Climate Global News - Issue One

WOMEN IN CLIMATE

Women in the climate industry who are driving innovation and spearheading initiatives to tackle climate change challenges, inspire others, and create a more sustainable future for generations to come.

Marcene

THE IVAPPS BODY KNOWN AS THE PORTAL , ACCOMMODATES BOTH THE SMART CARTRIDGES AND VALVE CARTRIDGE OFFERING A UNIQUE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION TO FLUID SYSTEM MONITORING, SUCH AS POWER OPTIMISATION, PRESSURE MODULATION AND LEAK DETECTION.

ENABLING DIGITAL FLOW

Publishers Note

Dear Readers,

In a world where the discourse surrounding climate change is more significant than ever, it gives me immense pride to introduce Climate Global News' inaugural digital magazine. Today, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, it is with profound honour that we dedicate this entire edition to the remarkable women across the globe who are spearheading the fight against climate change.

The challenges we face are many, and the road ahead is fraught with complexity. However, within these pages, you will discover the stories of resilience, innovation, and leadership that illuminate the path forward. Leading the forefront of our conversation is an exclusive feature with an extraordinarily inspiring woman, Marcene Mitchell, the Senior Vice President of Climate Change at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Our discussions with Marcene shed light on the vital climate agendas both in the United States and globally and underscore the importance of building greater synergies across all our efforts towards climate change mitigation and resilience. With a specific emphasis on nature-based climate solutions, Marcene's insights offer a beacon of hope and a roadmap for meaningful action.

Beyond our cover story, this edition is rich with case studies and narratives of passionate individuals whose dedication to our planet exemplifies the spirit of determination and care that drives us towards a healthier and more sustainable future. Each story is a testament to the power of individual action and collective resolve in facing the environmental challenges of our times.

We are fully aware that there are thousands more champions of climate resilience out there, each making a significant impact in their corner of the world. It is our hope to bring many more of these stories to light in future editions. To this end, we cordially invite you to get in touch with us, to share your experiences, insights, and contributions.

Putting together this magazine has been a labour of love, fueled by the belief in the power of storytelling to inspire action and drive change. It is my sincere hope that you find within these pages not only information and insight but also motivation and encouragement.

Together, we can continue to amplify the voices of those leading the charge in the fight for our planet’s future. Enjoy the read.

With warmest regards,

Abby Davey Publisher and Co-Founder

H2O

H2O

CGN

In this issue...

4-11

CLIMATE NEWS ROUND-UP

In this magazine segment, we delve into worldwide climate news and trends for 2024.

12-15

COVER FEATURE

Our cover story highlights Marcene Mitchell, Senior Vice President of Climate Change at WWF, and her significant work in pushing climate agendas forward in the US and worldwide.

16-25

FEATURED ARTICLES

CGN features interviews with five women deeply engaged in diverse projects addressing climate change. They share their motivations and dedication to creating meaningful environmental changes.

26-29

WOMEN IN OCEAN SCIENCE

In an engaging interview with Madeline St Clair, the founder of Women in Ocean Science, the discussion centres around championing equity and empowerment in the field of ocean science.

30-33

WOMEN DRIVING CHANGE

CGN highlights the impactful work of women leading the charge in climate change initiatives, focusing on Mamta and Natalie’s contributions.

34-37 CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS

38-43

LEADING WOMEN TO WATCH

44-49

Q&A

This magazine segment features a selection of unique and interesting letters from our readers, handpicked from the hundreds we receive each month for you to enjoy

We feature highlights nineteen leading women in STEM globally, celebrating their achievements and leadership. It aims to inspire more inclusivity and diversity in the industry by encouraging other women to pursue similar paths.

Our Q&A presents insights from six female climate leaders on their visions for the next 50 years and their individual missions in tackling climate change.

How 2024’s Technological Advances Aim to Secure Food Production

As 2024 begins, a number of trends and exciting new technologies will shape agriculture over the next year, promising to improve food security and help the sector adapt to climate change.

Agriculture is deeply affected by extreme weather events, but it is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, making it an area of focus for combatting climate change.

Naturally, much of the agricultural news involves the COP28 summit in December 2023, which saw a number of promises and policies. Agriculture became a main topic for the first time, and over 130 countries signed a declaration agreeing to make agriculture and food production the cornerstones of climate change policies. Agriculture contributes a third of all man-made GHG emissions, so this is an important step.

To support these policies, a number of investments seek to strengthen food security in the face of climate change. At the COP28 summit, USAID announced it would continue to invest $100 million in CGIAR, a global partnership seeking to improve global food security. The investments will support innovation in agriculture and develop climate-smart

solutions under the US government’s Feed the Future program.

Another investment announcement at COP28 came from Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate). This global initiative, led by the UAE and US, seeks to stimulate transformative technologies for climatesmart agriculture and food systems. The increased investment, from $8 billion to $17 billion, alongside increasing the number of partners, will undoubtedly speed up innovation.

Moving to Britain, a transdisciplinary hub, ADAS, will help the four UK administrations develop policies covering agriculture and land use that should reduce emissions and make reaching net zero by 2050 possible. As part of this, the ‘Land Use for Net Zero’ (LUNZ) hub, with £6.5 million funding from UK Research and Innovation, will look at all aspects of land use. It will cover renewable energy and soil carbon, and communicate how land is both a carbon source and a carbon sink.

Agriculture contributes a third of all man-made GHG emissions, so this is an important step.

With respect to technology, the now ubiquitous AI promises to change farming practices. The technology could help predict climate trends at local level, and suggest when and where to plant crops. New apps can scan crops for signs of pests and disease, while others will even help to monitor pregnant cows. Other AI technologies could predict the amount of carbon stored in soils, improving soil health while providing important data for climate modelling. A final interesting technology is the use of AI and satellite data to help small farmers access insurance for crop losses caused by extreme weather.

Embracing the Circular Economy: A Path to Sustainability

The EU is taking the circular economy very seriously, as something essential for meeting the bloc’s climate and diversity aims. Because 90% of biodiversity loss and half of greenhouse emissions are from extracting and processing resources, the EU introduced its Circular Economy Action Plan in 2020. Accordingly, 2024 should see a new plan for packaging and packaging waste that will promote a stronger focus on reuse and recycling.

Over in Oxford, the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Plastics outlines new approaches to plastic, intended to promote net zero and sustainability. Apart from reducing the use of plastics, the far-reaching paper proposes recycling 95% of retrievable materials and promoting renewable energy for recycling to further drive down the environmental impact.

Possibly supporting this, scientists at King’s College, London, developed an enzyme that can digest single-use plastics and make them available for recycling. These enzymes, found in biological detergents, convert the plastic into soluble fragments. Breaking the plastics down back into monomers means they can be reused.

One sector where the circular economy is creating a buzz is fashion,

where waste is a significant problem. In response, the CTI Fashion Initiative has release a set of metrics to measure circularity within the industry. Less than 50% of garments are recycled, and a tiny proportion of those are repurposed into new clothes. Hopefully, providing common metrics will make it easier to set goals and monitor progress.

In a positive development, the world’s largest jeweller, Pandora, no longer uses mined gold and silver, instead sourcing only recycle metal. The Danish company cuts its indirect carbon emissions by 58,000 tonnes per year. They use the Responsible Jewellery Council’s chain of custody standard to minimise the risk of buying stolen precious metals.

Recently, McKinsey & Company and the World Economic Forum published a report addressing circularity in construction. They found that the sector could reduce emissions by an impressive 75% by 2050 if it embraced the circular economy. It could also see a rise in net profits to $46bn by 2030 and $360bn by 2050, creating a true win-win situation.

Given the size of the sector and its huge environmental footprint, sustainable construction with circular processes is important.

Given the size of the sector and its huge environmental footprint, sustainable construction with circular processes is important.

One area set to grow is offsite manufacturing of buildings, which produces over 50% fewer emissions and produces less waste. Offsite manufacture can produce buildings that are reusable, rentable, and focus on the entire lifecycle of materials.

Indigenous Wisdom at the World Economic Forum

As big supporters of rewilding, it was great to see the Rewilding Portugal team increase its efforts to reintroduce Iberian Lynxes and Iberian Wolves. The LIFE LUPI LYNX initiative, seeks to help the species thrive in areas of Portugal and Spain through creating the right environmental conditions and working with local communities.

Continuing with the rewilding theme, the National Trust in England announced plans to create new areas of temperate rainforest in North Devon. These humid forests once covered large swathes of Britain’s west coast, but largely disappeared due to overexploitation, disease, and air pollution. Planting more than 100,000 trees will help endangered plant and animal species recover.

Also in England, a new map has revealed that the country contains 390,000 km of hedgerows, enough to stretch around the globe ten times. Because hedgerows are an important habitat for flowers and animal species, and a carbon storing resource, the mapping program could well lead to

better protection. It could also help identify any gaps for planting new hedges across the country.

In Ecuador, German and Ecuadorian scientists measured the biodiversity recovery in the Chocó rainforest. One of the problems with planting trees is that it is difficult to determine if animals and plants are actually returning. Using acoustic imaging and DNA-based surveys, the team studied different land types and found that species returned to regenerated forests within a couple of decades.

Raising a warning, the Australian Conservation Foundation revealed that 2023 saw more species added to the national threatened list than in any other year. With 144 animals, plants, and ecological communities added, it is double the previous highest year. The foundation blamed habitat clearance and is pressing the government to take action.

At the World Economic Forum summit, held on the 15th – 19th January, indigenous leaders from across the world shared their views on how to work with nature and protect the planet.

Indigenous people make up 6% of the world’s population but act as stewards for an astonishing 80% of the planet’s biodiversity, and oversee a quarter of the carbon locked in tropical and subtropical forests.

Cameroon, a country with a wealth of biodiversity and resources, adopted the Nagoya Protocol, which seeks to ensure that genetic resources are used equitably. Like many countries, Cameroon sees exploitation by bioprospecting by companies using plants and microorganisms to develop drugs, often used in traditional medicine, without returning the profits to local communities. While there are still hurdles to overcome, this is a promising start.

Indigenous people make up 6% of the world’s population but act as stewards for an astonishing 80% of the planet’s biodiversity

Image Credit: Joe from Pixabay

Renewable Energy’s Rise to the Climate Challenge Post-COP28

As always, renewable energy dominates the news cycle as the most recognisable sign that governments and corporations are combatting climate change, especially in the wake of COP28. Energy storage, green hydrogen, and geothermal energy are areas of progress towards reducing emissions across the energy sector.

An IEA report noted that the global renewable energy capacity is now increasing faster that any time in the previous three decades. At this rate, it could well see the world achieve its aim of tripling total renewable capacity by 2030. An astonishing 50% growth in the amount of renewable energy added to energy systems was underpinned by solar PV, which made up three quarters of the additional capacity.

In Europe, with 70% of the worlds’ ocean energy capacity, generating energy from waves and tides is a major source of innovation and growth. The EU intends to support ocean energy farms that will produce 100 megawatts by 2027 and 40 gigawatts by 2050, which is almost 10% of Europe’s power demands. In the UK, Hydrowing is developing a tidal stream energy project in Anglesey, Wales, which will produce 10MW of power. It will use a modular design that could lower costs and make projects commercially viable.

Energy storage is crucial to the growth of renewable energy because it stores power until it is needed. With the concerns about the use of lithium batteries for energy storage, with the associated environmental damage, it is good to see alternatives emerging. One potential technology is aluminium-ion batteries, which are from an abundant resource that is cheaper and also highly recyclable. A German team recently developed a new electrode material that could make the technology viable.

Another sector, green hydrogen, is expected to see significant improvements over 2024 due to its usefulness as an energy carrier. For example, be-cis note that electrolyser technology, which increases efficiency and lowers production costs, will see uptake in a number of sectors, including industry and transportation. One example is a 550 million Euro investment in an Italian plan to help companies substitute fossil fuels and methane with renewable hydrogen.

