The Blue & Green Marbles: the 2015 shortlist – #sustainpersonoftheyear15

We asked a small jury of 12 friends, readers and supporters to come up with a short list of the people we all think have made the biggest difference to sustainability in 2015. You can read more about the background of the award here. This is the short list. You can download a PDF of both articles, short list and citations.

Anthony Hobley, CEO of Carbon Tracker

For leading the delivery of overwhelming and incontrovertible evidence on unburnable carbon, which underpins the work of so many other organisations and negotiations, not least COP21. Vote here.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, Green Party of England and Wales

For campaigning on fracking, environmentalism, and being an exceptional constituency MP. She may be a party of one in Parliament, but has a more positive impact than much larger parties when it comes to sustainability. Vote here.

Catherine Howarth, CEO of ShareAction

For the patient and painstaking work on raising awareness and driving action for responsible ownership amongst institutional investors. The pension funds who are responsible for the vast majority of investment in the UK. Vote here.

Charles Middleton, CEO of Triodos Bank UK

For leading a company that makes it simple for people to invest sustainably, responsibly and ethically and through its own activities supporting responsible, sustainable and ethical organisations. A firm that runs two of the small group of 3D Investing’s 5-star rated funds. Vote here.

Dale Vince OBE, Founder & Owner of Ecotricity

For building an energy company that makes it easy to switch to limitless, clean energy. Also for Vince’s campaigning work – not least on electric vehicles and his call for charging point road signs – makes him a leader in the transition to a sustainable future. Vote here.

Sir David Attenborough, naturalist

Sir David Attenborough has been the foremost champion and chronicler of the natural world for more than six decades. This citation specifically relates to his work with the Global Apollo Programme – a 10 year project to make renewable energy cheaper than fossil fuels. Vote here.

Jamie Hartzell, Founder & Chair of Ethex

For creating the Ethex platform, enabling community energy and social enterprises to raise money easily, not least the £4.8 million raised for six community energy share offers before tax relief was cancelled at the end of November. Vote here.

Jeremy Leggett, Founder of SolarCentury, Chairman of SolarAid, Chairman of CarbonTracker and Author

For sharing the process of writing his latest book, ‘The Winning of the Carbon War’ – and all the other things Jeremy does which are too long to list here. Vote here.

Juliet Davenport OBE, Founder & CEO of Good Energy

For leading a company that makes it simple for people to switch to clean energy while providing clear leadership and commentary on developments in the renewable industry. The company she leads consistently comes top for customer service. Vote here.

Karl Harder, Louise Wilson & Bruce Davies, Joint Managing Directors, Abundance Generation

For enabling everyone’s investment in clean energy through innovative products, but also for the launch of the innovative peer-to-peer pension. Vote here.

Mark Goyder, CEO of Tomorrow’s Company

For championing enlightened business and share ownership and providing a clear vision of what responsible enterprise and investment can achieve. Vote here.

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland

For making Scotland a beacon of green in the United Kingdom and across Europe. With all the hot air that comes out of Whitehall and Westminster, Holyrood provides a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively speaking. Vote here.

Roger Harrabin and Tom Heap of the BBC

For their consistently impartial and excellent coverage of environmental issues, specifically Changing Climate (Harrabin) and Costing the Earth (Heap) respectively. Two journalists who have made sustainability, the environment and climate change easier for everyone to understand. Vote here.

Sarah Butler-Sloss (Ashden Trust) and Mark Sainsbury (Mark Leonard Trust) for Divest Invest (Europe)

For successfully leading the charge in Europe on divestment from fossil fuels, but also investment in more sustainable and positive options. To both divest (which isn’t enough on its own) and invest. Vote here.

Dame Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer and businesswoman

For her consistent campaigning on climate change and human rights, specifically her support for renewables and vocal opposition to fracking. Vote here.