After a decade of working on climate, I’m more convinced than ever that empowering women is one of the most effective ways to make real change. From boardrooms to classrooms, negotiating rooms to communities, and on the streets, women are stepping up to demand urgent action and push for change. They speak hard truths, challenge the status quo, and refuse to back down. And while the journey is often lonely and the work is incredibly hard, women are pushing us forward, one step at a time.
The facts are undeniable: women are two and a half times more likely to demand government action on climate. They’re 60% more likely to use their voices to advocate for change and twice as likely to engage civically on the issue. Companies with more women in leadership roles are more likely to take decisive climate action, including disclosing their emissions. Women leaders in government, business, and civil society are driving progress. As Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate said: “The most powerful force against climate change is a woman.”
Look at Greta Thunberg. What started as one young woman’s solitary protest in front of the Swedish Parliament grew into a global movement that mobilized millions of people and pushed governments—including Canada, which I was part of—to take stronger climate action.
Reflecting on the U.N. COP21 climate negotiations, it’s clear that women played a pivotal role in the success of the Paris Agreement. The women I met in Paris weren’t just there to participate—they were leading, negotiating, and shaping the course of those critical discussions at every level. Their leadership was integral to the deal we struck.
I also saw the power of women firsthand again in 2018 when I hosted the “Women Kicking it on Climate Summit” as Canada’s minister of environment and climate change. Women from around the world came together to ensure that the Paris Agreement’s goals were met and to push for ambitious solutions. The energy in that room was electric. The connections we made helped move the global climate agenda forward, reinforcing that women’s leadership is not just important, it’s essential.
After leaving politics, I founded “Women Leading on Climate,” a global network of women leaders committed to driving climate action. In 2024, with the We Mean Business Coalition, we launched a global network at Climate Week in New York. Our event was a resounding success. We set a clear agenda: to demand global leaders triple renewable energy, phase out fossil fuels, and develop new, bold climate plans. Leading climate champions, including Laurence Tubiana from France, Patricia Espinosa from Mexico, and Jennifer Morgan from Germany, delivered powerful messages about the urgency of collective action. Ana Toni from Brazil spoke about the leadership of Brazilian women on climate and announced the formation of a local network ahead of this year’s COP30 in Brazil.
One of our victories came when women leaders, led by Maria Mendiluce, CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition, successfully called out the Azerbaijani government for excluding women from the COP29 organizing committee. It was absurd, given that women make up half the population and are at the forefront of advocating for more ambitious climate action. Following our push, women were appointed. It was a small but important victory.
At COP29 last year, we presented an advocacy letter to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, signed by women leaders from business, politics, and civil society, urging bolder climate action and committing to support his efforts. We also launched the #WomenLeadingonClimate social media campaign, reaching 14.6 million people led by voices from leaders such as Nakate, Sophia Kianni, Arizona Muse, and Tori Tsui. This campaign empowered women around the world to share their stories, call for more ambitious climate leadership, and demand policies that prioritize climate justice.
Today, our network spans the globe with over 500 members and chapters in Canada, the E.U., Australia, and Brazil delivering practical action. Looking ahead, Women Leading on Climate will continue to grow and push for bold and transformative change. At a time when many countries are backtracking on climate commitments, women’s leadership is more crucial than ever.
With so much green hushing today, where country leaders and CEOs fail to even mention the words “climate change,” women understand that we need to stand up, speak out, and keep going.
Adapted from Run Like A Girl: A Memoir of Ambition, Resilience and Fighting for Change. Copyright © 2025 Catherine McKenna. Reprinted by permission of Sutherland House Books.
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