Women are leading the fight against climate change. By joining forces, we can amplify that impact.

Women Leading on Climate is an initiative founded by Climate & Nature Solutions and We Mean Business Coalition in 2024.

A match lit at Women Kicking it on Climate in 2017

Catherine McKenna established Women Leading on Climate while serving as Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change at a two-day global summit in 2017. Under her leadership, Canada also supported a gender focal point at UNFCCC, trained women negotiators from francophone African countries, and brought a gender lens to climate action and finance.

The spark that ignited action

Women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions across all sectors engaged in climate action. This disparity was glaringly evident in the initial announcement of an all-male COP29 Organizing Committee – a stark reminder of the persistent barriers women face in this field. 

More than 80 women leaders from across business, policy and civil society responded to this injustice, by adding their name to a letter to the Azerbaijan Presidency.

Within days, membership of the COP29 organising committee had been changed to include 12 women members. 

Today, our global network includes over 1000 women leaders across more than 35 countries, with 8 regional chapters around the world.

Our track record includes:

  • Our strategic roundtables and events at COP forums, London Climate Week, New York Climate Week, and Ecosperity have been oversubscribed. They focus on topical issues and provide much-needed solidarity between women working on climate during a challenging time. 

  • through outcome-oriented discussions featuring global climate architects, such as Stientje van Veldhoven (co-chair of the inaugural Conference on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels), Ana Toni (CEO of COP30), Teresa Ribera (European Commission EVP for a Clean, Just, and Competitive Transition), Gina McCarthy (former White House National Climate Advisor, Chair of America Is All In), Shari Friedman (former Head of Sustainability, Eurasia Group), Laurence Tubiana (CEO of European Climate Foundation), and many more. 

  • Deploying highly successful social media campaigns, policy recommendations, open letters, and other public mobilization efforts. WLOC has deployed a number of high-impact campaigns, including two social media campaigns with a combined reach of 18 million women and girls worldwide and open letter campaigns making the case for governments and business leaders to remain the course on climate ambition. 

  • The Women Leading on Climate podcast features powerhouse women from across the globe who not only aren’t giving up on climate but are digging in - they know what’s at stake and are pushing action and solutions in a range of different and innovative ways. Season 1 included candid insights from foundational climate leaders like Christiana Figueres and Katharine Hayhoe, alongside prominent youth activists Paloma Costa and Sophia Mathur. 

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