Remembering those lost this year who left their mark on our planet
William Ruckelshaus, the first Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), passed away this year at age 87. (Credit: US EPA)

Remembering those lost this year who left their mark on our planet

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.

Norman Myers (Credit: Youtube)

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.

Wally Broecker (Credit: Columbia College)

Known as "The Grandfather of Climate Science," Wally Broecker was 87. His landmark 1975 paper introduced the concept of global warming to an international audience.

Don Melnick, 65, Columbia University conservation biology scholar and author, renowned for his engaging teaching style.

Darryl D'Monte, India's pioneering environmental journalist, 75; and Robert A. Jones, 74, the first environment reporter at the Los Angeles Times.

Indigenous women march, August 2019. (Credit: Apib Comunicação/flickr)

While the final toll is not yet known, the murder of indigenous environmental activists continues in Latin America and elsewhere. In November and December, four members of the Guajajara tribe were murdered as they resisted rampant logging in the northeastern Brazilian state of Marinhao.

Janette Sherman, 89, toxicologist and public health advocate. She was an early go-to expert on the health effects of exposure to radiation and pesticides.

William Ruckelshaus, first administrator of EPA, May 1972. (Credit: US National Archives)

William Ruckelshaus, 87, first Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970. He was re-appointed to the position in 1983 as the agency recovered from the scandal-plagued reign of Anne Gorsuch. As Deputy Attorney General in 1974, he resigned rather than comply with President Nixon's order to fire Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. The lifelong Republican later criticized EPA's anti-regulatory turns during the George W. Bush and Trump Administrations.

Douglas Costle, 79, who helped create EPA, then became its Administrator under President Jimmy Carter, 1977-1981. He ran the agency when the Love Canal tragedy thrust toxic waste site cleanup onto the national agenda.

Lyndon LaRouche, 96, fringe politician and frequent U.S. Presidential candidate who spun elaborate conspiracy tales about, among other things, the world narcotics trade being controlled by Queen Elizabeth and the World Wildlife Fund.

Tim Means, 75, pioneer in eco-tourism and campaigner to protect Baja California.

Chris Cline, 60, latter-day coal baron who railed against what he saw as repressive pollution regulations, died in a helicopter crash with his daughter and two others.

Trudy the gorilla. (Credit: Al Notter/flickr)

Trudy, 63, a lowland gorilla believed to be the oldest in captivity died in the Little Rock, Arkansas Zoo.

Steve Sawyer, 62, led Greenpeace International in the late 1980's and 1990's, then led the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) as a central force in the clean energy sector.

Chuck Cushman, 75, who died in the final days of 2018, was a garrulous gadfly, raising hell with the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, and other federal agencies that he saw as threatening private property rights. A former landowner within the boundaries of Yosemite, Cushman was a leader in the 1980's Sagebrush Rebellion. He helped whip some Western communities into an anti-regulatory frenzy, earning the nickname "Rent-a-Riot" from his detractors.

David Koch, 79, whose family oil business made him one of the world's richest men. With his brother Charles, he bankrolled conservative and libertarian candidates and groups, and is credited/blamed as a major player in the rightward turn in Congress, federal agencies, state houses, and the White House.

Close up of an old brick wall and window with chipping paint.

Albany, New York neighborhoods face soaring child lead poisoning rates as aging homes and weak enforcement persist

Nearly one in four children tested in Albany’s West Hill and surrounding ZIP code 12206 had elevated lead levels in their blood, pointing to widespread contamination in old housing, soil, and pipes.

Chris Hippensteel reports for theTimes Union.

Keep reading...Show less
Senator Whitehouse & climate change

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.
Hands on keyboard of black laptop computer with data graphs on the screen.

Environmental groups sue Trump administration over shutdown of climate and pollution data tools

The Biden-era online tools used to identify pollution and climate risks in vulnerable communities were removed without explanation, prompting a federal lawsuit by environmental and advocacy organizations.

Georgina Gustin reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
Woman holding a pink letter with the words Layoff Notice printed in large letters.

Massive federal job cuts threaten key energy and climate programs

A wave of federal agency layoffs expected under President Trump is drawing opposition from energy experts and former officials who warn the cuts will weaken U.S. energy infrastructure and public health protections.

Lisa Friedman reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
View of a landing strip from the cockpit of an airplane.

Zeldin tours the U.S. to promote EPA partnerships as deep cuts loom

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin is traveling the country promoting federal collaboration with states and industry, even as he moves to slash the agency’s budget and roll back regulations.

Miranda Willson reports for E&E News.

Keep reading...Show less
Pollution coming from smokestacks on a cloudy day.

Colorado sued over midstream emissions rule as oil industry pushes back on state limits

Western Colorado oil companies have filed a lawsuit challenging a first-in-the-nation emissions rule, just as President Trump calls for states to ease restrictions on fossil fuel production.

Sharon Udasin reports for The Hill.

Keep reading...Show less
Many fragmented chunks of ice floating on top of a body of water.

Scientists test pumping seawater to slow Arctic ice loss, but questions remain

Sea ice engineers are using hydrogen-powered pumps to thicken Arctic ice, but the effort is raising concerns about effectiveness, environmental risk, and Indigenous consent.

Matilda Hay reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
Valencia Spain roundabout with park and buildings in the background.
Credit: ebroslu/Pixabay

Europe saw deadly floods, heatwaves, and record losses as climate risks intensified in 2024

Record-breaking heat, catastrophic flooding, and massive economic losses made 2024 one of the most damaging years yet for Europe as the continent warmed at twice the global rate.

Rosie Frost reports for Euronews.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

People  sitting in an outdoors table working on a big sign.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

joe biden

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.