fbpx
Skip to content

Wanjira Mathai

March 10, 2022

A member of the Jury since 2019, Wanjira Mathai has over 20 years of experience advocating for social and environmental change on both local and international platforms. She is currently the vice president and regional director for Africa at the World Resources Institute (WRI), and previously served as co-chair of WRI’s Global Restoration Council and senior advisor to the Global Restoration Initiative. Mathai is the current chair of the Wangari Maathai Foundation and the former chair of the Green Belt Movement, which was founded by her late mother, Wangari Maathai (1991 Goldman Prize winner and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate) in 1977.

Over the years, Mathai has also served in important strategic and advocacy roles raising the prominence and visibility of global issues such as climate change, youth leadership, sustainable energy, and landscape restoration. She has held various roles with Women Entrepreneurs in Renewables and currently serves on the board of the World Agroforestry Center and as a Leadership Council member of the Clean Cooking Alliance. Mathai was named one of the 100 Most Influential African Women in 2018 and 2020.

Recent Posts

Introducing the 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners


April 21, 2025

Meet the 2025 Goldman Environmental Prize winners! These grassroots heroes prove that when ordinary people take action, they have the power to turn apathy into positive change for the environment. When it comes to protecting our planet, Goldman Prize winners know that the doing makes the difference. Tune into the San Francisco award ceremony tonight,…

Read more

Three Earth Week Events with the Goldman Environmental Prize


April 9, 2025

It’s Earth Month at the Goldman Environmental Prize!  As we count down to Earth Day and the 2025 Goldman Prize winner announcement, we are excited to share three opportunities to connect with our global community of environmental movers and shakers. We have so much to learn from these phenomenal leaders, who show us how to…

Read more

Marina Silva: Environmental Activist, Politician, Global Changemaker


March 3, 2025

Brazil’s ongoing fight against deforestation wouldn’t be possible, let alone successful, without the dedication and ingenuity of environmental activist and elected official Marina Silva (Brazil, 1996). Currently serving as Brazil’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change for her second term, Marina plays a critical role in the global effort to reverse climate change.   It’s…

Read more