Celebrating Climate Champions: Meet the 2025 American Climate Leadership Award Winners! 🌍✨
Join us as we honor the trailblazers in climate engagement, from health professionals to innovative organizations, making a difference in the fight against climate change!
ecoAmerica’s American Climate Leadership Awards (ACLA) 2025: Honoring Climate Champions
April 16, 2025 – In a vibrant live broadcast, ecoAmerica announced the winners of the 2025 American Climate Leadership Awards (ACLA), celebrating individuals and organizations making significant strides in climate engagement across various sectors. This year’s event highlighted ten finalists, with a notable focus on health-related initiatives, underscoring the critical intersection of climate change and public health.
Recognizing Leadership in Climate Solutions
The ACLA honors a diverse array of participants, including schools, health organizations, faith institutions, and everyday individuals. Each finalist was selected from a competitive pool by a distinguished panel of nationally recognized judges, all of whom share a commitment to advancing climate solutions at local, state, and national levels.
Spotlight on Health-Focused Initiatives
Among the finalists, several stand out for their innovative approaches to addressing climate change through a health lens:
-
Britt Wray – Director of CIRCLE at Stanford Psychiatry
Britt Wray leads CIRCLE, a research initiative at Stanford School of Medicine focused on the mental health impacts of climate change. Wray’s work involves developing and testing interventions aimed at supporting youth grappling with climate anxiety and communities affected by climate-related traumas. Her recognition as the 2025 Runner-Up highlights the importance of mental health in the climate discourse. -
Janice Evans Hawkins – Climate Activist and Nurse Educator
Nurse Janice Evans Hawkins has been a pivotal figure in mobilizing the nursing workforce for climate advocacy. Through her extensive network and partnerships, she empowers nurses with the knowledge and tools necessary to address climate change’s impact on population health and health equity. Her efforts exemplify the role of healthcare professionals as trusted messengers in climate action. -
NH Healthy Climate Initiative
This project, led by Dartmouth faculty and supported by medical students and pediatric residents, implemented a Climate Informed Care Toolkit in seven pediatric clinics across New Hampshire. The toolkit equips clinicians with resources to integrate climate-related health discussions into routine care, addressing issues such as heat, extreme weather, and mental health. -
University of California Center for Climate, Health and Equity (CCHE)
Founded in 2021, CCHE focuses on research, education, and policy to drive climate action. The center has trained over 100 faculty members to integrate climate and health into their teaching, impacting more than 7,000 health professional and science students. Their work emphasizes the need for trans-disciplinary collaboration in addressing climate challenges.
Conclusion
The 2025 ACLA winners exemplify the vital role that health professionals and organizations play in combating climate change. Their innovative approaches not only address immediate health concerns but also foster a broader understanding of climate change as a public health issue. As the climate crisis continues to evolve, the leadership demonstrated by these finalists serves as an inspiring model for future initiatives.
For those interested in learning more about the awards and the impactful work of the finalists, the full broadcast is available for viewing here.
Additional Resources
- Join ClimateRx
- Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report 2023
- Climate for Health Ambassador Training
- Climate for Health Resources
About the Author
Amanda Li is an APHA Kaiser Permanente Community Health Fellow placed with ecoAmerica’s Climate for Health program.