The Global Impact Of The Women Leading The Climate Change Fight

There is a fight against climate change, and women are leading the charge. Would you be surprised to know that every year, the world celebrates Earth Day on April 22nd? Although you may have heard of Earth Day, do we really understand what it represents? Started in 1970, Earth Day is an annual celebration that recognizes the strides of the environmental movement. Earth Day raises awareness of the pertinence of protecting Earth’s natural resources for future inhabitants of this planet.

In summary, Earth Day highlights what work can be done to protect Mother Earth from climate change. According to USGS.gov, the US Geological Survey, the terms climate change and global warming are often incorrectly used interchangeably. Global warming is just one aspect of climate change, and there are women leading the fight to put a stop to it!

Globally, women are planting seeds that will impact tomorrow. According to the IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, women play a significant role in combating the adverse effects of climate change. Annually, the IUCN acknowledges women making an impact against the war on climate change via the Gender and Climate Award. A great example, the 2025 recipient, Anusha Fatima, was awarded due to her work with Trashit. According to TrashIt’s website, TrashIt advocates and leads with an action-driven approach to collect, up-cycle, and reintroduce food waste as natural, earthy compost for sustainable, organic farming in your backyards. Trashit aspires to build zero-waste green neighborhoods.

Working with great intention, it is women like Anusha that bring together communities around the globe. Working tirelessly to educate, equip, and execute within their own communities.

Women in all areas of the world are working just as hard to fight climate change. WECF, Women Engage For A Common Future, honored three women in 2024 for their work:

Anisa Abibulloeva (Little Earth), Tajikistan

Little Earth is an environmental NGO that aspires to support women living in the mountains in obtaining financial independence, build resilient communities, and drive forward a clean energy revolution in Tajikistan on a grassroots, small-scale level. 

Isabel Prestes Fonseca (Instituto Zág), Brazil 

Instituto Zág is committed to saving the critically endangered araucaria pine tree (Araucaria angustifolia), known locally as Zág, and preserving the traditional knowledge of the Laklãnõ-Xokleng people in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. The Zág tree holds both a sacred and symbolic value to the Xokleng peoples, and is on the brink of extinction as a result of unregulated human resource exploitation.   

Francesca Trotman (Love the Oceans), Mozambique

Love The Oceans is an organization working to protect endangered marine life in Jangamo Bay, Mozambique. To do this, they employ a community-based, holistic approach that incorporates research, education, and campaigns into their work. Furthermore, they also seek to build expertise and create local jobs with a sustainable entrepreneurship mindset.  

These environmentally dedicated women are awarded a cash prize and invited to the COP29, United Nations Climate Change Conference. There, the winners have an opportunity to participate in climate negotiations. This opportunity grants these women making big splashes of change in their regions to share on a global stage.

Thinking outside the box is just one way women are leading the charge for climate control. Brands such as Happy Pads, organic sanitary pads made from banana fiber, are changing the way people look at reducing waste. Kalkidan Tadesse and her sister, Wubit, founded and designed Happy Pads. Their goal is to take a healthier and more sustainable approach to women’s sanitary products.

We have declared war against climate change. Globally, there are several women soldiers leading the fight on the front lines. With each effort, there is another stride toward a lower carbon footprint, more sustainability, renewable energy, increased recycling, nature conservation, and eliminating waste.