Quaker woman wins top engineer award

Carla Denyer recognised for work on tackling climate change

A Quaker who led the way in Bristol becoming the first city in Europe to declare a climate emergency has been named one of the Top Fifty Women in Engineering for 2020 by the Women’s Engineering Society. Green Party councillor and mechanical engineer Carla Denyer, who specialises in renewable energy, received the award in recognition of her work on tackling climate change in Bristol, where she inspired the city to commit to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Bristol-based engineer Nicola Grahamslaw, who nominated her, said: ‘Since being elected councillor Denyer has put her background in renewable engineering to good use through working for decarbonisation in Bristol and beyond. She wrote Europe’s first climate emergency motion, which committed Bristol to become carbon neutral by 2030. This started a wave of similar motions across the country, with over 400 councils, the UK parliament, and Scottish and Welsh governments following suit.’

Carla Denyer, from Bristol Area Meeting, said she was thrilled with the award. ‘People often comment on how many impressive, capable and knowledgeable women there are in leadership roles in the Green Party, but what is less well known is how many of them are scientists and engineers,’ she said.

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