The UK sees a project to use abandoned coal mines to supply heat and hot water to towns and cities. Following a successful scheme in Gateshead, authorities in the west of England are looking at over 100 mines in the region and investing £1.5m in projects. In the US, a research program suggests that enhanced geothermal systems (EGSs) could be useful for decarbonizing electricity and providing storage for intermittent renewable energy resources.

COP28: 120 Nations Confront Public Health Crises Driven by Climate Change

Health and science were a major topic of discussion at COP28, where 120 countries signed a declaration accepting they understood the impacts of climate change. All recognized that drought, wildfires, storms, heatwaves,

and other extreme events are a serious threat to public health. Although there is still a long way to go, understanding the scale of the problems means we may start to see action.

In the UK, the National Health Service has shown it understands the effects of climate change on health and has set targets for achieving net zero healthcare One important action it intends to take is phasing out desflurane, an anaesthetic with high global warming potential. The organisation will also ensure that suppliers for any contracts of over £5 million per year publish a Carbon Reduction Plan. To support its aim, the NHS has published guidance to make everyone aware of the importance of achieving net zero.

An interesting idea hitting the news is the burden that healthcare places on the climate. While the health sector saves millions of lives across the world, climate change is creating additional health problems and the sector is responsible for 4.3% of global emissions. A Unitaid study assessed ten health product categories to assess their climatic impact. Importantly, the study showed that it would be relatively easy to cut the impacts by 40% without increasing production costs.

In Africa, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention linked an outbreak of Cholera to climate change, arguing that weather conditions increased the risk. Floods across the DRC and other parts of southern Africa limited access to clean water and sanitation, as well as overburdening struggling health systems.

While we know that climate change affects health and leads to an increase in deaths from heatwaves and disease, it is difficult to assess the full scale. Now, using attribution science, Colin Carson, a climate epidemiologist has estimated

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The NHS has shown it understands the effects of climate change on health and has set targets for achieving net zero healthcare

that the cumulative death toll will pass 4 million people in 2024. He believes that governments need to spend far more than the present $143 million of climate adaptation funds allocated to health.

Continuing the theme of the effects of climate on health, one interesting study looked at plagues in the Roman Empire and found that they may have been linked to climate change. Periods of cold, dry weather across the Italian peninsula matched with pandemics. Climate change somehow affected Roman society and created the right conditions for these diseases to spread. Maybe we can learn from history.

Harnessing the Power of Tech: The Global Rally for Climate Change Solutions

With respect to technology, carbon capture and removal is one of the hottest topics at the moment, and a number of potential candidates are emerging. Direct air capture is one area, where chemical processes capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for storage or use in other processes.

In the UK, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) announce it would set up a competitive market for carbon capture by 2035 as part of CCUS Vision. This follows the government’s £20bn investment for CCUS technologies and includes a working group to evaluate potential solutions.

Across the Atlantic, NASA launched the PACE mission, its newest Earthobserving satellite that will provide a wealth of information. PACE, which observes Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem, will monitor particles of pollution and microorganisms in the ocean to gain a better understanding of how humanity is affecting the planet’s physical processes.

Digital twinning, which involves making a virtual copy of physical systems to model how they behave, is growing in importance. The Twinning Capability for the Natural Environment (TWINE) programme, developed by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Met Office, will allocate £2.8 million in funding among five projects. These include modelling coastal ecosystems, ocean models for weather forecasting, and water hazard forecasting.

Californian company AiDash, which

uses satellites and AI to increase the resilience of critical infrastructure to climate-related events, recently acquired new sources of funding. Their Intelligent Vegetation Management System monitors utility infrastructure to improve maintenance and reduce vegetation-related outages.

Suggesting a shift in public opinion, a GlobeScan global survey suggests that most people support the shift towards using technology to deliver solutions to climate change. This is an increase of 15% over the past 12 years and a sign that the public look to science and technology to provide innovation.

One interesting solution that thinks laterally is the idea of breaking down

methane and producing carbon dioxide. Releasing carbon dioxide sounds like a very counterintuitive way to tackle climate change, but there is logic behind the research. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and breaking it down with absorbent zeolite clay into carbon dioxide and water could reduce global warming.

Finally, in Wales, a startup company, Real Ice, is exploring ways to refreeze parts of the Arctic and slow ice loss. The company sends out underwater drones, powered by green hydrogen, to drill holes in the ice. This pulls water to the surface and sprays it where it clears away the snow that insulates ice and prevents it from expanding.

Image Credit: NASA

Steering the Future of Transport with Electric Vehicles and Climate Initiatives

In the transport sector, the US 2024 election cycle will shape developments with climate change and electric vehicles a major battleground. The government recently announced $623m in grants to develop the country’s EV charging network, with at least half a million public chargers promised by 2030. This supports a series of existing programs intended to support clean transportation, including highspeed chargers on major highways and a portfolio of EV and alternative fuel projects.

A Bloomberg report revealed that global investments in electrified transportation exceeded renewable energy last year. Spending rose to $634 billion, an increase of 36 percent, covering the production of electric vehicles, investments in factories and battery technology, and charging infrastructure.

Battery range and lifespan are always concerns for electric vehicles, and

QuantumScape’s solid-state battery could power EVs for 500,000 kilometers with little decline in performance or range. This interesting technology could significantly extend their useful life, reducing the need for new batteries with the associated environmental costs.

Moving to the skies, New Scientist reported a study from Delft University suggesting that airplanes adjusting their altitude could reduce the climate effects of aviation. This adjustment would reduce the production of contrails that account for up to half of emissions from the aircraft. The reduction in contrails should offset the extra emissions from the additional fuel needed.

For maritime transportation, the Red Sea crisis is dominating the news, with attacks on shipping forcing longer routes and the associated rise in greenhouse gas emissions. This is exacerbated by problems with the Panama Canal linked to climate change. On a brighter note, bound4blue, a suction sail developer based in Barcelona, installed a 22-metre eSail on a vessel that will reduce fuel consumption by 10%. Importantly, this

technology can be retrofitted to existing vessels.

Trains are one way in which governments promote low-emission transport and they are attracting investment and innovation. For example, the Hympulso project, a consortium of Spanish companies, has developed a dual-hybrid battery traction system for Talgo’s 250 train. One of the diesel power cars will be replaced by a unit fitted with green hydrogen fuel cells and batteries. This project provides a proof of concept for the technology, which other train manufacturers are exploring.

In the UK, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), the country’s largest train operator, has published a roadmap laying out how it will reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Although the operational fleet is 97% electrical, the operator intends to regenerate energy from braking and electrify the remaining diesel-powered sections of track, deploying battery units where this is not possible.

Erich Westendarp from Pixabay

Rising Seas and Fading Reefs

Given their importance to climate change, the oceans and water promise some interesting developments in 2024. In worrying news, a new study showed the amount of carbon dioxide released from sea beds by bottom trawling. While the environmental damage caused by this destructive fishing method is well known, it also seems to be a source of carbon emissions. Sadly, these seabed sediments would store carbon for millennia if left undisturbed

Another growing problem is heat stress on coral reefs caused by rising global temperatures. The US Coral Reef Watch program found that reefs in the Americas faced unparalleled temperatures last year, which caused severe coral bleaching. The problem is so bad that the program has added three further alert levels to its warning system used by conservationists and scientists to understand the state of coral reefs.

On a more positive note, California has found that sea otters could be the perfect way to slow erosion in salt marshes. Over the past few decades, sea otters recolonised the Elkhorn Slough estuary. Researchers found that erosion in creeks and at the edge of salt marshes fell by an astonishing 90%. Slowing erosion can protect coastlines from rising sea levels because the vegetation provides a barrier. The industrious otters devour the marsh crabs responsible for eating plants showing that, sometimes, nature provides the best solutions.

Moving to technology, zwitterions will grow in importance during 2024 as an exciting new innovation. These ions have the ability to attract many inorganic and organic micropollutants from water. At the MIT Department of Chemical

Engineering, a team investigated how to use zwitterion hydrogels to clean micropollutants from wastewater. Given the threat that micropollutants cause to ecosystems, this technology could be very important for water treatment.

Over in the Galapagos Islands, the Benthic Ecosystem Mapping & Engagement (BEcoME) project has been trying to map the ocean floor with advanced technology. The five-week Project Zombie tested new imaging technology to create acoustic images and maps of the ocean floor. They mapped three hydrothermal vent fields north of the islands, one of which they actually discovered with the technology.

In some good news, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs in

the UK announced a partial ban on bottom trawling in some marine protected areas. Importantly, this includes a total ban on sand eel fishing in the English North Sea, which is great for the puffins and other animals that rely on them for food.

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California has found that sea otters could be the perfect way to slow erosion in salt marshes

MARCENE MITCHELL

INTERVIEW BY DARBY BONNER

Marcene Mitchell, Senior Vice President of Climate Change at WWF, is advancing important climate agendas in the US and globally and building greater synergies across our climate change mitigation and resilience initiatives-with a particular focus on nature-based climate solutions.

Previously serving as the Global Head of Climate Strategy and Business Development at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, Marcene’s expertise has been focused on creating new markets businesses to invest in low-carbon technologies and infrastructure. She’s pioneered work at IFC in resource efficiency for the built environment and established new market transformation programs for developing countries in distributed solar generation, offshore wind, and waste and water management.

What led you to focus on climate change, especially with a focus on nature-based solutions?

Since I was a child, I’ve been passionate about exploring how nations can work together to improve our way of life. This is why I pursued International Development and Finance in school, to learn how vital parts of our economy can be leveraged for the collective good. I truly believe that we’re all in this together. And once I got started in my

career, it quickly became apparent that there is nowhere these intersections are more important than in the fight against climate change.

And now as a parent, I see this as an intergenerational responsibility. We owe it to our children and their children to invest today in technologies such as renewable energy that will have positive effects way beyond our own lifetimes.

When I served as the Global Head of Climate Strategy and Business Development at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), I applied the expertise I’d gained in energy and finance to create new markets for low-carbon technologies and infrastructure. I also had the opportunity to pioneer some truly incredible work in resource efficiency for the built

environment (green buildings) and in distributed solar generation, offshore wind, and waste and water management.

I have also been an active part of Green Bank initiatives in the US, which scales climate finance by leveraging public sector funds with private investment.

And now as Senior Vice President of Climate Change at WWF, I lead a multi-faceted team to advance WWF’s climate agenda in the US and globally. We focus on the intersection of conservation and climate change. The growing recognition of the interlinkages between the climate and biodiversity crises has triggered unprecedented interest in nature-based solutions, which use the services of nature such as

carbon sequestration and heat reduction from our trees, water filtration from our wetlands, storm protection from mangroves, to improve our safety and livelihoods. We know that if the world is to meet its climate, biodiversity, and land degradation targets, investment in nature-based solutions must at least triple in real terms by 2030 and increase fourfold by 2050.

Additionally, businesses have started to realize their dependencies on a stable climate and a healthy supply of natural resources to secure future commodity supplies and social license to operate. As more and more companies step forward with commitments toward net zero carbon emissions, there is growing demand for investment-ready Naturebased Solutions portfolios that lower deforestation and land conversion, improve natural resource management, and support landscape restoration.

Women have played significant roles in environmental movements throughout history. How do you see the role of women evolving in the current global efforts to address climate

change, and what unique perspectives or contributions do you think women bring to the table?

If we want our climate action to reach aall of society it must engage all of society As it stands, women are underrepresented in the top levels of environmental decision-making. And given the evidence that women in power pass more stringent climate policies, this cannot continue if we’re to meet our climate goals.

