Canadian women mobilize for stronger climate action
The group highlights that women play a crucial role in advancing climate action, and companies with women in leadership roles tend to have better climate performance. Photo by Matin Sarfraz for Canada's National Observer
A group of Canadian women leaders are demanding stronger climate action with the official launch of the Canadian chapter of Women Leading on Climate at the GLOBExCHANGE conference in Toronto.
The initiative, founded by Catherine McKenna, the former minister of Environment and Climate Change, is part of a global network of female leaders in business, finance, policy, and civil society working to drive ambitious climate policies and economic opportunities.
McKenna, now the CEO of Climate and Nature Solutions, a consultancy, told Canada's National Observer there is an urgent need for more women in leadership to tackle climate change effectively.
“Women are pushing for more ambitious climate action in negotiating rooms, in boardrooms, in our communities and in the streets,” McKenna said. “In this critical time for climate action, we need to raise our voices even more. We’ve seen the power of women. When we come together, we go further, faster.”
McKenna said the Canadian chapter will focus on advancing key climate policies, promoting sustainable economic growth, and ensuring Canada remains competitive in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Women in leadership drive stronger climate policies, yet they remain underrepresented in key decision-making roles across business and government, she said.
“Unfortunately, we do not have a majority of women leaders globally. We do not have a majority of women CEOs here in Canada,” McKenna said. “That underrepresentation is a missed opportunity because we know women are practical problem-solvers. And in the end, climate change is a very practical issue.”
According to the group’s statement, women play a crucial role in advancing climate action. They are 2.5 times more likely to demand that their government take action on climate change and twice as likely to engage civically on the issue, the statement reads. Also, companies with women in leadership roles tend to have better climate performance.
McKenna stressed that climate change is not a partisan issue but a matter of science, economics, and urgency. “The facts are on our side,” she said. “We need to empower women because they understand the urgency — we’re running out of time to act. We can make excuses, but that won’t change the reality: emissions must go down, or future generations will pay the price.”
She also highlighted the importance of solidarity among women in leadership. “When you’re the only woman at a decision-making table, knowing that others are speaking up in different rooms makes a difference,” McKenna said. “It gives you the confidence to push for change, even if you’re not the CEO or the top leader in the room.”
According to Statistics Canada, women remain significantly underrepresented in the environmental and clean technology (ECT) sector, despite its growing economic importance. In 2021, women made up just 28.6 per cent of the clean-tech workforce, a slight increase from 2009. This gap is even wider in management positions, where women hold only 26.6 per cent of leadership roles.
The gender pay gap in clean tech also remains a concern, with women in the sector earning an average of $44.35 per hour in 2021 — 16.3 per cent less than men, a disparity that exceeds the national average gender pay gap of 12.4 per cent.
McKenna argues that closing the gender gap in leadership and technical roles is essential for improving climate policies, fostering economic growth, and making Canada more competitive in the global clean energy transition.
“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,” said Barbara Zvan, president and CEO, University Pension Plan (UPP), in a statement shared with Canada’s National Observer. “As the risks of climate inaction grow ever larger, it's time for tangible, meaningful action across sectors and communities.”
Speaking at the GLOBExCHANGE event, Merran Smith, president of New Economy Canada, emphasized the importance of collaboration in tackling the climate crisis and preparing industries, workers, and communities for success in a decarbonized economy.
She expressed admiration for the dedicated women across Canada who are driving the clean economy forward, noting that their collective efforts are making tangible progress in building a more sustainable future. “Women are coming together and getting things built,” she said.
McKenna highlighted that women, particularly those in low-income and marginalized communities, face disproportionate impacts from climate change.
On a global scale, she stressed that women in developing countries, particularly small-scale farmers, are among the hardest hit by climate change. Extreme weather events, she explained, are making farming more difficult, while women and girls are forced to travel greater distances for water and firewood, increasing their risks.
Despite these challenges, McKenna underscored that women are not just victims of climate change — they are leading solutions.
February 12th 2025
Journalist
Comments
Growing up with an economy of care central to your understanding of politics helps. And there is lots we can do even as individuals....with the help of a willing partner, it has been little me that pushed for rooftop solar. We put on our first set in 2009. More went up in 2017, and both our children's homes have panels as well.
We pay attention to government programs and take advantage of them. We use the money we don't spend on foreign travel......or big ticket items. We drive an EV, have recently purchased a second hand one for our son's family...and we're in the process of getting a heat pump.
We see why the right wants to come for our pensions........because living sustainably saves money...and with that money you can support the industries of the future.
Food security is also important, and more of us need to get busy creating the local supply chains that guarantee we aren't eating other people's food as often as we do now. I'm all for more women in decision making roles......but I also advocate for every last one of us.......joining the transition.
Women love their children. Many of us see the needs of all the children in our own little ones. Let's put our energy and our resources into building a better world......one that doesn't have to reduce mountains to mounds of rubble in order to create a zombie economy.
We can all be part of that forth wave.
Lots of bored, retired women hanging around and at 85, I have impediments to active opposition but i can still write letters and while my cognitive skills are still intact I take pleasure in emailing and sending hectoring letters to the malingerers among our politicians, corporate dummies, and unindicted financial felons.