Animal Rights Climate Leader
1778. Bella Lack
Bella Lack, aged 18, from London, is one of the UK’s leading young environmental, animal rights and wildlife conservation campaigners who is dedicated to engaging young people and the government on climate action goals.
Bella has loved animals from a small age and first became involved in advocacy at the age of 11 having become incensed about the loss of habitat for orang-utans due to the use of palm oil. Since then, Bella successfully led a campaign to DEFRA for a ban on the use of wild animals in UK circuses following a petition she started at the age of 16, with the Wild Animals in Circuses bill becoming law within a year. She is an ambassador for multiple organisations, including the ‘Born Free Foundation’, the ‘Jane Goodall Institute’, ‘Save The Asian Elephants’ and the RSPCA, as well as a board director of ‘Reserva: the Youth Land Trust’, the world’s first youth-funded nature reserve. Bella has been a leading member of the ‘Ivory Alliance’, a group of influencers and politicians working to combat the Illegal Wildlife Trade, and of ‘Nature 2030’, a group chaired by Ben Fogle bringing together experts and campaigners to find solutions to environmental problems, as well as chairing the COP26 Civil Society and Youth Advisory Council. Most recently, she has collaborated with Jane Goodall and Cyril Dion on the creation of a feature-length documentary film “Animal”, and will publish her debut book “The Children of the Anthropocene” in 2022, which will highlight the impact of climate change on young people.
In a personal letter to Bella, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“I was inspired to learn of your many achievements in animal rights and wildlife conservation, in particular your campaigning to ban the use of wild animals in circuses. I am delighted that this ban has now come into effect.
“You are a fantastic advocate for conservation and I am delighted to recognise you as a young environmental leader.”
Bella said:
“It’s an honour to be recognised for the Points of Light Award. I’d like to accept it on behalf of the young generation who are embarking on a journey of resculpting the society we live in to be more ethical and sustainable. It’s particularly pertinent at this time with the energy and dedication that many are pouring into COP 26 (particularly the young activists and campaigners I know) and into the collaborative struggle against the climate crisis we have created. This is a wonderful and rare opportunity we have to build back in a way which benefits all, both human and non-human.”
Photo credit: Callie Broaddus