Vanessa Nakate

Climate justice activist

Vanessa Nakate is the founder of the Rise Up Movement, which seeks to amplify the voices of climate activists in Africa.

Why you should listen

The first "Fridays For Future" striker in Uganda, Vanessa Nakate founded Rise Up in 2018 as a way to give voice to African climate activists. Through the related Vash Green Schools Project, she's also aiming to install solar panels in Uganda's 24,000 schools. Previously, she spearheaded a campaign to stop deforestation in the Congo rainforest.
Nakate's book, A Bigger Picture, is a manifesto and memoir about how to build a more livable future. In it, she presents a new vision for an inclusive climate movement based on resilience and equity. Nakate was named a Young Leader of the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations in 2020 and was featured on TIME magazine's list of the world’s most influential emerging leaders in 2021.

Vanessa Nakate’s TED talk

25:13

Vanessa Nakate and Mary Robinson

The global opportunity to accelerate Africa's sustainable future

Posted Nov 2022

More news and ideas from Vanessa Nakate

News

TEDWomen Presents: Women leading on rights, with Jane Fonda, Vanessa Nakate and Mary Robinson

October 26, 2022

The basic human right to live on a sustainable, equitable planet is being threatened by a global climate crisis. How do we stop the loss of ecosystems, displacement of communities and destruction of livelihoods? The third day of TEDWomen Presents — an online festival featuring interviews with leading women, interactive workshops, specially curated film screenings […]