable farming practices.

29. Tessa Wardley

• Company/Institution: The Rivers Trust
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Wardley leads The Rivers Trust, which uses technology for river conservation and restoration. Her work involves using data and digital tools to monitor river health and engage communities in conservation efforts.

30. Andrew Beebe

• Company/Institution: Obvious Ventures
• Position: Managing Director
• Contributions: Beebe is a venture capitalist focused on “world positive” investing. At Obvious Ventures, he directs capital towards startups working on solutions to environmental and social challenges.

31. Anousheh Ansari

• Company/Institution: XPRIZE Foundation
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Ansari leads the XPRIZE Foundation, which designs and operates large-scale incentive competitions to solve global challenges. Many of these challenges focus on environmental issues, including carbon removal and ocean health.

32. Yishan Wong

• Company/Institution: Terraformation
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Wong founded Terraformation, which aims to solve climate change through mass reforestation. The company uses innovative technologies for seed banking, off-grid nurseries, and forest management.

33. Donnel Baird

• Company/Institution: BlocPower
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Baird founded BlocPower, a startup that uses technology to make buildings more energy-efficient. His work focuses on reducing urban carbon emissions while creating jobs in underserved communities.

34. Inna Braverman

• Company/Institution: Eco Wave Power
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Braverman founded Eco Wave Power, which develops technology to generate clean electricity from ocean and sea waves. Her innovative approach to wave energy is opening new possibilities in renewable energy generation.

35. Daphne Koller

• Company/Institution: insitro
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: While primarily focused on healthcare, Koller’s work in machine learning at insitro has potential applications in environmental science, including modeling climate change impacts and developing sustainable materials.

36. Amar Inamdar

• Company/Institution: KawiSafi Ventures
• Position: Managing Director
• Contributions: Inamdar leads KawiSafi Ventures, which invests in clean energy companies in East Africa. His work is crucial in bringing sustainable energy solutions to underserved communities and promoting economic development.

37. Danielle Fong

• Company/Institution: LightSail Energy
• Position: Co-founder and Chief Scientist
• Contributions: Fong co-founded LightSail Energy, which developed compressed air energy storage technology. Her work aims to make renewable energy more reliable and accessible.

38. Eben Bayer

• Company/Institution: Ecovative Design
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Bayer co-founded Ecovative Design, which develops sustainable materials using mycelium (mushroom roots). Their products offer biodegradable alternatives to plastics and are used in packaging, textiles, and construction.

39. Emily Reichert

• Company/Institution: Greentown Labs
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Reichert leads Greentown Labs, North America’s largest climatetech startup incubator. Her work supports and accelerates the development of clean energy technologies and solutions.

40. Bertrand Piccard

• Company/Institution: Solar Impulse Foundation
• Position: Founder and Chairman
• Contributions: Piccard initiated the Solar Impulse project, which developed and flew a solar-powered aircraft around the world. He now leads the Solar Impulse Foundation, which identifies and promotes profitable solutions to environmental challenges.

41. Anne Wojcicki

• Company/Institution: 23andMe
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: While primarily known for genetic testing, Wojcicki’s work at 23andMe has implications for environmental health. The company’s research contributes to understanding how environmental factors interact with genetics to influence health outcomes.

42. Ibrahim AlHusseini

• Company/Institution: FullCycle
• Position: Founder and Managing Partner
• Contributions: AlHusseini founded FullCycle, an investment firm focused on reversing the effects of climate change through sustainable infrastructure projects. His work is crucial in directing capital towards climate solutions.

43. Daniela Rus

• Company/Institution: MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
• Position: Director
• Contributions: Rus is a pioneer in robotics and AI. Her work includes developing self-reconfiguring robots and systems that could be used for environmental monitoring and disaster response.

44. Shailendra Singh

• Company/Institution: Khethworks
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Singh co-founded Khethworks, which develops solar-powered irrigation systems for small-plot farmers in India. His work is improving agricultural productivity while promoting sustainable farming practices.

45. Tessa Wardley

• Company/Institution: The Rivers Trust
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Wardley leads The Rivers Trust, which uses technology for river conservation and restoration. Her work involves using data and digital tools to monitor river health and engage communities in conservation efforts.

46. Andrew Beebe

• Company/Institution: Obvious Ventures
• Position: Managing Director
• Contributions: Beebe is a venture capitalist focused on “world positive” investing. At Obvious Ventures, he directs capital towards startups working on solutions to environmental and social challenges.

47. Anousheh Ansari

• Company/Institution: XPRIZE Foundation
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Ansari leads the XPRIZE Foundation, which designs and operates large-scale incentive competitions to solve global challenges. Many of these challenges focus on environmental issues, including carbon removal and ocean health.

