Our history
Established in 2017 by C40 Cities and Fondation L’Oréal, Women4Climate was a response to two key issues: women, especially those in frontline and marginalised communities, are often first and worst affected by the effects of the climate crisis; and often, women’s voices go unheard due to a lack of representation in decision-making.
The programme, launched by Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo during her tenure as C40 Chair, aimed to:
- Empower and nurture the next generation of women climate leaders through events, global mentorship programmes, and tech challenges.
- Raise awareness and highlight women’s essential role in advancing climate action in urban areas through research on gender equity, cities, and climate action.
Our impact
As one of the world’s largest networks promoting women’s climate leadership, Women4Climate provided a platform to showcase women’s crucial contributions to climate action and celebrate women-led initiatives that address climate breakdown.
Since 2017, the Women4Climate community has:
- grown to include over 1,000 mentees and mentors across 22 cities on five continents;
- enhanced women’s participation in urban climate action, improving access to good, green jobs;
- advanced women-led innovation through the Women4Climate Tech Challenge;
- and hosted international events and activities, bringing together C40 mayors, industry leaders, and more;
- Raised the profile of climate solutions and policies that promote gender and social equity.
Our legacy
Concluding in 2024 after seven successful years, the Women4Climate programme marks a moment to celebrate collective achievements. However, the need for gender-inclusive climate action continues, as it is vital for creating a future where everyone can thrive.
We are pleased to offer essential resources to help continue driving inclusive, women-led climate action and innovation, including:
- Online leadership skills course: This four-week course aims to empower and inspire women and girls to strengthen their leadership skills to deliver climate initiatives rooted in the principles of inclusion and equity.
Access the online course ↗ - Women4Climate Online Course Playbook for Cities: An accessible guide for cities using the [above] online course, to build staff skills and engage local communities in inclusive, equitable climate action.
Access the playbook ↗ - Women4Climate Mentorship Programme Implementation Guide: Based on our experiences of running 44 mentorship programmes since 2017, we’ve created a best practice guide on delivering a mentorship programme on climate action for women and other underrepresented groups.
Access the guide ↗ - Research and case studies: Women4Climate’s original research aimed to deepen our understanding of the interplay between gendered climate impacts in the city context, urban policy solutions that address gendered impacts, and the critical role of women in urban climate action.
Access the resources ↗
FAQ
How can I encourage my city to run a mentorship programme?
To support your city in launching a mentorship programme, please refer to the Women4Climate Mentorship Programme Implementation Guide. Based on our experiences of running 44 mentoring programmes since 2017, this is a best practice guide to implementing a climate action mentoring programme for women and other under-represented groups. Residents can share it with relevant city departments to explore opportunities for the city to undertake such activities. Recommended city departments include climate/environment, public engagement/civic participation, women’s affairs, youth, employment, or education. Access the guide ↗
How can I build my climate leadership skills, or learn to deliver climate initiatives rooted in the principles of inclusion and equity?
The free, four-week online course, Developing Skills for Women Leadership in Climate Action, can help to build your inclusive climate action skills. Residents can draw on the scenarios described in the Women4Climate Online Course Playbook for Cities to design collective learning opportunities and engage in peer-to-peer learning. This is an accessible guide to using the online course and engaging local communities in inclusive and equitable climate action. Residents can also share it with city officials in their city to explore joint opportunities to undertake the activities described in the playbook. Access the playbook ↗