In many parts of the developing world, women of all ages play a critical role in managing natural resources, which they rely on for food, water, medicine, and fuel wood for their families—but are often excluded from participating in decisions about resource use. WWF is addressing this issue by helping women in developing countries play a bigger role in discussions and decision-making related to conservation and climate adaptation in their families and communities. Doing so helps ensure that the voices, skills, and knowledge of women make an impact on the challenges that confront them.

Research from the CARE-WWF Alliance shows that empowering women

can reduce environmental damage, especially when women are engaged in natural resource management and conservation leadership positions. The research also found that nations with higher levels of gender inequality tend to have lower environmental well-being and vice versa.

Simply put, empowering women and girls IS a climate solution.

In a report from Project Drawdown, empowering women and girls in developing countries ranked second among 76 solutions for curbing global warming to 2 degrees Celsius. Because of their unique intersectional experiences with climate and being disproportionately impacted by it globally, they bring a critical perspective. So, we need the leadership and representation of women if we are to solve the climate and biodiversity crisis.

WWF has been actively involved in nature-based climate solutions. Can you highlight some successful projects or initiatives led by women that exemplify the positive impact of integrating nature-based solutions into climate change strategies?

Peru

Verónica and Maria Cardozo –Sisters living in the province of Tahuamanu in Madre de Dios who are working with WWF-Peru to incorporate regenerative cattle ranching methodology into their family ranches.

Brazil

WWF, International Paper, and HP are working together to restore 250 acres of forestland in the Mogi Guaçu River basin. In the region, WWF partners with Copaíba - a forest restoration organization in Brazil - and works with restoration coordinator Mayra Flores to support local landowners in their restoration efforts.

Australia

WWF partners with Bangalow Koalas - run by Australian of the Year, Linda Sparrow - to restore landscapes in northern New South Wales to reconnect fragmented koala habitat.

Continued on page 14

Your work involves advancing a climate agenda both in the U.S. and globally. In your experience, have you observed any notable differences in the way women engage with and contribute to climate initiatives in different regions?

There’s no innate difference in how women in different regions are reacting; it’s that different regions have different needs. The climate impacts and kind of climate engagement we need are unique to every region.

But interestingly, we’re learning that even though different regions experience different impacts, what the world wants in terms of climate action is remarkably similar.

A recent study by Potential Climate, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, and the Meliore Foundation found there was significant support for immediate government action on climate change in every country they surveyed, with the “later is too late” narrative leading the way.

77% of people agreed with the statement, “It is essential that our government does whatever it takes to limit the effects of climate change.”

Background: This was one of the broadest and most comprehensive global message testing studies conducted on climate change, polling nearly 60,000 people across 23 countries — which collectively account for 70% of the world’s population.

What strategies or initiatives do you think are effective in promoting greater female involvement in environmental conservation and climate change mitigation efforts?

Programs that increase women’s confidence and agency in climate efforts

have proven to pay dividends. For example, Hariyo Ban, a CARE-WWF Alliance program in Nepal funded by USAID, worked with women and other marginalized groups from 2011-2021 to play leading roles in sustainable forest and watershed management.

One portion of the program supported women and underrepresented people’s empowerment through Community Learning and Action Centers. Around 1,500 people—96% of them women and girls—participated in forum-style meetings where they discussed their experiences and challenges related to relationships, personal rights, livelihoods, community development, forests, and climate change impacts. Through these conversations, participants developed the knowledge, skills, and self-confidence to claim their rights to participate in community-level natural resource management decisionmaking and access their share of resilient livelihood benefits from forests

and watersheds.

The program also provided training for key male members of these groups in women’s leadership development and gender sensitivity, which increased men’s support for women in communitybased natural resource management initiatives and leadership positions. In the community institutions supported in phase two of the program, leadership positions filled by a member of a group that faced barriers, such as women, increased to 87%, up 15% from the baseline. In turn, empowered women and vulnerable groups took action in their communities to adapt to the climate crisis and improve local forest management in ways that also enhanced their livelihoods.

Many women went on to lead green enterprises and some were elected as rural municipality officials.

Through Community Learning and Action Center dialogues and other

interventions facilitated by the Hariyo Ban program, over 20,000 climatevulnerable people were trained in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Subsequent communityled adaptation plans resulted in support for around 480 drinking water systems, saving many women time and labour previously spent fetching water, and over 180 irrigation systems, which increased food production through improved and climate-resilient home gardening or commercial farming.

How can organizations and policymakers create an inclusive environment that empowers and supports women in leadership roles within the climate change sector?

They can incorporate an infrastructure that prioritizes diverse viewpoints, participation, and leadership. This is as much about culture change as it is anything else.

Just as in the Hariyo Ban example, it’s imperative that the male counterparts of women in climate leadership receive education on why women’s involvement in this space is critical and how to support them.

This isn’t altruistic; this is just good business sense.

Multiple studies have shown that diverse organizations make more well-grounded decisions and are more profitable. And the part of this formula that is particularly important to me is getting more women of colour in climate leadership positions for all of the reasons

we’ve already touched upon.

As a leader in the field, what advice do you have for young women aspiring to make a difference in climate action and environmental conservation?

First, there are so many ways to incorporate climate and conservation into any career you choose. We need climate-savvy women in government, from local planning boards to national heads of agencies. We need climate warriors in business – from heads of sustainability to front-line workers who incorporate energy efficiency in their jobs. We need climate activists, university professors, and moms who want clean air and a better future for their children. Anything you can imagine for yourself, you can do it with a climate lens that will make a difference.

Second, you can make a difference in your personal life – how you get around, how you cook, heat and cool your house, how you eat and what you buy. More importantly, how you vote, how you influence the companies you work for, and the demands you make for systemic changes in how we produce energy and care for our land and oceans.

Finally, don’t lose hope. Look around you, and you’ll see that women everywhere are fighting to address the impacts of climate change. You are not alone!

We’ve already come so much further than we give ourselves credit for, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon. We have most of the solutions and

technologies we need to be successful, and thanks to the action we’ve already taken, we’ve avoided some of the worst-case climate scenarios we were faced with in the last few years. We’ve also seen an increase in supportive policy around the world, prioritising electrification, renewables, emissions reduction, and more.

We just need the political and social will to transition faster off of fossil fuels and change the way we produce energy, transport people and products, grow food, and build our infrastructure. I’m not losing hope, and you shouldn’t, either. Opponents of climate action would love to keep us separate and silent, so what’s key is raising our voices and creating community with others who want to see the same climate action as we do.

So tell the fossil fuel companies and other major polluters that we’re not buying it anymore. Write to your representatives and tell them to cut the subsidies and increase transparency. Talk to your friends and neighbours and tell them that we can and must transition away from fossil fuels. Pursue leadership opportunities in your community, at your school, faith institution, work— Be fearless and be loud.

You’re more powerful than you know, and together—we’re unstoppable.

INTERVIEW BY MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH

Women Fighting Air Pollution: An Interview with Gabriele Jesson

Recently, air pollution entered the public consciousness and people are becoming alert to the damage it causes to health and society. Raising awareness required dedicated campaigners working hard to push the issue onto the front pages. One of these, Gabriele Jesson, gathered an impressive group of women with the aim of working together to ignite change. Here, Gabriele tells us about her Women in Air Quality leadership group and her passion for clean air.

What made you so passionate about air pollution?

To be honest, the impact of polluted air wasn’t really part of my understanding until I began working with Paul Finch and Rayan Jawad. They are co-founders of Growth Studio, who launched the Breathable Cities accelerator programme.

Now, 12 months later, I am committed to raising awareness about the devastating consequences of air pollution. If you begin to explore the facts, it’s a rabbit hole you can’t walk away from. The data is impossible to ignore - every year, air pollution causes over 36,000 deaths in the UK and millions worldwide

I have worked with startups in sustainability for the past few years, as a growth marketing and PR advisor but also as a coach. It’s a refreshing change after 20 years implementing campaigns for global brands like Nike and Coca Cola. I now work closely with company founders and see the immediate results of my input.

My singular focus is to do whatever I can to help planet-friendly businesses thrive. Innovators tackling air pollution are challenged by multiple forces, including lack of visibility and specific funding because, for some odd reason, air pollution rarely figures in the current clamour for climate tech innovation by investors. There is inertia and a disconnected approach amongst leaders and government departments who could catapult change.

Air pollution is a silent and invisible assassin that affects every stage of life, from womb to old age. It contributes to some of the worst health outcomes, including stunted growth in children, cancer, lung disease, heart disease, mental health and cognitive issues, and dementia. Almost every day, new evidence emerges about the global health impacts.

I started speaking to family members and heard their own experiences about the air they breathed in polluted cities and the health impacts. My mum lived in busy cities throughout her childhood and 20s - and now suffers from

respiratory difficulties that impact her quality of life.

So, if I can spend energy communicating these truths, bringing together innovation, investment and government, and helping clean air innovators create solutions, I can make a difference.

Why is urban air quality such a problem?

Urban air pollution affects the disadvantaged people least able to effect change or drive awareness. For people living in densely occupied environments close to busy roads, the air they breathe exacts devastating consequences. And, of course, it isn’t just outdoor air pollution from vehicular emissions or wood burning stoves. It’s indoor air pollution such as mould, lack of ventilated fresh air, dampness, and even toxic fumes from cleaning materials.

What is the Breathable Cities programme?

Breathable Cities designs accelerator

programmes to create better investment outcomes for planet-friendly startups. Supported by Impact on Urban Health, the programme seeks diverse startups improving air quality in urban neighbourhoods.

It helps early-stage businesses implement clean air solutions with greater speed and increased success. Following the successful graduation of 11 UK startups last year, Growth Studio is building a bigger programme for 2024.

You set up the Women in Air Quality leadership group.

Could you tell us about it?

It’s something I’m really excited about but couldn’t have done this without the support of Paul and Rayan - they helped shape the group from the idea stage.

We gradually realised the unusual number of female voices fighting air pollution, and not just in business and innovation. Our Breathable Cities

founders and startup teams were 45% women, while academics, government teams, entrepreneurs, investors, and campaigns are overwhelmingly female. By marking this factual statistic and bringing the varied voices together, we could do something powerful and effective.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why so many women represent this sector. Of course, campaigners like Mums for Lungs and Rosamund Kissi Debrah are mothers with children deeply affected by poor air quality. Rosamund’s daughter, Ella, sadly died from an asthma attack related to air pollution.

I am presently setting goals for 2024 and hope that, after publishing this initial Women in Air Quality leadership list, we bring everyone together with some agreed objectives for real change. Ultimately, we are on a mission to eradicate air pollution: this is our unified rallying call.

Looking at the issue of cleaner air, solutions will benefit from combined perspectives including revealing truth to power, innovation, and changing policy. Perhaps, women lean in well when there is this intersection of needs. But honestly, I really don’t know - I am just glad there is such diversity!

Finally, I would love to highlight the 2023 Cohort of Breathable Cities startups. This inspiring group of people are now on a journey to make changes.

Ultimately, we are on a mission to eradicate air pollution: this is our unified rallying call

INTERVIEW BY NATASHA POSNETT

Project Seagrass: Leanne CullenUnsworth

Leanne Cullen-Unsworth has spent her career working to protect and restore seagrass meadows. As CEO and charity co-founder of Project Seagrass, she has been a crucial team member, fighting for change and looking ahead at what more can be done to ensure this vital ecosystem continues to thrive in the future.

Saving The World’s Seagrass

Project Seagrass is an environmental charity dedicated to advancing seagrass conservation through education, influence, research and action. Leanne has been involved since 2014, when she formally joined as one of the first directors. She was also an original trustee when they achieved charitable incorporated organisation status in 2015.