48. Yishan Wong

• Company/Institution: Terraformation
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Wong founded Terraformation, which aims to solve climate change through mass reforestation. The company uses innovative technologies for seed banking, off-grid nurseries, and forest management.

49. Donnel Baird

• Company/Institution: BlocPower
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Baird founded BlocPower, a startup that uses technology to make buildings more energy-efficient. His work focuses on reducing urban carbon emissions while creating jobs in underserved communities.

50. Inna Braverman

• Company/Institution: Eco Wave Power
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Braverman founded Eco Wave Power, which develops technology to generate clean electricity from ocean and sea waves. Her innovative approach to wave energy is opening new possibilities in renewable energy generation.

51. Daphne Koller

• Company/Institution: insitro
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: While primarily focused on healthcare, Koller’s work in machine learning at insitro has potential applications in environmental science, including modeling climate change impacts and developing sustainable materials.

52. Amar Inamdar

• Company/Institution: KawiSafi Ventures
• Position: Managing Director
• Contributions: Inamdar leads KawiSafi Ventures, which invests in clean energy companies in East Africa. His work is crucial in bringing sustainable energy solutions to underserved communities and promoting economic development.

53. Danielle Fong

• Company/Institution: LightSail Energy
• Position: Co-founder and Chief Scientist
• Contributions: Fong co-founded LightSail Energy, which developed compressed air energy storage technology. Her work aims to make renewable energy more reliable and accessible.

54. Julia Collins

• Company/Institution: Planet FWD
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Collins founded Planet FWD, a company that develops climate-friendly snacks and provides software to help other food brands reduce their carbon footprint. Her work is pioneering sustainable practices in the food industry.

55. Laurence Kemball-Cook

• Company/Institution: Pavegen
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Kemball-Cook invented and commercialized technology that converts footsteps into electricity. Pavegen’s innovative flooring systems are being used in smart cities to power lighting and provide data on foot traffic.

56. Miranda Wang

• Company/Institution: BioCellection
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Wang co-founded BioCellection, which develops technologies to recycle previously unrecyclable plastics. Her work is crucial in addressing the global plastic waste crisis and promoting a circular economy.

57. Pat Brown

• Company/Institution: Impossible Foods
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Brown founded Impossible Foods, which develops plant-based meat alternatives. His work is reducing the environmental impact of meat production, one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

58. Jigar Shah

• Company/Institution: Generate Capital
• Position: Co-founder and President
• Contributions: Shah is a clean energy entrepreneur who founded SunEdison, a solar energy company. At Generate Capital, he continues to drive investment in sustainable infrastructure and clean energy projects.

59. Christoph Gebald

• Company/Institution: Climeworks
• Position: Co-founder and Co-CEO
• Contributions: Gebald co-founded Climeworks, a company that has developed direct air capture technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. This technology is crucial for achieving negative emissions and combating climate change.

60. Jennifer Holmgren

• Company/Institution: LanzaTech
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Holmgren leads LanzaTech, a company that transforms waste carbon emissions into sustainable fuels and chemicals. Their technology captures industrial emissions and converts them into usable products, offering a circular economy solution.

61. Andrew Forrest

• Company/Institution: Fortescue Future Industries
• Position: Founder and Chairman
• Contributions: Forrest is driving large-scale green hydrogen projects globally, aiming to make it a viable alternative to fossil fuels. His company is investing heavily in renewable energy and green hydrogen technology.

62. Melanie Nakagawa

• Company/Institution: Microsoft
• Position: Chief Sustainability Officer
• Contributions: Nakagawa leads Microsoft’s ambitious sustainability initiatives, including the company’s commitment to be carbon negative by 2030 and to remove all historical carbon emissions by 2050. She oversees the integration of sustainability into Microsoft’s products and operations.

63. Ma Jun

• Company/Institution: Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs
• Position: Founder and Director
• Contributions: Ma Jun is a Chinese environmentalist who has developed digital tools to monitor and reduce industrial pollution in China. His work has significantly improved transparency in environmental data and corporate accountability.

64. Lisa Jackson

• Company/Institution: Apple
• Position: Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives
• Contributions: Jackson, former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, leads Apple’s environmental initiatives. Under her guidance, Apple has made significant progress in renewable energy use, recycling, and reducing its carbon footprint.

65. Yvon Chouinard

• Company/Institution: Patagonia
• Position: Founder
• Contributions: Chouinard has been a pioneer in sustainable business practices. Patagonia, under his leadership, has set new standards for environmental responsibility in the clothing industry, including the use of recycled materials and organic cotton.

