[1][2] Marjan Minnesma was born and raised in Amsterdam.

[1] She holds a degree in international law on climate change.

[3] In 2022, she received Goldman Environmental Prize for suing the Dutch government over its carbon emissions plans.

[3] She won this lawsuit, becoming first woman to successfully sue a government over carbon emissions.

[4] Minnesma is the founder of Urgenda Foundation,[5] which aims to help enforce national, European and international environment treaties.