Amanda McKenzie – when passion ignites vision
Amanda McKenzie is a leading voice advocating for action on climate change in Australia and internationally, but more than that she is a creator who makes things happen. At an early age she was founding climate advocacy groups, and in 2009 she was named Young Environmentalist of the Year. Along the way she has taken on big business, politicians and prime ministers as she has courageously fought the fight to save humanity and the planet. Today she is the doting mother of a one-year-old boy and a four-year-old daughter as well as being CEO of the Climate Council, an independent publicly funded organisation that provides evidence-based information and policy recommendations on climate change. McKenzie’s story is one of startling clear insight into the major challenge of our time combined with an impelling understanding of how to get things done and hope for a better future.
Origins of a climate warrior
Having started her career in climate at a young age it is tempting to imagine a young Amanda McKenzie championing environmental causes in the playground. In reality though, there was a lightbulb moment when climate crystallised as her life’s purpose, and it came in an unlikely setting. McKenzie recalls, “At school I was very passionate about music, drama and sport. We had a big kayaking focus at our school, and I was kayaking captain. I was also music captain and played the clarinet. In fact, I almost applied to do music at university. I was debating between music and science and then I had this moment when I was
