International Women’s Day 2026

As highlighted by UN Women:

As the landscapes we love begin to disappear, so do the opportunities for women across the world, including here at home. Climate change is stretching national budgets thin and as resources are redirected toward disaster response and recovery, progress on gender equality is increasingly sidelined.

The warning signs are clear. Our winters are warmer, extreme rainfall and flooding are becoming more frequent and heatwaves and worsening air pollution are placing growing pressure on healthcare systems.

These changes are not gender neutral. Rising temperatures increase risks during pregnancy, older women face higher rates of heat-related mortality and air pollution is linked to preterm birth. As health systems strain under climate pressures, funding that could help close the gender health gap is often diverted elsewhere.

At the same time women remain underrepresented in the very spaces shaping climate policy, science and storytelling despite women being two and a half times more likely to demand government action on climate.

Women are powerful drivers of climate action. They are 60% more likely to advocate for change and twice as likely to engage civically on climate issues. At the community level, women shape consumption patterns, challenge entrenched norms, and embed climate awareness into everyday decisions ( Time Magazine, 2025).

Their representation in sustainability leadership is rising: women now hold 63% of executive sustainability roles, and female participation at COP has grown from 31% at COP14 to 40% at COP30. Yet they remain underrepresented in broader senior leadership, occupying just 29% of C-suite roles ( McKinsey, 2025).

Companies with more women on their boards are more likely to improve energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact and invest in renewable energy. Research from Taylor & Francis shows that when employees receive environmental management training, the presence of female directors significantly reduces carbon emissions.

As climate scientist Jessica Taylor wrote, “Ensuring that women have a voice in climate decision-making is essential for creating equitable and effective solutions.”

Mountain sports are about freedom, strength and community. But access to sport, like resilience to climate change, is shaped by inequality.

At Protect Our Winters UK, we believe climate education is climate action.

 

…gives women and girls the tools to advocate for themselves and their communities.

 

This International Women’s Day, we must ensure women have access to the information, networks and platforms where decisions are made. Climate education is powerful for everyone, empowering people to take meaningful action.