ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½

Dr Caroline Howe from Imperial's Centre for Environmental Policy has been named in the ENDS Power List 2026, recognising her influence in shaping environmental research, policy and practice in the UK and internationally.

An interdisciplinary ecologist, Dr Howe has helped establish biodiversity, climate change and human health as an integrated field of research and policy. Her work has challenged the longstanding perception that environmental protection competes with economic and social priorities, demonstrating instead that healthy ecosystems and a stable climate are fundamental to human health and wellbeing.

This shift in thinking has helped place environmental change at the centre of public policy discussions, highlighting the connections between the health of people and the health of the planet.

Shaping global policy

A major contribution to this field has been Dr Howe's role as a Lead Author on the .

Working alongside 165 experts from around the world, she helped develop a landmark assessment examining the links between biodiversity, climate, water, food and health. Endorsed by more than 150 governments, the report provides a framework for integrated policy responses to some of the world's most pressing and interconnected challenges.

The assessment represents a significant step forward in how environmental issues are understood within international governance, encouraging policymakers to move beyond isolated solutions and address multiple challenges together.

Advancing inclusive environmental governance

Dr Howe's research has also influenced environmental governance through innovative analyses of international institutions and decision-making processes.

Her work has examined coordination across United Nations agencies and explored the representation of gender within global biodiversity and climate governance. These insights have informed emerging approaches to gender-responsive environmental policy and contributed to wider discussions about how environmental decisions can be made more inclusive and effective.

At Imperial, this work has helped support initiatives including the Women's Health Network of Excellence, which Dr Howe co-founded.

Leadership in ecology

Alongside her research, Dr Howe has played a significant leadership role within the ecological community.

As Vice President of the British Ecological Society and Chair of its Grants Committee, she oversees the distribution of more than £400,000 each year to support ecological research worldwide. Her leadership has focused on strengthening collaboration, promoting equity and increasing support for researchers in the Global South.

Earlier this year, Dr Howe was elected a Fellow of the British Ecological Society in recognition of her sustained contributions to ecology and environmental leadership.

Strengthening interdisciplinary research at Imperial

Within Imperial, Dr Howe has led and supported a number of strategic initiatives that bring together expertise from across disciplines to address environmental challenges.

She co-founded the Women's Health Network of Excellence, has helped shape Imperial's Business and Biodiversity and Nature-Positive Futures agendas, co-directs the MSc Environmental Technology programme, and leads the Transdisciplinary Centre for Nature and People.

Through these roles, she has strengthened Imperial's position as a leader in interdisciplinary environmental research while helping to train and support the next generation of sustainability professionals and researchers.

Recognition of impact

Dr Howe's inclusion in the reflects the breadth of her impact across research, policy and leadership.

From advancing scientific understanding of the links between nature, climate and health, to shaping international policy frameworks and building research capacity, her work demonstrates how interdisciplinary environmental research can help address global challenges and deliver meaningful benefits for people and communities around the world.