--- description: Find out why Justine Johnson is on TIME's 2025 list of the 100 most influential leaders driving business climate action. title: Justine Johnson: The 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders of 2025 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7c04dcdc4330b87c/6998cb4966d4e321f0cbcff1/Leaders-Justine-Johnson2.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Oct 30, 2025 # Justine Johnson ## Video: TIME100 Climate 2025 | Leaders Compilation [Watch (HLS stream): TIME100 Climate 2025 | Leaders Compilation](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/qIdHTBY3.m3u8) (7:02)  _Published 2025-10-30_ Chief Mobility Officer, Michigan by Justine Johnson  Photo-Illustration by TIME (Courtesy Photo) _Justine Johnson is Michigan’s Chief Mobility Officer at the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, where she leads and oversees state-level efforts to accelerate clean transportation such as EV and charging infrastructure, as well as drone deliveries. This includes building the country’s first wireless EV charging road, debuted in Detroit in 2023\. At the end of last year, a deal was inked between wireless EV charging specialist Electreon and Commercial EV manufacturer Xos, Inc. to make this technology available for commercial vehicles, including UPS trucks in Detroit._ **What is the single most important action you think the public, or a specific company or government, needs to take in the next year to advance the climate agenda?** Governments should create state-wide or multi-state lending programs that back climate innovators developing hard tech and software focused on alternatives to rare-earth minerals, renewable energy, and climate resilience. Offering zero- or low-interest loans and non-dilutive grants as an extra incentive for technologies built domestically would accelerate adoption while boosting local economies. Pairing this funding with university partnerships would strengthen R&D and ensure innovation stays rooted in local communities. **What’s one sustainability effort you personally will try to adopt in the next year?** I plan to visit local schools and bring entrepreneurs into the classroom to introduce students to Michigan’s clean energy economy and the broader world of sustainable transportation. By connecting their daily choices—carpooling, walking, biking—to climate goals and career paths in clean energy, we can empower the next generation to see themselves as innovators, not just consumers. **What is a climate solution that isn't getting the attention or funding it deserves?** The Bahamas’ Sovereign Climate Securities program deserves more attention. It monetizes seagrass beds, which are natural carbon reservoirs, by generating blue carbon credits that fund renewable energy investments. This model turns natural ecosystems into sustainable capital while protecting biodiversity, and is a blueprint for how nations can finance climate action without adversely affecting the environment. **What gives you hope about the future of the planet?** Technology and collaboration are converging faster than ever. AI and predictive analytics are turning data into prevention strategies, helping communities anticipate floods, wildfires, and other climate risks. Cities, policymakers, urban planners, designers, and architects can use these insights to guide land-use and infrastructure planning. Rather than react to crises, we’re building resilient, future-ready communities. **If you could stand up and talk to world leaders at the next COP, what would you say?** We must stop politicizing and exploiting climate action and start sharing responsibility across governments, businesses, and individuals. Access to clean air, safe water, good jobs, and stable housing are the foundations of healthy, thriving communities. Addressing these needs can launch the next industrial revolution—one powered by renewable energy, automation, and AI. But progress depends on people. Workers must have the tools and training to lead this transition. Furthermore, it’s time to end the $1.3 trillion in fossil-fuel subsidies that distort markets and feed the myth that clean energy is costly, and instead invest in innovation that lifts every nation. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/7326545/justine-johnson/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/7326545/justine-johnson/"},"headline":"Justine Johnson","datePublished":"2025-10-30T11:30:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-03T01:01:06.589Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/7326545/justine-johnson/","keywords":["TIME100 Climate 2025","list","franchise","Magazine","Special Project","sponsorshipblock","Accolades"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7c04dcdc4330b87c/6998cb4966d4e321f0cbcff1/Leaders-Justine-Johnson2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"creator":"TIME Staff","articleSection":"Climate","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7c04dcdc4330b87c/6998cb4966d4e321f0cbcff1/Leaders-Justine-Johnson2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/climate/","name":"Climate"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time100-climate-2025/","name":"TIME100 Climate 2025"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/7326545/justine-johnson/","name":"Justine Johnson"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"TIME100 Climate 2025 | Leaders Compilation","description":"","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/qIdHTBY3/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2025-10-30T11:00:00.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/qIdHTBY3.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/7326545/justine-johnson/","duration":"PT7M2S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/collections/time-100-climate-2025/7326545/justine-johnson/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```