Warwickshire News Mine

She joins such luminaries as International Synergies’ Peter Laybourn, Prof Quentin Leiper CBE (Carillion) and BBC Gardeners World’s Alys Fowler - who used her garden and community work in Birmingham for the TV series ‘edible gardener’ - on the groundbreaking list that also features representatives from academia and social enterprise.

Organised by Sustainability West Midlands, the competition addresses the leadership gap in the area by celebrating and promoting some of the most influential people currently driving the agenda.

The Green Leaders received their certificates from international campaigner Jonathon Porritt at a special event at Birmingham’s Millennium Point recently, and they will now be invited to use this new platform to share and pass on their experiences, skills and knowledge to the next generation of professionals.

They will also be developing new solutions and influence policy by contributing to research and new Government initiatives such as the Big Society.

Dr Lawrence said: “I am honoured to be selected amongst this fantastic group of people. As Green Leaders we are setting out to engage with the public and motivate more people to go green to build on excellent examples of low carbon innovation, communities tackling key green issues successfully and major public services adjusting the way they work to be more eco-friendly.

“This initiative clearly shows the desire from across the West Midlands to meet the 2020 low carbon vision.

“As a group we have all helped to implement and run activities that have had a positive environmental impact with additional social or economic benefits. Together we can do even more.”

“We are trying to capture a common drive and passion and share it with up and coming leaders, who will be essential in keeping the agenda at the forefront of the public consciousness.”

Dr Lawrence is from Nuneaton and has been on the committee of the West Midlands and Mid Wales branch of the Energy Institute since 1997 and been Warwickshire County Council Energy Manager since 2001.

During that time she wrote the county council’s first energy policy a successful bid to the Carbon Trust which resulted in being a pilot in the Local Authority Carbon Management Action Plan (CMAP) programme - one of just 16 in the UK.
   
She led on the development of the Warwickshire Climate Change Partnership (WCCP) and initiated the successful award-winning ‘Switch it Off’ campaign across Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Coventry.

‘Switch it Off’ was shortlisted in the 2008 Sustainable City Awards in the climate change category; runner-up in the SD-UK Awards and winner of the Energy Institute Awards 2008 in the Communications category.

Sustainability West Midlands, the sustainability adviser for the leaders of the West Midlands, shares a vision where business and communities thrive in a region that is environmentally sustainable and socially just.

It is private sector led, cross sector and not-for-profit organisation which acts as a catalyst for change through advice to leaders, developing practical solutions with members and sharing success through its communications and events programme.

Link to WCC