Leanne told me how she first became interested in seagrass and why she felt it was so important to focus her work on it:

“I first connected with seagrass accidentally, back in the early 2000s, researching marine resource use patterns in Indonesia for my PhD. I had no idea before then that seagrass was relied upon by so many people and that it sustained life and lifestyles to such an extent. Everywhere there is seagrass, people depend on it for food, subsistence or cultural fulfilment. It delivers human and planetary wellbeing across its range in many different ways. And that is why I was inspired to join the Project Seagrass team and to use my skills and knowledge to support a future where seagrass thrives in harmony with people.”

Seagrass And Our Fight Against Climate Change

Climate, communities and wildlife rely on seagrass for their wellbeing. Its benefits are far-reaching, and it acts as a natural solution for both the climate and biodiversity crises. Seagrass is a wonderful nature-based solution to focus on as it addresses our climate and biodiversity issues while supporting both people and the planet.

“With Seagrass, we have a huge opportunity to drive change. Here is a habitat that has suffered extensive loss across its range over the past century. So, this is where we can put something back to help nature.”

Seagrass soaks up and stores carbon in its tissue and beneath the sediment. It is a natural carbon sink and plays a vital role in our fight against climate change. However, not all seagrasses are equal— their environment, structure and health impact their capacity to provide an effective carbon sink.

”The data on carbon sequestration and storage values is emerging for different types of meadows in different contexts. We know seagrass has huge potential under the right circumstances. Seagrass unquestionably supports very

high biodiversity, and healthy seagrass meadows can support the current fight against both the climate and biodiversity crises. It also provides nutrient cycling and natural coastal supportstrengthening coastlines and providing a buffer against some storms and climaterelated sea level rise.”

Sadly, degradation and loss continue globally. The goal is an overall net gain in terms of extent and improved health of seagrass systems.

“We’re improving our methods of restoration all the time, and there is a lot of solid science happening at the moment that will facilitate the restoration we need at scale, which is fantastic and absolutely essential. We also still have some stunning, dense, healthy meadows teeming with life, supporting incredible biodiversity and providing that carbon storage function if undisturbed. We must do more to protect these existing and healthy systems while bringing back more of what has been lost.”

Team Work

Climate change cannot be tackled in isolation. The greatest success will be seen if ideas are pooled and people combine their knowledge and work.

“Collaboration is key for us. In terms of conservation, we all win, or we all lose together, and Project Seagrass remains an open, collaborative and sharing organisation.”

Project Seagrass has also developed a citizen science app, SeagrassSpotter, which can be used by anyone. The application is used to map and monitor seagrass across its range. It is currently available in nine different languages and active in 106 countries, with 7272 sightings recorded (as of today). They have also had over 3000 volunteers, published over 80 scientific publications and planted 2,000,000 seagrass seeds.

What is Next?

Project Seagrass has seen great success over the last ten years. More and more people are learning about seagrass and its importance, and general awareness has grown enormously since Project Seagrass was first founded. Leanne’s passion for her work shines through, and there is no doubt that Project Seagrass will continue to achieve great things.

“We will continue to develop, share and deliver restoration science and action. We will keep working on the science that is needed to improve methods, on the education and outreach that is needed to bring people on this journey with us, on the advocacy that’s needed to allow us to scale up, and on the collaborations across sectors that are so important to achieve all of this by sharing knowledge and pooling resources for that net gain.”

Leanne explained that their biggest challenge will be maintaining their momentum and staying in the public eye.

“We need to keep the momentum going. We have started something and got people’s attention; the world seems to be

listening, so now is the time for us to work even harder at sharing our message on the importance of nature for humanity and why we need to do more to protect and repair our beautiful world. Seagrass, for me, is an ideal example of a habitat that we can use to demonstrate human-nature compatibility because we’re not something separate from nature; we are a part of it.”

INTERVIEW BY NATASHA POSNETT

On a Mission to Make a Difference: Sophia Kianni

Climate activist, Founder of Climate Cardinals, the youngest UN advisor, listed in the BBC’s 100 Women and Forbes 30 under 30: Sophia Kianni has quite the bio! As a storyteller who has spoken across the globe, she is using her voice to lead the way in the fight against climate change.

Where It All Began

Sophia, an Iranian-American, was in middle school when she witnessed the disastrous impact climate change was having on Iran. However, she quickly came to the scary realisation that people across many parts of the globe, Iran included, were not getting access to the latest climate news, statistics and reports and were being left in the dark about matters that were happening in their own countries, impacting their daily lives and futures.

“With widespread droughts and heat waves - I was shocked to find my relatives were unaware of the rapid and alarming global warming impacting the Middle East, where temperatures are rising more than twice the global average. Determined to educate my family, I translated climate science articles into Farsi.”

This was a global issue that Sophia had witnessed from her family and other climate education organisations she was volunteering with at the time. There was a shocking lack of translation programs for climate change information and she wanted to make sure that it was addressed.

“So, I founded Climate Cardinals - the first organization working to make climate education more accessible to people who don’t speak English.”

Climate Cardinals

Climate Cardinals is an international

youth-led nonprofit working to make the climate movement more accessible to those who don’t speak English. They are working to educate and empower people to tackle the climate crisis.

“As the founder of Climate Cardinals, I have demonstrated a deep commitment to making environmental education more accessible to people around the world to catalyse climate action. Now that we have grown, our mission has evolved beyond translations, and we now envision a world where everyone can become a Climate Cardinalmessengers sounding the alarm on our world’s greatest threat.”

Some of Sophia’s most notable partnerships have included: working with the UNEP to translate their Youth #ForNature initiative into dozens of languages, creating the most widely distributed petition on planetary health; partnering with the Italian Government to translate the COP26 Youth4Climate manifesto into the UN Languages; collaborating with UNICEF to translate their Children’s Climate Risk Index Report into multiple Indigenous and African Languages.

Global Achievements

13,000+ people across 80 countries, operated by full-time and part-time staff of 15 directors and 100 team members. We partnered with Google to employ their new AI and machine learningassisted translation tools to translate over 500,000 words of essential climate resources into 40+ languages for partners like the Yale Center for Climate Communications and United Nations Environmental Programme.”

Sophia spoke about her role as the executive director and her plans for the coming year:

“As Executive Director, I have fundraised grants from groups like Twitter, Loreal, and National Geographic and expanded our capacity to translate 1.5 million words of crucial climate resources into 100+ languages. We are using our new funding to hire full-time staff, including our chief operator, and

“

Sophia’s work speaks for itself. The great effort that she had put into helping people across the globe is incredible. It was wonderful to hear the statistics to truly put it in to perspective!

“In the last 4 years, Climate Cardinals has grown to a volunteer base of

With widespread droughts and heat waves- I was shocked to find my relatives were unaware of the rapid and alarming global warming impacting the middle east

will be launching our ambassador program with an NGO partner and our chapter program with a technology partner, all this year.”

On top fo all of her work for Climate Cardinals, Sophia’s has also spent her time working as a UN advisor. At 18, Sophia was appointed by the head of the United Nations to represent the US as the youngest member of the inaugural UN Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change. She served for over 2 years in this role, where she attended meetings with senior UN officers and country ambassadors to exchange ideas on how the UN could drive global climate ambition and action. She also worked with the UN Foundation to host a US consultation to establish key environmental priorities that American youth wanted to communicate to educate the nation on the urgency of the climate crisis. Following this, she was appointed by the United Nations-Association as their first Advisor.

“In my role as Advisor, I provide strategic guidance and organize, promote, and host events and consultations to educate the public about the SDGs and the role they can play through UNA-USA.”

Sophia Kianni has contributed a lot to the fight against climate change. What started as Sophia wanting to help and educate her family has ended up with her educating thousands of people around the world.

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INTERVIEW BY MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH

From Oman to the South Pole: Empowering Women with Rumaitha Al Busaidi

Rumaitha Al Busaidi has dedicated her career to protecting the environment and tackling climate change. An inspirational leader with a deserved place on the BBC Top 100 Women list, she shared her thoughts on how empowering women makes a real difference.

Could you tell us about your journey?

My journey is rooted in a profound commitment to environmental stewardship and belief in the power of science and education to drive positive change. Born in Oman, I was captivated by its stunning natural diversity and cultural heritage. This passion led me to pursue an education that spanned continents, from the University of Utrecht and Sultan Qaboos University to prestigious institutions like Harvard and Oxford.

My academic journey, covering environmental science, aquaculture, and public administration, inspired a career dedicated to confronting urgent environmental challenges. My work transcends traditional boundaries, encompassing roles in government advisory, non-profit leadership, and international advocacy, and fostering sustainable development and environmental conservation.

Why are you so passionate about climate change?

The urgency of the climate crisis and its widespread impact across ecosystems and communities ignited my

passion for environmental advocacy. Witnessing the detrimental effects on biodiversity, water scarcity, and livelihoods in Oman and beyond, I felt a deep responsibility. These experiences, especially the recent cyclones in Oman, were a catalyst. Climate change isn’t a distant threat; it’s a present reality affecting millions of people, particularly in vulnerable regions. Addressing climate change preserves the environment while ensuring social justice, economic resilience, and a sustainable future for all.

Why is empowering women important?

Women play a crucial role as primary caregivers and community organizers, which positions them to effect change. However, despite their pivotal role, women face barriers that limit their participation in decision-making, especially environmental governance and climate action. Empowering women taps into a wellspring of innovation, resilience, and leadership necessary for crafting effective and inclusive climate solutions. Entire communities benefit from their insights, creativity, and leadership, leading to sustainable and equitable outcomes when fighting climate change.

How did you advise the US government on linking foreign aid to empowering women?

In this role, I championed gender equity, advocating a policy framework that recognizes the interconnection between empowering women and enhancing climate resilience. We developed standards that ensured projects withstand climate impacts while advancing women’s rights and participation. The premise is straightforward yet powerful: climateresilient communities leverage the strengths and leadership of women. Embedding these principles into foreign aid fosters a climate approach that addresses environmental and social vulnerabilities, leading to sustainable development models.

Could you describe your work with the Environment Society of Oman and the country’s transition to green hydrogen?

My involvement reflects a dual commitment to preserving Oman’s natural heritage and spearheading its

transition to sustainable energy. The Environment Society of Oman’s work spans from conservation projects protecting endangered species and ecosystems to educational programs that foster environmental awareness with dedicated programs targeting women, education and capacity building.

Regarding green hydrogen, I promote this clean energy as a cornerstone of Oman’s energy diversification. It represents a groundbreaking opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint, create economic opportunities, and lead the global shift towards renewable energy. Oman’s abundant solar and wind resources can underpin a sustainable, competitive green hydrogen sector that contributes to global decarbonization.

Your trek to the South Pole was a great achievement. What inspired you?

The expedition was inspired by a desire to push my limits and highlight the stark realities of climate change in one of Earth’s final frontiers. I also bet my grandfather that women were capable of venturing into a 56-day expedition, breaking gender stereotypes. This journey was more than a physical challenge; it was a symbolic act to highlight the vulnerability of polar regions to climate change and the implications of melting ice caps. By undertaking this trek, I raised awareness about the urgent need for concerted global efforts to combat climate change, emphasizing that even the remote corners of our planet are not immune. Indirectly, it served as an example for my countrywomen that the sky’s the limit for their aspirations.

What is your environmental message to other women?

My message is one of empowerment and encouragement. The fight against climate change needs your voices, your ideas, and your leadership. Do not underestimate the impact you can have, whether through advocacy, education, innovation, or policy. Embrace your unique perspectives and experiences, and leverage any platforms available to enact change. Whether it’s through

scientific research, community organizing, policy advocacy, or entrepreneurship, every contribution matters. Remember, empowering women is more than addressing gender equity; it’s about harnessing the collective power and wisdom of humanity to safeguard our planet.

