The UK newspaper Financial Times has listed Senator Sherry Rehman, the minister for climate change, as one of the “25 Most Influential Women of 2022.”
The “influential women” were selected for the unranked list under three headings: leaders, heroes, and creators.
The first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, wrote the following about Rehman for the FT’s issue on the 25 most powerful women, referring to her as a “negotiator with grit.”
The Scottish leader lavished praise on the Pakistani minister, writing: “Her negotiation skills, her pragmatism in overcoming obstacles developed countries put in her path, and her advocacy voice were essential in the progress on loss and damage at COP27.
“At COP27 last month, Rehman gave a powerful account of the devastating floods in Pakistan, highlighting the injustice at the heart of climate change.
“She told us ‘the bargain made between the global north and global south is not working’. Through the power of her argument, she forced developed countries to listen,” Sturgeon wrote.
“Her moral power, standing up for communities affected by climate change, resulted in the historic agreement to create a fund, giving many people in the global south fresh hope.
“I am confident that Sherry will continue to fight for climate justice, financial reform on a global scale, and the critical funding needed to provide a future for those areas of Pakistan that will be affected by this year’s floods for a very long time.”
The FT list also features individuals like tennis player Serena Williams, podcaster Meghan Markle, and Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
