Women as Environmental Leaders: Shifting the Narrative from Vulnerability to Empowerment

Women are often portrayed in climate discourse as disproportionately vulnerable to environmental change—a reductive framing that, while grounded in evidence, can obscure their agency and leadership in shaping climate resilience. This paper addresses that gap by exploring how gendered experience equips women to lead effective climate action. It examines two interrelated drivers of women’s climate leadership: (1) the heightened impact of climate shocks, such as displacement, food insecurity, and health risks, on women, which fuels women and catalyzes adaptation efforts; and (2) the distinctive competencies women develop through their social roles, such as long-term orientation, risk aversion, and prosocial behavior, which align with the demands of climate leadership. The paper presents a narrative review of interdisciplinary literature and develops a new conceptual model, the Climate Leadership Readiness Framework (CLRF), which distills the skillset required for effective climate leadership. The framework is used to assess women’s leadership potential across five domains: leadership, principles, skills, knowledge, and networks. Three spheres of transformation—practical, political, and personal—are applied to map where women are currently leading within the climate space and where institutional and policy support can unlock greater impact. The study finds that women are uniquely equipped to and already play an active role in climate action, although it is often underrecognized. By reframing women not as passive victims but as strategic actors, the paper offers a conceptual and policy-relevant lens for advancing inclusive climate governance. Embedding women’s leadership in climate strategies is not only an equity imperative, but also central to achieving durable and effective climate resilience.