Women in Climate

Women lead the way.

As part of TNC’s comprehensive climate strategy, Women in Climate is uniting women from all backgrounds to solve the climate crisis. To save the planet, climate solutions need to be more inclusive, collaborative and innovative…simply put, they require Women in Climate.

Women are fighting to address the impacts of climate change in every sector—as scientists, philanthropists, legislators, tribal leaders and CEOs—and leading major victories for our planet.

We mean ALL women— cisgender, transgender, femme/feminine-identifying, genderqueer, and nonbinary individuals—all of whom bring unique experiences and perspectives to this conversation.

Women challenge existing power structures and traditional notions of what climate action entails. Crucially, women take an intersectional approach, building inclusive, trust-based, and resilient networks that center the knowledge and perspectives of diverse community-led and structurally excluded groups.

Additionally, women leaders play major roles in emergency responses to disaster, developing gender-responsive climate solutions and building alternatives for just transitions. Women leaders played a critical role in negotiating the Paris Agreement and continue to drive ambitious climate action in cities, businesses and NGOs around the world. Women make up more than half the world’s population and are often disproportionately impacted by climate change. Their leadership and participation are critical to seeing us through this global crisis.

Women in Climate has created a network of over 180 people who share a common drive to address the global climate crisis. These women have had the opportunity to collaborate in-person, build off one another’s ideas, and tap into each other’s resources and know-how.

Innovation Labs are an important part of WIC’s strategy. These high-level, multiday summits bring together business, tribal, scientific, political, nonprofit and social justice leaders. These gatherings provide space for women to brainstorm innovative climate change solutions, devise plans to implement them, and forge new alliances to socialize and replicate them in other geographies. Here, real solutions focused on intersectionality, climate policy and natural climate solutions are developed and vetted for advancement. 

And participants of Innovation Labs take their experiences into the world with them.

“Since the WIC Innovation Lab, I have partnered with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) on a grant to work with kids exposing them to the estuary that surrounds us,” said Tia Clark of Casual Crabbing with Tia.  “Through this grant the kids were able to plant spartina, or shoreline grass, in a greenhouse built at their school. They learned to crab, to fish and about marine stewardship all while gaining experience on the water and outside of a typical classroom. These are things they would never have done before.

“I have also joined the sustainability board with the South Carolina Aquarium, and I was appointed to the Marine Advisory Committee by our SCDNR. I had not previously seen myself as the person who should be doing any of these things, but being at the event opened my eyes to more of my potential.”