A global network of women leaders shaping the future of climate action.
Our Story
Women Leading on Climate began with a simple idea: when women leaders come together, they can accelerate climate action.
Women Leading on Climate is an initiative founded by Climate & Nature Solutions and We Mean Business Coalition in 2024, building on a movement that began in 2017 when Catherine McKenna, then Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, brought women leaders together at the two-day Women Kicking It on Climate global summit. Under her leadership, Canada also supported a gender focal point at the UNFCCC, trained women negotiators from Francophone African countries, and brought a gender lens to climate action and finance.
The movement gained new momentum in 2024 as women leaders challenged the persistent underrepresentation of women in climate leadership. When the initial COP29 Organizing Committee was announced without a single woman, more than 80 women leaders from business, policy and civil society added their names to an open letter to the Azerbaijan Presidency, calling for change.
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1,000+
Women Leaders
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35+
Countries
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8
Regional Chapters
Our Impact
We bring women leaders together to share knowledge, build connections and turn collective influence into action.
From high-level convenings and executive-level knowledge sharing to public campaigns and thought leadership, WLOC creates opportunities for women across sectors and regions to connect, collaborate and amplify their impact on climate.
Convening Leaders
We bring women leaders together at COP forums, London Climate Week, New York Climate Week and other global gatherings to connect, collaborate and build solidarity.
Sharing Knowledge
We create opportunities to learn from leading voices across climate policy, business, finance and civil society—and turn ideas into action.
Mobilizing Collective Action
Through campaigns, open letters and policy recommendations, we amplify women's voices and push for greater climate ambition.
Amplifying Women's Voices
Through the Women Leading on Climate podcast, we share the stories, perspectives and solutions of women advancing climate action around the world.
Our Chapters
WLOC’s regional chapters bring women leaders together around the climate priorities, opportunities and challenges in their regions. From Canada and Brazil to India, Australia, the Nordics and Singapore, our chapters create local connections while strengthening a global movement for ambitious climate action.