BBC Green Sport Awards - meet the judges

L-R: Ella Al-Shamahi; Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson; Justin Rowlatt; Ed Leigh

The judging panel for our Young Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Year awards include:

Ella Al-Shamahi

Ella is an explorer, palaeoanthropologist, biologist... and stand-up comic. She has travelled to some of the most hostile and unstable territories in the world in the name of science, and has seen first-hand the places that will become the frontline to the consequences of climate change. As a stand-up, Ella uses comedy as a coping strategy, but also to communicate science. She believes clear and humorous scientific communication and empowering locals is the way forward in sustainable development.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson

Tanni is a sporting icon, having won 11 gold medals, four silver and one bronze at the Paralympic Games. She took on the title of Baroness Grey-Thompson when she was appointed to the House of Lords in 2010. Tanni is the chair of Ukactive and of the Trustees of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and sits on the boards of several other organisations. Her broad knowledge and lived experience of elite sport, combined with her advocacy work, provide invaluable perspectives.

Ed Leigh

Ed is passionate about the natural world and its ability to inspire us all to overcome the challenges we face in living more sustainable lives. As a broadcaster and journalist specialising in action and adventure sports, Ed is best known for his work on Ski Sunday and the Olympics for the BBC. Ed has seen first-hand the effects of climate change on alpine environments, and the challenges that poses to winter sports.

Justin Rowlatt

As the BBC's climate editor, Justin has travelled internationally for the organisation and seen evidence of climate change everywhere. He sees it as the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced, and tackling it means changing how we do virtually everything. "We are right to be anxious and afraid at the prospect, but I reckon we should also see this as a thrilling story of exploration, and I'm delighted to have been given the chance of a ringside seat," he says.

L-R: Mie Kajikawa; Danielle Mulder; Madeline Orr; Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu; Alison Tickell

The judging panel for our Ambition and Impact & Teamwork Awards include:

Mie Kajikawa

Mie set up Sport For Smile; the first-ever platform in Japan harnessing the power of sport for social change. Mie has collaborated with the UN and World Bank, along with delivering official side events around the Fifa 2018 World Cup and Tokyo 2020. Her work focuses on influencing and driving Japanese sports organisations to take action for climate change.

Danielle Mulder

Having worked in sustainability for over 16 years, Danielle is the group sustainability director at the BBC working across public service and our commercial subsidiaries. She has experience working with major global clients and projects that include Aviva, London 2012, the Commonwealth Games, Sydney Metro, Network Rail, and Burger King. Danielle is a net-zero specialist, and leads the net zero and climate risk programme across the BBC.

Dr Madeleine Orr

Dr Orr is a sport ecologist at Loughborough University London. She is the founder and co-director of the Sport Ecology Group - an international consortium of academics who drive climate action in the sport sector through research and public education initiatives. Her research has been covered by multiple global news outlets such as Time Magazine, the Guardian, Reuters and more. Madeline is recognised as a global thought leader on sport sustainability.

Alison Tickell

Alison originally trained as a cellist, working with the jazz improviser and teacher John Stevens. In 2007, she established Julie's Bicycle as a non-profit company, helping the music industry reduce its environmental impact and develop new approaches that are aligned with global environmental challenges. Julie's Bicycle is acknowledged as a leading organisation bridging sustainability with the arts and culture. Alison has sat on many awarding bodies including Observer Ethical Awards, and RCA Sustainable Design Awards.

Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu

Lindita leads work on engaging the sports and fashion sectors in climate action as part of United Nations Climate Change wider Global Climate Action work. She led development of multi-stakeholder initiatives focusing on decarbonisation including the United Nations' Sports for Climate Action, which aimed to activate sports to reduce their environmental footprint and use their platforms to mobilise society at large.

Click here to find out more about the different Award categories.