66. Christiana Figueres

• Company/Institution: Global Optimism
• Position: Co-founder
• Contributions: As the former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Figueres was instrumental in brokering the Paris Agreement. She continues to be a leading voice in climate action and sustainable development.

67. Boyan Slat

• Company/Institution: The Ocean Cleanup
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Slat founded The Ocean Cleanup at the age of 18, developing innovative technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic waste. His passive cleanup systems are designed to remove plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and intercept plastic in rivers before it reaches the ocean.

68. Nemonte Nenquimo

• Company/Institution: Amazon Frontlines
• Position: Co-founder
• Contributions: Nenquimo is an indigenous leader from Ecuador who has successfully used technology and legal strategies to protect Amazonian rainforests from oil extraction. Her work combines traditional knowledge with modern technology for environmental protection.

69. Gaurab Chakrabart

• Company/Institution: Solugen
• Position: CEO and Co-founder
• Contributions: Chakrabart’s company, Solugen, is pioneering the production of chemicals using sustainable biological processes instead of petroleum-based methods. This innovative approach significantly reduces carbon emissions in chemical manufacturing.

70. Sundar Pichai

• Company/Institution: Alphabet (Google)
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Under Pichai’s leadership, Google has made significant strides in sustainability, including achieving carbon neutrality and committing to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. Google’s environmental initiatives extend to sustainable data centers and AI applications for climate research.

71. Satya Nadella

• Company/Institution: Microsoft
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Under Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft has made significant commitments to sustainability, including plans to be carbon negative by 2030. The company is also applying AI and cloud computing to solve environmental challenges.

72. Tim Cook

• Company/Institution: Apple
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Cook has led Apple’s initiatives in renewable energy, with the company’s global operations now powered by 100% renewable electricity. Apple has also made strides in using recycled materials in its products and reducing its overall environmental footprint.

73. Jensen Huang

• Company/Institution: NVIDIA
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Under Huang’s leadership, NVIDIA has developed powerful GPUs that are being used in climate modeling and other environmental research. The company is also working on energy-efficient AI technologies that can be applied to environmental challenges.

74. Mary Barra

• Company/Institution: General Motors
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Barra has committed GM to a future of zero emissions, with plans to offer 30 all-electric models globally by 2025. Under her leadership, GM is investing heavily in electric vehicle technology and battery development.

75. Gwynne Shotwell

• Company/Institution: SpaceX
• Position: President and COO
• Contributions: While SpaceX is primarily known for space exploration, Shotwell’s work has implications for environmental technology. SpaceX’s reusable rocket technology reduces waste and could potentially be used for atmospheric research and climate monitoring.

76. Demis Hassabis

• Company/Institution: DeepMind
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Hassabis leads DeepMind, which has applied AI to various environmental challenges, including improving the efficiency of Google’s data centers and developing more accurate climate models.

77. Dario Gil

• Company/Institution: IBM Research
• Position: Director
• Contributions: Gil leads IBM’s research efforts, including projects focused on using AI and quantum computing to tackle climate change and develop new materials for carbon capture and energy storage.

78. Fei-Fei Li

• Company/Institution: Stanford University
• Position: Professor of Computer Science
• Contributions: Li’s work in AI and computer vision has applications in environmental monitoring and conservation. She has been involved in projects using AI to track wildlife and monitor ecosystem changes.

79. Yann LeCun

• Company/Institution: Facebook AI Research / New York University
• Position: Chief AI Scientist at Facebook / Professor at NYU
• Contributions: LeCun’s pioneering work in deep learning has potential applications in environmental modeling and prediction, including climate change forecasting and ecosystem monitoring.

80. Andrew Ng

• Company/Institution: Landing AI, deeplearning.ai
• Position: Founder and CEO
• Contributions: Ng’s work in machine learning and AI education has broad implications for environmental technology, including applications in energy efficiency, smart grids, and precision agriculture.

81. Kai-Fu Lee

• Company/Institution: Sinovation Ventures
• Position: Chairman and CEO
• Contributions: Lee’s investment firm focuses on AI startups, some of which are developing technologies with environmental applications, such as smart energy management and sustainable urban planning.

82. Ginni Rometty

• Company/Institution: IBM (former)
• Position: Former CEO and Executive Chairman
• Contributions: During her tenure at IBM, Rometty led initiatives to apply AI and blockchain technology to environmental challenges, including water management and sustainable supply chains.

