The climate crisis is not gender-neutral. Women and children are disproportionately impacted by climate change, yet continue to be drastically underrepresented in leadership spaces where decisions about our planet’s future are made. At Global Choices, we know this needs to change.
As a mostly women-led organization, we deeply value and champion feminine leadership. Through our work supporting the Arctic Angels—our global network of 74 young women from 35 countries —we see firsthand how women are already driving transformative change, especially when it comes to bringing awareness to the ice crisis.
This March and April, in celebration of Women’s History Month and Earth Month, we launched a powerful social media campaign asking: Who Is She Climate? Our goal? To spotlight the women who are not only making history, but rewriting the future.
Here’s a look back at the incredible women we spotlighted:
Sheila Watt-Cloutier // Protecting the Arctic as a Human Right
An Inuit activist and author, Sheila Watt-Cloutier has spent decades connecting the melting Arctic to global human rights and health. She played a key role in the adoption of the Stockholm Convention, which banned persistent organic pollutants disproportionately affecting Indigenous Arctic communities. Her work reframes the Arctic not just as a region in crisis — but as a frontline of climate justice. As former president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, she’s brought Inuit knowledge to international platforms, from the UN to Nobel Peace Prize nominations. Her voice reminds the world that the Arctic is not a remote wilderness — it’s home. Explore her story
Dr. Susan Solomon // Solving the Ozone Crisis
One of the most celebrated atmospheric chemists of our time, Dr. Solomon led the expedition that proved chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were destroying the ozone layer over Antarctica. Her research directly influenced the Montreal Protocol, which became one of the most successful environmental treaties in history. Her science helped preserve the Earth’s protective ozone shield — and her leadership on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) helped earn the organization the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Learn more
Dr. Julienne Stroeve // Reading the Ice from Space
Dr. Julienne Stroeve is a polar scientist and satellite expert whose research tracks the rapid disappearance of Arctic sea ice. Her work shows that the Arctic has lost more than 50% of its summer ice in just a few decades — a devastating signal of accelerating climate change. Julienne collaborates with Indigenous communities and frequently joins Arctic expeditions to understand ice dynamics firsthand. As a professor and science communicator, she bridges cutting-edge climate science with public awareness, empowering calls like ours for an Arctic Ocean moratorium. Meet her
Dr. Cecilia Bitz // Modeling Our Melting Future
As a leading climate modeler, Dr. Bitz specializes in understanding how sea ice and temperature interact to influence global systems. Her models have shown that the Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average — a phenomenon known as Arctic Amplification. Cecilia’s work provides critical insight for policymakers and activists working to limit global warming. Her science gives us a glimpse into what the future could look like — and how fast we need to act to change it.
Dr. Heïdi Sevestre // The Glaciologist on a Mission
With ice axes in hand and glaciers at her feet, Dr. Heïdi Sevestre is a climate communicator who brings science into the public imagination. As a glaciologist and science advisor to Global Choices, Heïdi bridges rigorous research with impassioned advocacy. She’s trekked across glaciers in the Arctic, the Himalayas, and Antarctica to document melting and raise global awareness. In 2022, she delivered a message from the Arctic to the UN General Assembly and continues to fight for a global response to ice loss. Watch her speak
Christiana Figueres // Architect of the Paris Agreement
When Christiana Figueres took over the UNFCCC in 2010, international climate negotiations were at a standstill. Through relentless diplomacy, radical collaboration, and unshakeable optimism, she led 195 countries to adopt the Paris Agreement in 2015. She pioneered the idea that climate solutions require both government and grassroots action — and has since launched the podcast Outrage + Optimism to inspire people worldwide to step into climate leadership.
Listen to her podcast
Dr. Sylvia Earle // Her Deepness and the Voice for the Ocean
With more than 7,000 hours spent under the sea, Dr. Sylvia Earle has dedicated her life to protecting the world’s oceans. She’s the founder of Mission Blue, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, and a Global Choices advisor.
Sylvia coined the term “Hope Spots” for places in the ocean that are critical to biodiversity and human survival. Her words echo in our own work: “No blue, no green, no life.” As the Central Arctic Ocean opens to potential exploitation, we carry her vision forward in our call for a 10-year moratorium on industrial activity in the region.
Jojo Mehta // Making Ecocide a Crime
Jojo Mehta is the co-founder and Executive Director of Stop Ecocide International, a movement to recognize mass environmental destruction — or “ecocide” — as a crime at the International Criminal Court.
Her work introduces legal accountability into the climate conversation, ensuring that those who destroy ecosystems can be held responsible. As climate justice continues to grow as a movement, Jojo’s efforts could redefine how international law protects the Earth.
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These stories are a testament to courage, vision, and resilience. They remind us that the climate movement has always been shaped by the voices of women—many of whom have had to fight to be heard.
