With the passing of Marjan Minnesma on 22 May 2026, the world of climate action and agricultural innovation lost a remarkable leader and an inspiring person. Marjan helped people see sustainability not as a distant political issue, but as something practical, hopeful, and possible in everyday life. Through Urgenda, the organization she co-founded, she encouraged people to take action through renewable energy, energy saving, community efforts, and regenerative agriculture.

Marjan became internationally known for leading and winning the landmark Urgenda climate court case against the Dutch government. She showed that citizens can encourage governments to take responsibility for climate action. What made her special was her ability to bring people together—scientists, citizens, business leaders, policymakers, and communities—and turn ideas into action. She believed that real change happens when people work together rather than wait.

From her childhood, she carried a love for the wet, flower-rich meadows, buzzing with insects and full of meadow birds, managed by her dairy-farming grandfather. A few weeks before her untimely death, she visited these fields, rekindling her deep love for black-tailed godwits. This passion and her way of thinking strongly connected her with BirdEyes. Indeed, during its slow genesis, we benefited several times from her interest and encouragement. Like Marjan, we also believe that science matters most when it helps people understand the world and inspires action.

Marjan reminded us that while the climate crisis is serious, hope and solutions are still possible if we work together. Full of warmth, stories, energy, and determination, she leaves behind a lasting legacy of courage, collaboration, and care.