Your journey may be fraught with challenges, but it’s also filled with the potential for significant impact. Stand firm in your convictions, seek mentors and allies, and never underestimate the ripple effect of your actions. Together, we can drive a transformative shift towards a more sustainable and equitable world. Your passion, resilience, and dedication can unlock the solutions we need to combat climate change. Let’s make history, by what we achieve individually and by how we inspire others.

“

Empowering women taps into a wellspring of innovation, resilience, and leadership necessary for crafting effective and inclusive climate solutions.

INTERVIEW BY MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH

Energy Recovery Technology: An Interview with Ping Zuo

As the sales director for Energy Recovery’s water division, Ping Zuo draws upon her wealth of experience in the water industry to promote products that help the environment. Working across China, Taiwan, and South Korea, she is particularly passionate about energy-saving technology for desalination and reusing wastewater.

A Background in Water

Ping joined Energy Recovery’s sales team 18 years ago, after working with a water technology manufacturer. Her familiarity with water treatment became useful when China announced a package of environmental policies. As Ping notes:

“This is a prominent issue in China. Our government enacted strong environmental policies, especially around wastewater discharge, so there is great motivation among our customers to conform to these policies and reduce their emissions and wastewater discharge.”

The regulations created new areas for promoting the environmental benefits of technology that increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption. She adds:

“So, when the Chinese government announced strong policies for reducing carbon emissions, our China sales team quickly adapted to the new opportunities, such as wastewater treatment for lithium-ion battery and textile production. Clean water and reducing carbon emissions are major priorities for the government and core to Energy Recovery’s mission.”

Ping used the company’s relationships

across China’s water industry to show customers how to adopt energy recovery technology and play a role in addressing climate change.

The Wastewater Industry and Climate Change

Working in the industry means that Ping is fully aware of the environmental benefits of reducing wastewater discharge. She points out that it is essential for companies wanting to comply with stringent new regulations:

“Preserving our water supply is a major priority for the government, which strongly enforces minimal liquid discharge (MLD) and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) policies, so this is a motivating factor for many industries. By incorporating effective wastewater treatment processes into manufacturing, our customers can significantly minimize or even eliminate wastewater discharge into the environment, which is a huge net positive for the community.”

Recycling clean water back into manufacturing processes reduces water intake, and Ping’s team also helps make water treatment more energy efficient, reducing costs and lowering emissions. The new regulations are creating rapid

growth in the wastewater sector, making energy efficiency more important for balancing the need to preserve clean water with climate change. Energy efficiency technology allows economies to grow while minimizing carbon emissions.

Creating Win-Win Situations

The regulations in China have been very effective at getting end users to treat wastewater and reduce emissions. Ping believes that it is important to work with partners and reinforce the importance of meeting environmental targets. For example, Energy Recovery’s core product, the PX® Pressure Exchanger ®, promises significant energy recovery during the desalination process. Her team laid out the environmental benefits of the technology to partners and showed how to incorporate it into systems:

“Plant designers, engineers, and consultants are very influential in this industry, and if you have a good relationship and can demonstrate the

value of the product, they will keep working with you on new projects going forward.”

This approach ensures that customers understand why the environment is important. They learn how they can use technology to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions while treating wastewater effectively.

“It’s a win-win for them from both a business and environmental perspective. It’s all about getting companies to recognize that sustainability comes with many benefits for the environment, the community, and business.”

Ping’s team is working to make the technology more effective and persuading more sectors to incorporate energy-efficient reverse osmosis wastewater treatment into operations.

Women and the Environment

Like many of the growing number of women bringing environmental change, Ping isn’t standing still and continues to explore new environmentally-friendly technologies. She has some valuable advice for other women seeking to build a career somewhere where they can have a positive effect on the environment:

“It’s really important to study and learn as much as you can about technology, sales strategies, customers – everything. In any career path, it’s important to build up your experience, but especially in sales. I have worked with a lot of very different end users to make their operations more sustainable, from water producers to mines to consumer goods like textiles, and I’ve worked on many parts of the water treatment process, so it has been very helpful for me to know the product and the customer very well.”

“You also need to learn not to be afraid of failure or let it stop you from innovating. You won’t have success in everything you try, but if you don’t try then you won’t find out where the opportunities are. When I joined this company 18 years ago, no one really knew how much opportunity there would be in this market or had any idea that it would grow to the size it has. But year after year, I have learned and tried to identify and explore new markets, and over time we’ve seen a lot of growth. So, my advice for women would be to do your homework, so that you are prepared to seize opportunities when they arise.”

Plant designers, engineers, and consultants are very influential in this industry, and if you have a good relationship and can demonstrate the value of the product, they will keep working with you on new projects going forward.

Championing Equity & Empowerment in Ocean Science

An Interview with CGN writer Darby Bonner and Madeline St Clair, Founder of Women in Ocean Science

Image Credit: Elise Gibbins

Madeline is a tropical marine biologist, wildlife filmmaker and founder of Women in Ocean Science. Her work is multidisciplinary, looking at both people and the planet - and how these things intersect. One of the things she is hugely passionate about is creating spaces for women to conserve the ocean, which is how her NGO Women in Ocean Science - now a charity! - was formed. She said that it’s been so incredible to see how what started as a concept that was born in the field during her Master’s degree at 21, has spiralled into the most incredible global community!

The "Leaky Pipeline" and Advancing Women in Ocean Science

The "leaky pipeline" refers to the loss of women at various career stages within ocean science, particularly as they progress to higher levels - AKA female representation decreasing with seniority. The leaks in the pipeline are driven largely by the challenges faced by women - structural gender biases, limited mentorship opportunities, unequal access to resources - and they perpetuate power differentials between men and women, creating further issues. These factors contribute to a significant drop in the number of women in senior positions.

Closing this leaky pipeline will require creating a supportive ecosystem that addresses these challenges and I’d like to see: Opportunity equity. If we really want to close the gender gap in ocean sciences, we have to consider the distinction between equality and equity. While gender equality looks at fair treatment and equal outcomes, gender equity focuses on levelling the playing field, and compensating for the historical

and social disadvantages. Mandatory sexual harassment policies and reporting for academic institutions, research institutes and field projects. Sexual harassment and assault are absolutely rife within the industry (from the Women in Ocean Science survey in 2021, 78% of women experience sexual harassment in the workplace and learning environments) and getting real-world repercussions in place for violators will be a huge step toward creating a safer space for women.

Underrepresentation of Women in Senior Positions Within Ocean Science

There are many reasons why there is an underrepresentation of women in senior positions, but there is one close to my heart that I would like to mention here; motherhood. It’s a pretty strange thing to look upwards and not see many people that look like you there. When I was at university, I rather subconsciously accepted that most of those in senior positions were male. It wasn’t until I left university and started working in marine science that I started to wonder how this would affect me in my subsequent career.

Because I am quite unashamedly a woman who wants to have it all. I want children, I want a family and I want an ambitious career. I have spent the better part of my twenties with colleagues, seniors, and partners telling me that the thought of “having it all” is a complete and utter farce. The working world we know today was built around the premise that a man had 8 hours, 5 days a week to work, supported by a wife who stayed home to cook, clean and rear children. To be a mother within the current system carries significant career penalties. And though things are moving in the right direction, we still don’t support women enough who take time out of their careers.

We need a concerted effort to address how we can better create a work culture that includes women and families. I’d like to see more maternity

and postnatal parental leave, targeted support for women re-entering the workspace after having children, creating a workweek designed to support women - and dismantling the narrative that women have to choose between being a mother and having a career.

Empower Ocean: Supporting Women from Local Communities

This is probably the thing I have been most proud of at Women in Ocean Science. Empower Ocean creates opportunities for local women to become ocean guardians in the IndoPacific. Gender equity and ocean health are intrinsically linked. We know that women are disproportionately predisposed to suffer the impacts of climate and environmental disasters, despite being cited as key agents of change for our oceans and studies prove time and time again their ability to nurture a culture of marine stewardship.

Within many small island and coastal communities, women are less likely to engage in ocean-based industries (conservation, science, diving, fishing, ecotourism), facing cultural barriers and gender norms that prevent them from having the same level of ocean access and engagement as men. This is why equity of opportunity is so important - creating space for women to have a seat at the table in conserving the ocean. So, a couple of years ago, myself and the team at Women in Ocean Science began developing a female empowerment and capacitybuilding programme called Empower Ocean, to facilitate opportunities for local women to be actively involved as guardians of their own marine environment. For the past year and a half, we have been piloting the initiative within Raja Ampat (Indonesia) and Fuvahmulah Island (Maldives), in collaboration with local stakeholders. We conduct research on gender barriers to female ocean access, provide ocean literacy, marine conservation, and dive training programmes for local women and use

storytelling to increase the visibility of female role models within their communities.

The past year of our project has been absolutely incredible; we have just finished the first stage of training in both Raja Ampat and Maldives, qualifying 8 women and also having incredible opportunities to engage the communities, including taking over 30 women - girls, mothers and community elders! - snorkelling with mantas. (Several of whom had never seen a manta before, despite living within 100 metres from some of Raja Ampat’s most famous manta ray sites!)

Growing up in the UK, I was afforded the opportunity to engage in marine science and conservation. I believe in paying it forward - and it’s important to me to create the same opportunities I’ve had as a woman for others.

How does it feel to empower others to explore and conserve our oceans?

I listened to Daughter’s For Earth’s Zainab Salbi speak at an event last year, and she said something along the lines of: women don’t need to be empowered, they’re already so powerful - but rather need to be given

the opportunity to access their power from within.

This really stuck with me, because when I trained the first woman from the local community in Raja Ampat, Selviana Mambrasar, it felt like exactly that. Selvie was a brilliant diver straight off the bat. Talented, passionate - and the most natural diver in the water. She’d spent 19 years swimming and snorkelling in the water around her home. And seeing her dive - excited, curious. That was a really beautiful moment. It was very emotional. I cried a lot underwater that day.

Since then, I’ve watched her evolve into an incredible champion for her island and home reef. From that first moment she saw a manta underwater, to now restoring her local reef. Seeing other young women and girls within her community look upwards and seeing her doing this kind of work. And watching her grow into a dive professional, now assisting more women from her community to learn to dive. That’s powerful stuff. Representation really matters and I have no doubt that she will absolutely be a catalyst for change for women within the region. It’s very moving, because the passion, curiosity and desire to learn was there all along really. Women already come with wings. Now we just have to make sure

everybody gets the opportunity to fly.

Male Allyship and Inclusive Leadership

I always say to my friends and colleagues that my “brand” of feminism includes men. I believe in equality - and I want to see women, non-binary people and men at the top supporting each other. A couple of years ago I asked a woman on a gender equity panel about the role of male allyship in creating an inclusive space and she very quickly shot me down with a response about “not needing anything from men”. It felt reminiscent of an old-school female-only feminism that is exclusive, divisive and isn’t what we need to create a space for all.

Allyship involves actively supporting and advocating for equality for a marginalised group, without actually being a member of it. When you hold that position of power - which in the case of gender would be identifying as a man - you can contribute to dismantling existing biases, promoting inclusive policies, and creating a workplace culture that values diverse perspectives. That’s being an ally. It’s about calling it out when you see it. It’s about lifting women and non-binary people up. One of the biggest reasons people don’t take action is because

Image Credit: Elise Gibbins

Image Credit: Elise Gibbins

Image Credit: Elise Gibbins

they’re concerned they’ll get it wrong - and this is what we need to work on.

Male allyship can look like mentorship, calling out unacceptable behaviours or amplifying women. To the male allies who, to this day, shout my name in a roomful of opportunities, mentor me, amplify my voice and my research and who fiercely backed me in times of adversity - I see you, and I am grateful. If you have privilege, use your influence to create a positive space for others.

