Sarah Finch (climate activist)
Sarah Finch | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 (age 61–62) Surrey, England |
| Occupations |
|
| Organization | Co-founder of the Weald Climate Group |
Political party | Green Party |
| Awards | Goldman Environmental Prize 2026 |
Sarah Finch (born 1964) is a British climate activist, writer, and editor most known for co-founding the Weald Climate Group and fighting to block oil drilling in the Weald. She also served as a Reigate and Banstead Borough Councilor. She was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2026 for her work fighting against oil drilling in the Weald.
Biography
Finch grew up in Surrey, and became an environmental activist from a young age after hearing news reports about deforestation and acid rain. She worked as a writer and editor,[1][2] and also served on the Reigate and Banstead Borough Council as a member of the Green Party from 2011 to 2015.[3]
She discovered a proposal to drill at Horse Hill in the Weald from a local newspaper in 2010, and soon joined forces with others to co-founded the Weald Climate Group, which campaigned and successfully got numerous drilling applications refused and withdrawn.[4] However, the drilling continued to expand. Soon, Finch discovered that the plans which were being assessed by the council had mentioned the environmental impact of the drilling but not that of the using of the oil, and after a major expansion was approved,[5] she agreed to lead a court case to block the project.[6][7]
The case was rejected to be heard at first[8] but was then heard by the British High Court, which ruled against the activists, and then at the Court of Appeal, where Finch also led protests outside the courthouse. After a negative ruling from that court, they appealed to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, which sided with the activists, ruling that environmental impact statements of drilling must include the environmental impact of the usage of the materials extracted.[9][10] This ruling soon resulted in the other courts and the government blocking coal and oil projects, including the oil drilling in the Weald.[11][12]
Finch was awarded the Goldman Prize for Europe in 2026 for her environmental advocacy.[13] She became a part of the first all-woman cohort of Goldman Prize recipients.[14]
References
- ↑ "Sarah Finch - 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner". Goldman Environmental Prize. 2026-03-03. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ "A Q&A with Sarah Finch on Reshaping Climate Policy in the UK". Goldman Environmental Prize. 2026-05-19. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ "Interview: Fighting climate change in court and as a councillor | LocalGov". www.localgov.co.uk. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ Gayle, Damien (2026-04-20). "From a Surrey oil well to the supreme court: how an activist changed UK climate law". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ Taylor, David. "A friend of the Earth: how I stopped Surrey becoming the new Texas". The Observer. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ "'More influential than Urgenda': UK Finch ruling 20 months on". The Wave. 2026-02-18. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ Vaughan, Adam. "Sarah Finch, reluctant figurehead who changed the rules for energy giants". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ "Fight against oil drilling in Surrey". theecologist.org. 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ Shapalova, Daria (17 June 2025). "The Legal Significance and Practical Implications of the Finch Decision of the UK Supreme Court – A New Hope for Climate or Business as Usual?". Journal of Environmental Law. 37 (2): 365–373 – via Oxford Academic.
- ↑ Kaminski, Isabella (2024-06-26). "Sarah Finch: climate activism 'early adopter' behind supreme court win". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ Taylor, Gaye (2026-04-21). "Sarah Finch's Court Battle Changed Fossil Fuel Development in UK". The Energy Mix. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ Clarke-Ezzidio, Harry (2025-06-24). "The woman who bested Big Oil". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 2026-03-15. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ "Sarah Finch wins global award for landmark Horse Hill climate case". www.bbc.com. 2026-04-20. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
- ↑ Rowlands, Lyndal. "Six women win 2026 Goldman prize, world's top environmental award". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-06-24.