83. Shantanu Narayen

• Company/Institution: Adobe
• Position: Chairman and CEO
• Contributions: Under Narayen’s leadership, Adobe has made significant strides in sustainability, including achieving 100% renewable energy for its operations and developing digital solutions that reduce paper waste.

84. Safra Catz

• Company/Institution: Oracle
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Catz has overseen Oracle’s development of cloud-based solutions for environmental management and sustainability reporting, helping businesses track and reduce their environmental impact.

85. Daniel Zhang

• Company/Institution: Alibaba Group
• Position: Chairman and CEO
• Contributions: Zhang has led Alibaba’s efforts in developing green data centers and using AI for energy efficiency. The company has also launched initiatives to promote sustainable consumption.

86. Marc Benioff

• Company/Institution: Salesforce
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Benioff has made sustainability a core part of Salesforce’s mission, with commitments to achieve 100% renewable energy for its global operations and develop tools for businesses to track their carbon footprint.

87. Reed Hastings

• Company/Institution: Netflix
• Position: Co-founder and Co-CEO
• Contributions: Under Hastings’ leadership, Netflix has committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2022 and has invested in developing more energy-efficient streaming technology.

88. Susan Wojcicki

• Company/Institution: YouTube (former)
• Position: Former CEO
• Contributions: During her tenure at YouTube, Wojcicki oversaw initiatives to use the platform for climate education and to reduce the environmental impact of video streaming.

89. Jeff Bezos

• Company/Institution: Amazon (former CEO, current Executive Chairman)
• Position: Founder and Executive Chairman
• Contributions: Bezos launched the $10 billion Bezos Earth Fund to combat climate change and has committed Amazon to ambitious sustainability goals, including net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

90. Mark Zuckerberg

• Company/Institution: Meta (formerly Facebook)
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Under Zuckerberg’s leadership, Meta has committed to reaching net zero emissions across its value chain by 2030 and is using its platforms to spread awareness about climate change.

91. Jen-Hsun Huang

• Company/Institution: NVIDIA
• Position: Co-founder and CEO
• Contributions: Huang has led NVIDIA in developing AI and high-performance computing solutions that are being used in climate modeling, renewable energy optimization, and other environmental applications.

92. Lisa Su

• Company/Institution: AMD
• Position: President and CEO
• Contributions: Under Su’s leadership, AMD has focused on developing energy-efficient processors and has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and supply chain.

93. Pat Gelsinger

• Company/Institution: Intel
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Gelsinger has set ambitious sustainability goals for Intel, including achieving net positive water use, 100% renewable energy, and zero waste to landfills across Intel’s global operations.

94. Arvind Krishna

• Company/Institution: IBM
• Position: CEO
• Contributions: Krishna is leading IBM’s efforts in using AI and quantum computing to address climate change, including projects to improve weather forecasting and optimize renewable energy systems.

95. Dario Floreano

• Company/Institution: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
• Position: Director of the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems
• Contributions: Floreano’s research in evolutionary robotics and bio-inspired AI has applications in environmental monitoring and conservation, including the development of drones for wildlife tracking and ecosystem assessment.

96. Ken Goldberg

• Company/Institution: University of California, Berkeley
• Position: Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
• Contributions: Goldberg’s work in robotics and AI includes applications in precision agriculture and automated recycling, contributing to more sustainable farming practices and waste management.

97. Hod Lipson

• Company/Institution: Columbia University
• Position: Professor of Mechanical Engineering
• Contributions: Lipson’s research in evolutionary robotics and 3D printing has implications for sustainable manufacturing and the development of more efficient, bio-inspired machines.

98. Radhika Nagpal

• Company/Institution: Harvard University
• Position: Professor of Computer Science
• Contributions: Nagpal’s work on swarm robotics and self-organizing systems has potential applications in environmental monitoring and ecosystem management.

99. Ruzena Bajcsy

• Company/Institution: University of California, Berkeley
• Position: Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
• Contributions: Bajcsy’s pioneering work in robotics and computer vision has applications in environmental sensing and monitoring, contributing to more accurate data collection for climate research.

100. Cecilia Laschi

• Company/Institution: National University of Singapore
• Position: Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering
• Contributions: Laschi is a pioneer in soft robotics. Her work on bio-inspired soft robots has potential applications in marine exploration and environmental monitoring, particularly in fragile ecosystems.

Conclusion

The environmental technology leaders featured in this list represent a diverse array of innovators, each contributing uniquely to the global effort to combat environmental challenges. From CEOs of major tech companies implementing sweeping sustainability initiatives, to entrepreneurs developing groundbreaking clean technologies, to scientists pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in environmental research and application, these individuals are at the forefront of the green technology revolution.