Advice for Aspiring Women in Ocean Science

It’s hard to offer advice without sounding cliche, but here goes; Be resilient, seek mentorship and actively engage with a community that

supports your journey. People in your corner are powerful - find people who you champion and who champion you. Be an ally to others, don’t take sh!t from people and call it out when you see it. Every time. Not just when it’s comfortable or “the right time”. As women, the world finds a way to tell us every day that we need to be more or less. So, most importantly of all, believe in yourself. (And yes, everyone really does have imposter syndrome).

Carving out a space for yourself in a discipline that has historically pushed women out is not always easy.

So never apologise for your ambition. Shout about your achievements. Stay curious.

empowerocean.org @empower_ocean

womeninoceanscience.com @womeninoceanscience madsocean.com @mads_ocean

WOMEN OCEAN SCIENCE

Image Credit: Elise Gibbins

Change Women Driving Change

A DISCUSSION WITH MAMTA BORGOYARY AND NATALIE SIFUMA FROM SHE CHANGES CLIMATE

Mamta is a seasoned economist with over 25 years of expertise in the intersection of gender and climate change. She has spearheaded teams pioneering initiatives aimed at bolstering resilience among women and ensuring safety and security for women and children in vulnerable communities. Currently serving as Executive Director at SHE Changes Climate, Mamta leads the organisation in fulfilling its vision.

Natalie is a communications architect who designs strategies that incorporate storytelling for social change. She is passionate about development and has over 6 years combined experience in communications for health, education, gender equality and climate action. She is the Head of Communications at SHE Changes climate and her work has significantly supported the movement’s external growth and visibility in the gender-climate space.

How Did You Get Into Climate Advocacy?

My passion for creating a better world led me to embrace the challenging role at SCC. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work at the grassroots level, gaining firsthand experience of how climate change impacts vulnerable communities. Witnessing the resilience and determination within these communities as they confront and overcome this crisis has been immensely inspiring. I am committed to leveraging this experience through strong advocacy at SCC, serving as a conduit to amplify the voices of these women warriors in global policymaking. I firmly believe that women not only excel as leaders but, as half of the population, they have a rightful place at the table. Addressing the leadership crisis necessitates shared leadership, and it’s time to ensure that all voices are heard and represented. I believe we in SCC are committed to that.

My personality pulled me into the world of communications, initially learning the ropes of media communications and podcasting, before ‘accidentally’ joining the world of storytelling. I realised how fundamental stories were in shaping our perspectives and in enabling people to be part of conversations by allowing them to understand things that would otherwise be considered complex — and so with this I grew into a communications professional grounded in the power of storytelling. Joining SHE Changes Climate came out of a passion for the environment, but a curiosity to understand how equitable governance is achieved. By working closely with advocacy professionals in the climate space, I’ve been able to see how communications and even storytelling is a conduit for climate advocacy campaigning.

SHE Changes Climate’s Mission

SHE Changes Climate (we write the ‘SHE’ in uppercase for emphasis and tend to abbreviate the name as SCC) is a global movement advocating for inclusion and diversity in climate leadership and policies. We believe that women in all their diversity are active participants in climate action at grassroots level and even in leadership, and this must be reflected in global climate leadership and policies. We are committed to ensuring that women in all their diversity are included as active participants in climate leadership and policy making processes. To achieve this, we are actively campaigning for inclusion and diversity by working closely with governments to influence climate policies such that they can be more inclusive, and we collaborate with like-minded organisations to raise awareness of inequalities in climate leadership and to support women leaders in the Global South.

She Changes Climate’s Objectives

In the coming year, we aim to bring together women leaders in different countries, providing a platform for collaborative action and knowledge exchange. We will also continue to focus on building the voices of youth in climate decisionmaking processes. Through this collective effort, we aspire to create increased momentum, propelling just energy transition pathways, with women at the forefront and centre.

SCC is currently in a progressive space, having transitioned from a campaign to a movement. On the communications front, we want to keep expanding our digital community, using various creative and collaborative methods to open up more conversations about inclusion

and diversity as a necessity to equitable climate action.

Does Climate Change Impact Women Differently?

This is the basis of our movement and over the past year working in climate communications, I have seen time and again the statistics showing women as victims of climate change. This is only a fraction of the narrative and one we’ve been intentional about as we approach our external communications as movement builders and shapers. When you go out into different parts of the world where climate disasters have struck communities, women will be clearly seen as the immediate responders, the community builders and the people leading on solutions to these disasters. We often hear the phrase “women are disproportionately affected by climate change” but there’s not enough exploration on how they effectively respond. If we do this, we will understand as a society why they should be the ones designing and implementing global climate action policies.

Climate change is affecting everyone, but not equally, women and girls, especially those in the vulnerable communities, are most susceptible to the effects of climate change, especially due to the existing inequalities that limit their access to resources and to decision making. For example, almost 80% of the world’s undernourished people depend on agriculture for their livelihood, and 75% of the world’s poorest households are directly or indirectly dependent on farming or fishing (FAO, 2009). The challenge of maintaining sustainable livelihoods in a degrading environment is also a gender sensitive issue. Women are vulnerable and produce up to 90% of rural poor’s food and face climate change, depletion of natural

resources, because they are disproportionately involved in livelihood and reliant on natural resource dependent activities (WWF, 2010). Women are disproportionately affected in times of natural disaster. Most of the women lack access to information regarding floods, earthquakes, cyclones, tsunami, etc. Women mostly stay at homes during disasters as they are not trained up with coping skills like swimming, climbing trees, etc. Life saving skills are mostly taught to men and women are excluded in decision making during disasters.

In the 2004 Tsunami in the Indian ocean an average of 77 percent casualties were women because they were not taught to swim where many drowned. But as Natalie mentions it is equally important to highlight that women in these vulnerable communities are also the solution providers when provided with agency. There are several examples in the global south where women in remote vulnerable areas are leading change through several entrepreneurial initiatives engaging technology, creating awareness, educating and building momentum for a just climate action.

The Major Barriers Hindering Progress in Addressing Climate Change

The primary hurdle lies in acknowledging the pressing nature of the crisis. Decision-makers often exhibit short-sightedness in promptly addressing urgent actions. There’s a conspicuous absence of strong leadership focus in both government and the corporate sector, with those most impacted by climate change frequently excluded from decisionmaking circles, relegated to mere anecdotal evidence. The intricate

connection between climate and human rights remains inadequately grasped, perpetuating siloed thinking. Recognizing the imperative for collective action, we must unite, pooling our diverse skills and expertise to confront this crisis head-on.

“The climate crisis is a leadership crisis.” This is the statement that has always drawn people to our campaign: it is simple but packs a powerful punch because it states that governance is fundamental in the journey of progression or lack thereof. The statement is also drawn from reflections on gender disparity in climate leadership. COP — the largest annual climate conference, has been happening for over 28 years, and in that time, only 5 women have been appointed to lead. This says a lot about where we are at and why we need to change. With more equitable governance across the different tiers of climate leadership, we can be reassured and hopeful about how we address and manage the climate crisis.

Contributing Impactful Action in Mitigating Climate Change

From what I have learnt, one of the most impactful actions an average person can take is to reduce their carbon footprint. Mindful consumption, supporting sustainable practices, reducing waste generation, all these are simple steps leading to a larger impact.

We hosted an intergenerational dialogue at COP28 and this was one of the questions that came up and was aptly responded by one of the women leaders in our network, Jojo Mehta of Stop Ecocide international. She said: use the resources around you. In this case resources could look

like access to information online to understand the global realities associated with climate change, the movements working to resolve these challenges, and the processes of shifting climate policies. It could even be as simple as adding an eco-friendly activity into your routine or volunteering your time at a movement working to address the climate crisis. It’s these little changes or added knowledge that goes a long way to driving impact.

Advice for women looking to pursue a career in climate

Be resilient and persistent. Find your niche-every skill is required to tackle this crisis, and at every step promote diversity and inclusion in your action

Be curious. Read. Ask when you don’t know. And try.

When you go out into different parts of the world where climate disasters have struck communities, women will be clearly seen as the immediate responders, the community builders and the people leading on solutions to these disasters.

How Considering Water Footprints Can Impact Food Choices

NANCY SMITH, CONTRIBUTING WRITER, MAKE WATER FAMOUS

A vegan diet is often regarded as the best for a climate-resilient future to offset the impacts of humans on the planet. However, as with many arguments for protecting planetary boundaries, there are nuances in this everevolving picture.

When choosing food and drink, another approach is to consider not just ‘what’ is being eaten but ‘how’ it is produced, specifically scrutinising the water that is used to produce certain products. This is known as the water footprint.

For example, the Water Footprint Network says 1kg of beef needs 15,400l of water to produce and a 2019 study revealed the water footprint of just one US almond is 12 litres. At the lower end, the Water Footprint Calculator estimates the water footprint of 1kg of tomatoes is 230l and 1kg of potatoes is 340l.

Seeing food through a water footprint lens can be confusing and confronting, but efforts are being made to dissect the figures to construct a clearer picture. For beef, for example, Tim Hess, former professor of water and food systems at Cranfield University, says how and where beef is farmed has a huge effect on its water footprint.

He argues it is important to understand how much of what type of

water is used. The amount of blue water use, abstracted from rivers, lakes, reservoirs and groundwater aquifers, versus green water use, which is rainfall that crops and animals consume. Both affect the water footprint of all food.

For example, some cows are reared on pasture-fed or green water crops. This is especially true of smaller or regenerative farms rearing heritage breeds for local distribution. Whereas some are reared on vast cattle ranches or intensive farms fed on crops grown mostly or exclusively with blue water.

Additionally, some fruit and vegetable crops can be grown entirely with green water, such as potatoes and carrots, whereas some rely entirely on blue water irrigation during periods of drought, such as avocados or almonds, or if grown in unnatural conditions, such as out-ofseason asparagus and strawberries.

This means that, when considering water consumption, the question of the best diet for the planet is complex and multifaceted and various factors need to be taken into consideration when making responsible food choices.

This conversation is the tip of the iceberg, and it doesn’t incorporate the efficiency or sustainability of some blue water irrigation techniques, location, or various CO₂ impacts. However, when choosing what to eat for tonight’s dinner, maybe consider the water footprint too.

“

Seeing food through a water footprint lens can be confusing and confronting, but efforts are being made to dissect the figures to construct a clearer picture

Sea Levels are Rising… But So Are We

CAITLIN TURNER, TRUSTEE FOR YOUNG SEA CHANGERS SCOTLAND MARINE BIOLOGIST AND CONSERVATIONIST

9th December 2023. The rain falls heavier, drumming against the gazebo and falling in streams from the edge. Mud cakes my boots. I look out at the crowd, who stare back at me from under their hoods and umbrellas. My hands are stiff and shaking as I take the mic, from cold or nerves I couldn’t discern. Here was another storm, who’s name I didn’t know, backto-back to one before it but which could not stop us.

This was a climate rally, for the COP28 Global Day of Action, organised by Stop Climate Chaos Scotland. And despite the biting wind and wet, here we stood.

And still, we stand.

I’m a marine conservationist: professionally, voluntarily, and personally. It’s what I live and breathe. But though I love it, sometimes I wish I could turn it off. Every day there’s bad news; 2023 was the warmest year on record, worsening weather worldwide has displaced and claimed more lives, biodiversity continues to be in sharp decline, and yet still some governments continue to license for new oil and gas developments or explore options to mine the deep sea – a critical regulator of our climate.

I’m also 23. And I’m scared; the future is looking increasingly uncertain for us all, but especially for young people - my generation, those younger than me - and more so for those in island and low-lying

coastal communities. Our youth is being shaped by the climate and nature crises, yet our future is being pathed with us having very little say in it.

