Catherine Abreu is an internationally recognized, award-winning campaigner whose work centers on building powerful coalitions to advance action on climate change. One of the world’s 100 most influential people in climate policy as named by Apolitical in 2019, she has over 15 years of experience campaigning on environmental issues including 7 years in the heart of the climate movement.

Catherine is the Founder & Executive Director of Destination Zero, a new organization focused on climate action and the global energy transition. Catherine served as the Executive Director of Climate Action Network – Réseau action climat (CAN-Rac) Canada from 2016 to mid-2021. Canada’s primary network of organizations working on climate change and energy issues, CAN-Rac is a coalition of more than 120 organizations operating from coast to coast to coast. Catherine joined CAN-Rac Canada after five years spearheading the energy and climate programs at the Ecology Action Centre, one of Atlantic Canada’s largest and longest-running environmental advocacy organizations. She is also the former Coordinator of the Atlantic Canada Sustainable Energy Coalition.

An accomplished public speaker, Catherine is honoured to have shared the stage with some of the world’s leading environmental thinkers, including David Suzuki, Christiana Figueres, and Bill McKibbon. Her political commentary has featured in the New York Times, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and the Financial Post. She appears regularly as an expert guest on CBC, CTV, Global and other current affairs television and radio programs.

Catherine is the 2020 recipient of the prestigious Jack Layton Progress Prize for her international leadership on climate policy and action, and her transformative work at CAN-Rac Canada. She is a proud honouree of Canada’s Clean50.