2019 saw the deaths of many notable people from environmental politics, science and advocacy.
A look back at those who passed away in 2019 that—for better or worse—impacted our planet.
Norman Myers, 85, was a groundbreaking environmental scientist who offered some of the first alarming calculations on the demise of the Amazon rainforest.
He popularized the idea of biodiversity “hotspots” and challenged the “perverse” role that some government subsidies play in simultaneously harming ecosystems and local economies. A passionate marathon runner, Myers once ran a 36 mile, 13,000-foot climb up the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and back down again in under 14 hours.
Marvin Weitzman, 77, was an environmental economist whose work highlighted the uncertainty of climate science – with the proviso that “we know enough to act.”
Walter Munk, 101, “The Einstein of the Oceans” developed techniques for measuring ocean temperatures and sea level rise and helped lead the Scripps Institute of Oceanography to world-class status.
Source: EHN
