Makoma Lekalakala
Women in the Environment and Sustainability
Nominee's Province:
Gauteng
Project Name/Description:
Commissioner – Presidential Climate Commission
Makoma Lekalakala has done praiseworthy work in the space of environmental justice and climate change in South Africa. Her dedication to addressing a wide range of issues, from gender and women’s rights to economic and environmental justice, is commendable. Lekalakala’s focus on targeting environmental corruption and advocating for climate justice. This has resulted in significant achievements, such as winning the first South African climate change legal case against the government and influencing the reversal of the nuclear deal between South Africa and Russia.
Her recognition through awards such as the Goldman Environmental Prize for Africa and SAB Environmentalist of the Year highlights the importance of her contributions.
Furthermore, Lekalakala’s involvement in the Presidential Climate Commission, where she serves as a commissioner, underscores her commitment to promoting a just transition to a low carbon economic development in South Africa. Her understanding of the gendered impacts of climate change and her efforts to empower women to take active roles in energy efficiency and adaptation are crucial steps toward achieving more equitable and inclusive decision-making processes.
Lekalakala’s advocacy for increasing the representation of women in higher levels of decision-making is essential for fostering a more balanced and unbiased approach to policy and governance.
By recognising the disproportionate burden that women often bear in the face of climate change and striving for gender parity in leadership positions, she is contributing to a more just and fair society.
