7th November 2006

Some 20 journalists and academics have listed the planet’s top environmentalists in a poll carried out by the Environment Agency (i).

The green heroes list was topped by US author and organic farming champion Rachel Carson, green economist E. F. Schumacher, government advisor and former chair of the Green party, Jonathan Porritt and film-maker Sir David Attenborough. Others named in the poll include Prince Charles, Petra Kelly, Mahatma Ghandi and St Francis of Assisi.

The Green Party MEP Dr Caroline Lucas, came 56th. She said: “I am honoured to have my work fighting for peace, social justice and the environment recognized by the Environment Agency and to find myself in such illustrious company. Every one on the list has made a rich contribution to solving the environmental challenges we face in the 21st Century world – greatest of them climate change – and I hope the Government will draw inspiration from the people on this list to help it deliver immediate action to cut greenhouse gas emissions."

Cllr Philip Booth, a spokeperson for the Gloucestershire Green party said: “Indeed it is time the Government drew inspiration from these 'eco-heros' - in the week in which the Stern Report has put a price tag on failure to tackle climate change we will perhaps never have a better chance to change the very direction of government and replace its objective from economic growth at all costs to a sustainable and socially just global economy.”

Note to Editors:

(i) For list of the planet’s top 100 environmentalists, see Caroline Lucas' website.