OUR LOCAL CHAPTERSReal change happens at the local level, with climate leaders speaking up about the issues most relevant to their communities and pushing their governments for ambitious climate plans.
European Chapter
June 2025 - Launch of the new European chapter
On the margins of London Climate Action Week, women climate leaders gathered to celebrate the work of the regional and national chapters of WLOC and to celebrate the newly formed European chapter. This new chapter, co-led by Stientje van Veldhoven, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, and María Mendiluce will push to keep climate on the EU agenda and call for maintained EU leadership on global climate action.
June 2025 - Open Letter to the CSA
More than 250 Canadian women CEOs, capital allocators, financial professionals, entrepreneurs, academics, and civil society leaders have signed an open letter urging securities regulators to resume efforts on climate disclosure, after the CSA abruptly reversed course on it promise to deliver globally-aligned climate-related financial disclosure rules.
If you would like to support the call for more climate disclosure requirements in Canada, we encourage you to sign the open letter to the CSA.
Canadian Chapter
February 2025 - Chapter Launch
Canadian women climate leaders came together in Toronto on February 11, 2025, to launch the Canadian chapter of Women Leading on Climate.
The Canadian chapter of Women Leading on Climate (WLOC) is bringing together women leaders from across Canada to push for ambitious climate action from governments and business in order to attract investment and ensure Canada’s competitiveness, create good jobs across all sectors, and build a cleaner and healthier future for all.
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"We are at an inflection point, and collectively women are a leading voice in driving the systemic change needed to build the climate resilient companies and economies of the 21st century. As the risks of climate inaction grow ever larger, it's time for tangible, meaningful action across sectors and communities."
Barbara Zvan
President & CEO, University Pension Plan (UPP) -
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"We need to work together to address this unprecedented challenge and set up our communities, industries and workers for economic success in a decarbonized future. I'm so inspired by the hard-working and effective women working across Canada to drive the clean economy. Women are coming together and getting things built."
Merran Smith
President, New Economy Canada -
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"Our connection to the land, water, and all living things is at the heart of who we are as First Nations people. Womxn are leading by bringing our knowledge, traditions, and collective strength to the forefront of climate action."
Kluane Adamek
Yukon Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations -
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"Women are already leading the charge, building the climate tech solutions our economy and our world can’t live without. The results? Innovation, jobs, growth—proof, not promises. The question isn’t if they can deliver. It’s whether capital allocators are bold enough to bet big and not get left behind."
Sarah Goodman
President & CEO, B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) -
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"When you have diversity of perspective around the table, you are able to get to more balanced, durable paths to move society forward. We need this more than ever with the challenges and opportunities ahead of us."
Colleen Giroux-Schmidt
Vice President, Corporate Relations and Environment, Innergex
Brazilian Chapter
October 2025
The Brazilian Chapter has spent the last year performing a mapping of national initiatives and producing technical notes in the following four areas: (1) NDCs and mitigation, (2) land use and biodiversity, (3) energy transition and infrastructure, and (4) climate finance and governance. In addition, the Chapter has been working hard in the lead up to COP30 to ensure that climate priorities incorporate a gender lens. This includes presenting a set of recommendations at the pre-COP meetings in October, which advocate for the inclusion of gender markers in Brazilian climate policies, financing mechanisms, and the implementation of NDCs.
September 2024
The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) and the We Mean Business Coalition WMBC) announced the Brazil Chapter of Women Leading on Climate, with leadership from Marina Grossi, President of CEBDS, Maria Mendiluce, CEO of WMBC, and Ana Toni, National Secretary for Climate Change at the Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
As Brazil gears up to host COP 30 this year, this Chapter will play an important role in pushing climate ambition from their government and on key agenda items for the Conference.
Marina Grossi, Catherine McKenna and Maria Mendiluce co-authored an op-ed announcing its launch, published in the Brazilian news outlet Estadão.
Australian Chapter
Given the scale of climate action required along with the possibility of COP31 being jointly hosted by Australia and the Pacific, Sharan Burrow AC (Former General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation) and Victoria McKenzie-McHarg (CEO of Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia), launched the Australian Chapter of WLOC.
The Australian network seeks to amplify and build on women’s leadership and commitment to climate, nature, and just energy and industrial transitions. It aims to influence government policy and establish shared priorities in the lead-up to the COP negotiations — beginning with an ambitious Australian Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
The network’s objectives are to:
Build and deepen relationships among influential women leaders driving action on climate, nature and Just Transitions.
Strengthen recognition of the critical role women’s leadership plays in achieving climate and environmental outcomes.
Create space for shared ideas, collaboration and advocacy to emerge.
Amplify the voices of diverse women leaders for positive climate outcomes in the lead up to COP31.
The Australian Chapter is hosting a series of private dinners in major capital cities, bringing together women leaders to help shape the network’s direction and explore opportunities for collective action.
August 2025
More than 90 women and gender-diverse climate leaders came together for the online launch of the Australian Chapter, featuring Catherine McKenna as the opening speaker.
October 2025
Women Leading on Climate members Sharan Burrow AC, Kerry Gardner AM, and Victoria McKenzie-McHarg hosted an event featuring special guests Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio MP and Jean Oelwang. The event also featured a special video message from Jacinda Ardern (former Prime Minister of New Zealand), highlighting the power of women’s networks to shape a more just and sustainable future.