Still, I stand before crowds, and I encourage them to have hope.

Do I believe there’s hope?

Yes.

Integral to my advocacy is promoting the inclusion of youth voices in policymaking and ensuring intersectional action. In my time reading, listening, and acting, I’ve built connections with and heard and learned from incredible young activists and youth-led initiatives across the globe. Making waves for their communities by securing social and climate justice, and speaking up for their home nations on global stages. Sacrificing their education to take to the streets in protest, every week. Leading the charge.

It’s vital that youth voices are elevated and able to contribute to critical climate discussions and policymaking. Young people are knowledgeable, passionate, and determined and calling for a sustainable, equitable, just future for us all. It’s in this continued fighting for the future, that hope remains alive.

Check who’s missing from the table. Give them a seat. We can still turn the tide if we act now.

“

It’s vital that youth voices are elevated and able to contribute to critical climate discussions and policymaking. Young people are knowledgeable, passionate, and determined and calling for a sustainable, equitable, just future for us all

Why Baby-Making nor Baby-Shaming Campaigns are Effective Solutions to Boost Economies or Tackle Global Warming

ROOS VAN KEULEN, ECONOMIC AND CLIMATE POLICY DEPARTMENT AT THE EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS IN TOKYO, JAPAN

While some environmentalists believe that discouraging women from having children is the solution to the climate crisis, several state leaders have recently introduced pro-natalist policies, calling upon their female citizens to bear (more) children to curb declining and ageing populations.

Chinese leader Xi JinPing asked its female citizens to stay at home and focus on child-rearing, the Singaporean government advised to ‘have three children or more if you can afford it’, Vladimir Putin stressed that Russian women should have ‘eight or more children’ and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tearfully pleaded on television that women have a duty to bear children to strengthen national power. Also, Japan and South Korea, countries with the world’s lowest fertility rates, have introduced pro-natalist policies, such as tax reliefs, baby bonuses and subsidies for childcare services. The policies are heavily criticized for their focus on controlling a woman’s reproductive rights, which could increase gender inequality. Not only these pro-natalist, but also anti-natalist campaigns are overly fixated on population numbers and overestimate the effects of (influencing) demographic shifts.

Understanding the Issue of Population Decline

Declining population numbers present a temporary, transitional challenge caused by the 1950s baby boom generation that is now retiring: the imbalance between a large group of

elderly and a smaller working force is expected to flatten out mid-century, once this generation has passed away. The imbalance pressures traditional social security systems: higher healthcare costs, increased labour shortages, and less tax revenue, which governments fear could negatively impact the economy. However, studies show that sustainable economic growth can coexist with a declining population if governments invest in innovation, digitalisation, new technologies, education, and workplace inclusivity policies. A lack of human resources encourages companies to innovate, digitize and automate, to increase productivity and efficiency and push down costs. It also incentivises them to include more women and migrants in the workforce, which could further minimise labour shortages.

Contrarily, current natalist policies have still not proven to be effective. In most countries, women decide not to have children due to the lack of a work-life balance and gendered parenting roles, which calls for a largescale cultural change and workplace reforms, rather than financial incentives, but even then would be a slow and difficult process.

Exploring the Nexus Between Population Decline and Global Warming

The idea that if people would stop making babies, global warming could be solved, is false. Nowadays, overconsumption, rather than overpopulation is the root cause of high carbon emissions. Low-income nations

generally experience steep population growth, yet have low emissions, while individuals in high-income countries emit 50 times more, despite the shrinking populations and low fertility rates in those countries. Having fewer children may be the most effective measure an individual in a high-income country can take to reduce their individual footprint - far more effective than avoiding transatlantic flights, living car-free, or becoming a vegetarian. However, even then, the projected population decline in high-income countries would only cut emissions by a quarter by 2050 and the total global population will only start to decline around 2100.

To effectively and timely curtail global warming, carbon emissions need to be cut in half in the coming two decades to two tonnes per capita in every country. Hence, population decline in high-

income countries significantly lowers carbon emissions per capita, but not sufficiently. Instead of fixating on limiting one’s individual’s carbon footprint, which high-emitting industries would like us to do, (trans)national measures that force high-emitting industries to limit their carbon emissions should be prioritized.

Moreover, studies show that investing in education, inclusion of women in the workplace, healthcare and innovation can also significantly limit carbon emissions and limit countries’ climate vulnerabilities. These are the exact same measures that could help governments to solve economic issues related to population decline and thus, investing in these areas could kill two birds with one stone. It is time to embrace demographic shifts, rather than trying to control women’s reproductive rights!

“

To effectively and timely curtail global warming, carbon emissions need to be cut in half in the coming two decades to two tonnes per capita in every country.

TECHNOLOGY TRUSTED THE WORLD OVER

Water conservation through innovation

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WATCH TOP LEADING WOMEN TO WATCH

Women, historically underrepresented in STEM fields and leadership roles, are breaking down barriers and playing a key role in sustainable climate activism. Here they contribute their knowledge, perspectives on climate and they address some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing our planet today.

The fantastic news is that more and more women are taking leadership positions and playing key roles in sustainability-focused organisations, businesses and government departments. These women provide critical leadership for an inclusive work environment, promote gender equality, and advance climate and sustainable technologies in the workplace.

By breaking down barriers and challenging traditional norms, women leaders are inspiring future generations and paving the way for a more sustainable future. We’re excited to list some of the leading women in the climate industry in this feature. From climate modelling to adopting sustainable water treatments (and everything in between!), we are shining a spotlight on the extraordinary women who are making impactful change in the climate world and its sustainability.

In recognising their contributions and achievements, this feature aims to celebrate their leadership and dedication, hoping to inspire other women to follow in their footsteps and provide a more inclusive and diverse landscape themselves in the industry.

Alessandra Accogli

Sinergy Flow S.r.l. Chief Executive Officer

Driving the journey towards a sustainable future with pioneering energy storage and climate tech solutions. We will provide clean energy with limitless possibilities.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Anna Riis Hedegaard

The 0-Mission

Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder

Alice Robinson & Sara Grady British Pasture Leather Co-Founders

To be the world’s leading producer of leather from regenerative farms. By linking leather with exemplary agriculture, British Pasture Leather is forging new connections between farming, food, craft, and material culture.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Barbara Hathaway

Ovarro Limited Technology Leader (Leakage Solutions)

Barbara is at the forefront of the drive to bring next generation leakage technology to the global water sector.

She says, New leakage solutions and innovations are urgently required. Water is central to our lives – reducing leakage puts us at the heart of efforts to preserve supplies for future generations.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Our mission is to accelerate the green transition of global energy grids. Through a straightforward subscription model, we connect with SMEs and renewable energy developers, to enable SMEs to match their power consumption with clean energy sources while promoting biodiversity and groundwater protection at the same time.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

New leakage solutions and innovations are urgently required

Barbara Hathaway - Ovarro Limited

Gigi Kamrous-Edwards

Karmous Edwards Consulting and EverBlue Ventures

Advisor for EverBlue and CEO of Karmous Edwards Consulting

Help the global water sector with novel digital technologies such as digital twins and GenerativeAI to gain the efficiency and sustainability goals.

EverBlue Ventures invests in the leading water innovation companies creating solutions to the most pressing water challenges. We bring together the premier water experts, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, and investment professionals to selectively invest our time, money and resources into wave making water innovations.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Inés Larrea

Cimico S.L.

(commercial name Cimico)

Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder

Leading the world’s leading technology company in innovative technologies for biological wastewater treatment.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Jennifer Browning

The Pew Charitable Trusts Senior Director, United States Conservation

Pew addresses biodiversity loss and climate change impacts on nature and people by engaging communities, Tribes, scientists, decision-makers, and other partners and using science to deliver policy solutions. We protect ecosystems; connect aquatic and terrestrial habitats; manage natural areas and human communities to better withstand changing conditions; and mitigate greenhouse gases by protecting carbonstoring places like wetlands.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Julia Marsh

Sway

Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder

Julia Marsh is the CEO and co-founder of Sway, a clean tech startup scaling seaweed-based, home-compostable packaging. Julia spent over a decade designing brand and packaging systems for consumer goods companies, technology startups, and design studios around the world. Her work is driven by a deep passion for regenerative design and biological circularity.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Juliette Murphy

FloodMapp

Chief Executive Officer

Juliette Murphy is the CEO and Co-founder of FloodMapp, a venture backed climate tech startup helping emergency managers save lives and prevent damage. After experiencing the devastation of the Queensland 2011 floods and the Calgary, Canada 2013 flood, Juliette co-founded FloodMapp with Ryan Prosser in a mission to improve safety and prevent damage. Juliette has led a global team to develop AI powered live flood intelligence delivering situational awareness before during and after floods. This technology has already achieved an incredible impact through enabling targeted evacuations, swiftwater rescue, live road closures and traffic routing and fast-track community recovery. Prior to FloodMapp, Juliette was a professional water resources engineer for over a decade specializing in, hydrology, hydraulics and flood modelling.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Maja Fišić

InoSens

Liris Maduningtyas

JALA

Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder

At JALA, we aim to revolutionize aquaculture through digitalization. We empower shrimp farmers with precision farming tools and access to markets and financing. Our technology helps create a sustainable future for farmers with resources and opportunities to thrive. Through innovation, we commit to transforming aquaculture into a more efficient industry.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Business Development & Communications

Marianne Brisson

Seaze

Founder and Co-Host

Marianne grew up in coastal Québec. She has always felt connected to nature, especially the ocean. She has served as a Policy Advisor to federal Ministers in Canada. Now, with Seaze, she and her co-host share the stories of entrepreneurs working to regenerate the ocean through impact-driven solutions.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

The WE-ACT project is dedicated to advancing sustainable water management and environmental restoration by combining collaborative efforts and data-driven strategies. We prioritise incorporating stakeholder views and leveraging data for decision-making, aiming to develop scalable solutions for water scarcity, equitable resource distribution, and enhancing global water security.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Sanitation and Water for All

Orianaa Bretschger - Aquacycl

“Climate and water are part of the many complex systems that must come together to sustain life.

Tammy Bernier - Duperon

Corporation

Dr. Mirka Wilderer

AqueoUS Vets

President and Chief Executive Officer

My purpose is to lead business transformation by tapping into all available talent to generate sustainable benefits for the greater good of society. By leveraging diversity of thought and unity of purpose, I seek to create disruption within the water space. Armed with innovative solutions and an entrepreneurial spirit, my ultimate goal is to protect public health and guarantee clean, safe water for communities across the country.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Orianna Bretschger

Aquacycl

Chief Executive Officer and Founder

Orianna Bretschger’s mission, driven by her diverse academic and professional background, is to revolutionize industrial wastewater treatment through her company, Aquacycl Inc. Founded in 2016, Aquacycl is committed to promoting healthy watersheds and communities worldwide. Her company’s innovative approach has led to significant cost savings and greenhouse gas reduction for clients like PepsiCo. Bretschger, an accomplished physicist and materials scientist, is recognized as a leader in sustainable water management, evidenced by her numerous accolades. She embodies her motto “Sanitation and Water for All,” aiming to make efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment universally accessible.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Patricia Villoslada

SUEZ

Senior Vice President

Patricia believes in the power of technology and digital to address the global challenges of resources preservation and climate change. She brings together her engineering brain, her business heart and passion for sustainability to her role as the leader of SUEZ Digital Solutions, one of the three Differentiation Units of SUEZ, committed to improve the environmental and economic performance of the water & waste industries by leveraging the expertise of the SUEZ Group through data analytics and Artificial Intelligence, with more than 500 cutting-edge digital experts. Global leader in smart metering, smart and asset advanced management, SUEZ Digital Solutions deployed 6.4 million smart sensors and 1,500 smart platform worldwide.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Ranah Chavoshi

PhyCo Technologies Inc.

Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

Marine biologist Ranah Chavoshi is dedicated to transforming the oceans by substituting petroleum-based plastics with fully compostable and non-toxic biomaterials. Her goal is to contribute to the development of an equitable and sustainable blue economy in coastal communities.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Dr. Sue Molloy, P.Eng.

Glas Ocean Electric Chief Executive Officer

Sue wants to use her skill set to have impact on the community around her and to develop climate focused solutions to ocean related problems. Her expertise is based in vessel propulsion and her interests focus on ways to apply that knowledge when solving new problems.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

Tammy Bernier

Duperon Corporation Chief Executive Officer

Climate and water are part of the many complex systems that must come together to sustain life. We foster a culture of caring for people, water and the planet, and when great hearts, minds, and skills of people align with this noble endeavor, it truly is a force of nature.

LINKEDIN PROFILE

The team at Climate Global News would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to these outstanding women who have shown their unwavering dedication, innovative technology and ideas, and tireless efforts.

We celebrate their leadership and commitment to building a sustainable future, as we work together towards a healthier and more resilient planet TOGETHER.

Q&A Q&A

Diana Denke

Co-Founder and CEO of Fair Carbon

What is your mission in the fight against climate change?

I am on a mission to accelerate the shift to a regenerative economy. I believe in the power of people coming together from different domains - finance, business, academia, and NGOs - to help solve the world’s pressing social and environmental problems. As CEO and Co-Founder of Fair Carbon, I am focused on how we can protect the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems by building a high-integrity blue carbon market. As Founder and Principal Consultant of Malama, I am most intrigued about finding ways to bring financing to nature-based projects and supporting their development from incubation to maturity.

What is your vision for our planet?

resilience against extreme weather and threats like sea level rise.

I envision a world where nature and people thrive. One where we are filled with hope and optimism about the future we leave for generations to come. In this world, the goods and services nature provides are not taken for granted, a high-integrity carbon and nature market is booming, and is an integral part of the global economy. In this world, communities come together to protect and restore natural habitats and people are connected to the natural world around them. This is a world, where we have managed to regenerate our lands, and found ways to regenerate ourselves. A deep sense of connection to the web of life, and clarity of our role in it, has become the norm.

Why are nature-based solutions so important in our fight against climate change?

The environmental argument for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is that they could contribute up to one-third of the mitigation required by 2030 to align with the Paris Agreement targets. They are typically more cost-effective, and durable, and offer additional benefits compared to technological approaches. According to the IPCC, ecosystem protection, restoration, and better farmland management rank among the top five strategies for emissions reduction, and NbS can also enhance climate

The social case is that NbS are crucial for low-income countries where natural capital is a major asset, and if properly implemented, they can help alleviate poverty and bolster the resilience of the most vulnerable groups.

Last, economically, over half of the global GDP is reliant on nature and ecosystem services. However, nature is not currently accounted for as an asset in economic systems, leading to overexploitation and undervaluation, which causes market distortions and externalities. Investing in NbS is a way to address these systemic economic failures until natural capital is fully integrated into economic accounting.

Hannah Pearce

Founder of un_rap- Falmouth Zero Waste Shop

What is your mission in the fight against climate change?

My original fight was against plastics. However, I quickly learned that they are just one part of a much larger global problem. Where possible I source foods from Britain to reduce carbon miles, and most of the stock in my shop is organic. Organic farming improves soil health, reduces flood risks, and improves water quality by reducing chemical run-off. Even if my customers are not aware of these benefits, and only shop with me for the lack of packaging, I want to provide them with minimal impact products. Equally, I provide a service that is dwindling. I talk to people. I listen to their climate worries and encourage their ambitious dreams. Community and communication are needed in the fight against climate change.

Why is achieving a circular economy so important?

There is so much waste in the world, and we need to stop the tap. A circular economy can minimise plastics and carbon miles. We stock cleaning products from SESI - a UK based detergent company that refill the 20 litre drums (unlike other major producers). We have teamed up with every zero-waste shop in Cornwall and created a depo in the middle of the county so only one lorry is dropping off and collecting the cleaning product drums. I know my fellow shop owners; we support each other and promote each other. It’s a win-win.

What do you think the climate crisis will be like 50 years from now?

I recently saw climate poet Ben Okri talk and he passionately said, ‘We all have a part to play.’ We all have individual talents and knowledge that can benefit the planet. I hope in 50 years we are all contributing to a healthier world. I hope the climate will be part of our lives like having jobs and houses and relationships. We need to remember we are part of nature, not separate from it, or custodians of it. If we put our minds to something, we can make a huge impact, and quickly. I think there will be new alternatives to single-use packaging, efficient public transport links, and a global community that support each other – a giant circular economy with nature bursting at its seams.

Elena Doms

Head of +Earth+

What is your mission in the fight against climate change?

I was born and raised in the Arctic. Spent 18 years there, immersed in nature. Now, looking back, I can see how quickly my childhood home is changing. The Arctic is warming 4 times faster than the rest of the planet. And through the series of tipping points, it has effects on all of us around the world. We can see it in heatwaves, floods, sea level rise and other extreme weather events. My mission is to protect the Arctic. Why?

Because as a mother, I want a better future for my kids and all the kids in the world. How do I do it? Through a start-up, called +EARTH+, where we clean soils and clean CO2 with plants. And then use these plants to create bio-based construction materials that turn our buildings into carbon sinks. This way we eat healthier food, fight soil degradation, ensure climate action and support biodiversity.

Why is sustainability so important?

Because it’s the only way forward. Essentially, sustainability is being able to do what we want to do forever. That means we need businesses that restore our planet, not destroy it. Nature is fully circular and self-sustainable. We are not, because we’ve been destroying nature at an unprecedented scale. It’s time to turn the tide. We need to innovate based on natural processes and solutions. And we need to help nature recover itself. Because eventually, nature gives us the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. We are nature. And for me, this is why sustainability and nature are our future. A better future and a more fulfilling future!

What do you think the climate crisis will be like 50 years from now?

I truly hope it won’t be a crisis anymore. In 50 years we should be taking massive action across the globe, sequestering more emissions than we emit. Seeing nature thrive all over the world and biodiversity bouncing back. Leading happier lives with less work and more time for our families and friends. Doing something purposeful every day, leaving our planet better than we found it. In 50 years regeneration and sustainability should be our new normal. Our environment should be healthy, with clean soils, air and water, nutritious food, renewable energy, and circular safe products and innovations. I can’t imagine a future more beautiful than that. When we wake up and see, that together we have restored our beautiful planet!

Elin Bergman

COO of Cradlenet and Co-Founder and MD of Nordic Circular Hotspot

What is your mission in the fight against climate change?

My mission is to spread the word as much as I can about what a circular economy is and about the benefits for companies of becoming circular.

Why is achieving a circular economy so important?

About 40-70% of the global carbon emissions can be mitigated through a circular economy - by consuming and producing things sustainably and cycling back as much of the materials as possible back into the economy again. Circular economy practices are not only good for the climate but also biodiversity, and it lowers the amount of pollution that ends up in the environment as well as managing water and nutrient consumption and so on. It is a very good tool to achieve almost all global sustainability goals.

What work are you doing to promote sustainability?

I’m a Circular Impact Lead and vice-chairman of the board at Cradlenet, a non-profit business network for accelerating circular economy in Sweden, the Nordics and the world and we currently have around 150 companies as members. I’m part of the management team and board of the organisation where we decide what strategies, activities, projects and collaborations we should do. I carry out many of the member activities such as our weekly Circular Friday meetings, answer our Circular Hotline, present lectures and host events. I am the face of the organisation, which means I do a lot of keynotes and panel discussions at different events. We also work a lot to influence policymakers to make their circular strategies and targets more ambitious.

Alexis Eyre

Author and Co-Founder of the Sustainable Marketing Compass

What is your mission in the fight against climate change?

I believe that marketing has an enormous role to play in fighting climate change. It has this amazing behaviour-changing capability that no other function can achieve. Unfortunately, marketing is currently pointing in the wrong direction which is having a detrimental effect on society and the environment from driving mass overconsumption and excessive waste to creating societal biases and causing a significant degradation in mental health. I am on a mission to make sure that I do everything in my power to encourage marketers to change the role of their function from being an engine of growth to an engine of wellbeing, starting with education.

Why is sustainability so important?

Cataclysmic storms are wreaking havoc on communities, droughts are leading to mass migration and starvation, piles of practically brand-new clothes are piling up in our deserts and left to rot for 500 years, the mental health of our nations is at some of the lowest levels ever recorded and the gap between the rich and poor is diverging faster than we can imagine. We cannot go on living like this which is why embedding sustainability into business is key to sustaining life on this planet, not only from an operational side but also how it educates the public to live more sustainably. As the saying goes, there will be no business on a dead planet.

What do you think makes the biggest impact for individuals who are looking to reduce their carbon footprint?

I used to have a client in sustainable finance which was a real eye opener. They had a piece of research from Nordea Bank that showed that where you choose to bank, invest your money and pension has up to 28 times more impact on your carbon footprint than every other action combined. Dan Sherrard, the Founder of MyMotherTree, is a brilliant advocate for drilling this message into every one of his LinkedIn followers.

Natalia Idrisova

Project Coordinator of Little Earth and CAN EECA Board Member

What is your mission in the fight against climate change?

Work in the field of climate change, which permeates every aspect of our lives, is always complex work: from constantly raising awareness of various focus groups to climate actions and climate advocacy. My mission also includes the introduction of solar and other renewable technologies, where appropriate and works well, widespread use of energy efficiency in practice, insulation of households, practical work on the adaptation of mountain communities, their resilience to natural disasters, mapping the vulnerable villages with infrastructure, involvement of communities in vegetation restoration. In cities, this is a wide range of activities to promote clean transport, minimisation of consumption and waste, and consultations with various organisations and offices on “how to become eco-friendly and implement energy efficient measures in their activities.” I often repeat that everyone must understand the causes and consequences of what is happening with the climate and clearly understand their role, otherwise, we will not move forward.

What do you think the climate crisis will be like 50 years from now?

What role does climate policy play in our fight against climate change, why is it so important?

In the current situation, we can confidently say that climate policy must be the basis of many other policies and measures, and more importantly, the correct interpretation and implementation of climate policy. In many countries, there is a big gap between scientific approaches and decisions made in the field of industry, energy, transport and other important areas. Huge companies have lobbied for fossil fuel interests for decades, others have destroyed entire ecosystems for profit and flooded global markets with disposable goods. The development of the world economy did not take into account what the merciless exploitation of natural resources, destruction of forests, and swamps, and depletion of water resources could lead to. Now, when we have so many negative consequences that even technological and more progressive countries are not fully prepared for and cannot cope with, climate policy follows in the wake of these severe and destructive consequences: droughts, agricultural collapse, large-scale floods, forest fires, melting glaciers, etc. There is a strong feeling that all measures taken should try to mitigate the damage and help adapt, but policy decisions are again stuck and degrade on the way to implementation. This is what we are witnessing at the latest COPs - civil society is pushing politicians and big business to pay for the losses caused, and such hard work is underway.

There are various scientific models for predicting the climate crisis, but all of them agree that this process certainly cannot be favourable for people and for many species of fauna and flora. The existing balance on the planet is rapidly collapsing, and many extreme weather events are already occurring unpredictably. However, there are also long-term processes, for example, dry periods threaten a problem with access to water for a huge number of people in different parts of the globe, this will lead to a food security problem, energy issues, migration and other negative factors. Also, many coastal populated areas will be at high risk, and the thawing of permafrost may lead to the spread of dangerous viral diseases. In general, already nowadays, record temperatures are greatly affecting people’s health and their quality of life.

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