Leaders

SANNA MARIN

35 • Steady under pressure

BY ERNA SOLBERG

I have yet to meet Sanna Marin in person, because the COVID-19 pandemic has thwarted our tradition of Nordic leaders meeting regularly. Instead of meeting face-to-face, we have kick-started our vision of being digital front runners and met online. I watched virtually as Sanna began her role as Prime Minister of Finland, taking office just weeks before the country’s first case of coronavirus was diagnosed in January 2020. New to the job, Sanna did not have much of a honeymoon period, but she adapted quickly. By implementing a lockdown in March and banning travel in parts of the country, Sanna helped to keep coronavirus case levels at one-fifth of the European Union average.

Globally, Sanna Marin has been celebrated for becoming Prime Minister so young. However, she is not a political novice, and during the pandemic, she has proved that good leadership does not depend on age. Times of crisis show us what people are made of. She’s an important part of a strong team of women political leaders in the Nordic-Baltic region. I look forward to our cooperation in the future. And being able to meet.

Solberg is the Prime Minister of Norway

AYANA ELIZABETH JOHNSON

40 • Climate optimist

BY GINA MCCARTHY

When the dark consequences of climate change engulf our discourse, I search for a light that shines on the opportunities and potential for the future. That’s why I turn to Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.

Ayana embodies and inspires optimism in the fight against climate change, injecting creativity, joy and hope into an issue that often feels dire. A marine biologist by trade, Ayana is a powerful force who has used her voice to ensure the climate movement encompasses a diversity of voices, especially women and people of color. As a co-founder of the All We Can Save Project, she has pulled chairs to the table, reached more voices and made sure everyone has a role to play in fighting climate change. And her scientific research has also proved that protecting our oceans and coral reefs is a pivotal piece of the climate crisis puzzle.

Ayana’s research, voice and impact have already made waves in the climate movement. She is a leader whose boundless potential has given me and so many others hope for an equitable, healthier and brighter future.

McCarthy is the White House national climate adviser and a former Environmental Protection Agency administrator

Parker Poling

43 • ELECTING THE GOP’S NEW CLASS

BY PATRICK MCHENRY