By Alex Stote and Zoë van Duivenbode

Google “Women and Climate Change” and what do you get? Mostly a slew of reports describing how women will be disproportionately affected by climate change because, among various other reasons, they are more likely to live below the poverty line than men, and they have far fewer  economic, political, and legal resources available to aid them in adaptation. While it’s important to recognize the unjust reality that, on average, many women will be more negatively affected by climate change than men, we also think it’s important to flip the narrative: Women across the globe are banding together in strength and numbers to lead the charge in community adaptation and mitigation, furthering climate science, and building resiliency through women-led coalitions. We’ve seen recent examples of young heroines pushing harder for climate action than ever before, from proposing a bold Green New Deal in the United States to publicly striking in front of Parliament in Europe. However, many lesser-known success stories of female leadership in climate change are unfolding globally. As part this Women in STEM feature series, we’d like to share a few of these stories to further highlight the ambition and fortitude of women in the climate field.

Globally, energy production is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, yet the benefits of energy production are not evenly distributed. How can we encourage development in areas that don’t have access to basic living necessities, like electricity and fuel for cooking, while also trying to reduce emissions in the energy sector? Solar Sister, a female-led entrepreneurial group based in sub-Saharan Africa, is tackling just that. Not only does the group provide solar panels to families in need, but they also empower women to lead the charge in doing so within their own communities. They provide business and leadership training so women can successfully sell solar panels to people within their community and earn income in the process. Their model combats climate change in two ways: through the provision of clean energy and through information- and resource-sharing, which increases the proportion of women in climate leadership and business.

As some women focus their efforts on climate-change mitigation, other women mobilize as climate activists, finding inspiration in their children and families. Mothers are the unspoken heroes across space, time, culture, and values. And mothers can really be anyone; they’re the women who care and love unconditionally, who make sacrifices for the benefit of others, and who fiercely fight to protect younger generations. Mothers have a history of standing up for and representing young adults everywhere from speaking out against state terrorism in Iran to advocating for stricter laws around drunk driving in the US.  It’s only fitting, then, that this group of women is also the foundation of a powerful grassroots movement that advocates for a healthy climate for children today and in the future. Mothers Out Front is a non-profit organization run almost entirely by volunteers in nine states across the US, with the mission to build power as mothers and equip women with tools to spread awareness about climate change. From advocating for carbon pricing bills, to holding cities accountable to their emission reduction targets, to protesting pipelines and fighting for climate justice, these women are a force of nature when it comes to fighting for the health and vitality of the planet.

While Solar Sisters and Mothers Out Front are hard at work in their own communities, another women’s group is working to further understand the dynamics of climate change far away from home. Each year, members of the Homeward Bound program are selected to travel together to Antarctica to undergo women’s leadership training as they observe how climate change is impacting one of the most remote areas on earth. The group is comprised entirely of women in STEM fields who seek further training in becoming climate leaders in their own respective networks. Various cohorts have circulated through the program, and as more expeditions continue into the future, this unique community of women in STEM will continue to grow and influence their circles long after their time in Antarctica.

The initial Google search may have returned a list of resources highlighting women’s susceptibility to climate impacts, but the other – sometimes untold – side of the story is that there is an army of powerful women making progress in the fields of climate science, leadership, and advocacy across the globe. Women from mothers and activists to scientists and policy-makers are positioning themselves as the movers and shakers of climate action at every level of society, and empowering a new generation of determined female leaders in the process.