Meet four trailblazing women striving tirelessly to protect the planet

In 1995, representatives from over 189 countries agreed upon a blueprint for gender equality at the Fourth World Conference on Women. The Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action defined 12 areas connected with gender equity, one of which was “Women and the Environment” and today the inclusion of women’s voices in the climate discourse is more critical than ever. Recognising that climate change impacts women and girls disproportionately, many influential women leaders are working today not only to safeguard nature but to show that climate action can be inclusive as well as gender sensitive.

An overview:

1. Amanda Sanghvi – Management Team, Grow-Trees.com

After working in the tax consultancy space, this qualified chartered accountant and lawyer joined the social organisation Grow-Trees.com in 2021. They brought a unique community-centric perspective to reforestation and the restoration of degraded ecosystems. Her work acknowledges the relationship between land and the communities that inhabit it and nurtures shrinking biodiversity, as well as those who depend on it for sustenance. Such community-based, reforestation projects are especially empowering for underserved rural women who not only learn the basics of land stewardship but also benefit from gainful work. At Grow-Trees.com, she also supports other management functions along with business development. Passionate about addressing environmental crises, she is focused on developing solutions aimed at increasing India’s green cover, protecting its forests, expanding wildlife habitats and creating carbon sinks in overheated concrete jungles with the support of local communities.

2. Renjini Thampi- Founder and CEO of Vapasee

Currently a part of the 2024 cohort of the Women Climate Collective (WCC), a platform which supports a just, gender-inclusive climate transition by empowering women leaders to lead climate action, Renjini Thampi has always been passionate about addressing the pollution caused by unmanaged waste. As the founder and CEO of Vapasee, her innovative upcycling strategies have been transforming discarded glass into decor items and artistic products. Her company has reportedly upcycled over 28,000 glass bottles, 7,000 coconut shells, 1,000 kgs of wood and 780 kgs of metal waste. The organisation also has enormous socio-economic impact as it employs underserved women from marginalised sections as well as local artisans. Her community -driven work elucidates that when climate action is intersectional, it can reap both environmental and social benefits.

3. Leena Joshi – Executive Director of Climate Conservancy

Social entrepreneur, climate advocate, public speaker and author Leena Joshi is the founder and executive director of Climate Conservancy, an international non-profit organisation with over 9000 volunteers in 60+ countries. At the core of Climate Conservancy, is the passion to protect and conserve fragile ecosystems, and foster adaptive climate action as well as sustainable practices. Leena advocates inclusive land stewardship and community action to safeguard biodiversity. She champions climate resilience across demographics and has sat on boards and advisory councils for various organizations including The Climate Reality Project and many more. She’s also the CEO and Chair of the Board at EcoVita, a company creating biodegradable tableware and cutlery.

4. Hemavathi S Shekhar - Founder of Enact Earth Foundation

Lawyer, researcher and academician Hemavathi believes that climate change is not just an environmental issue but a human issue about displacement, gender, labour, mental health and more. As an advocate for equity and justice, Hemavathi works at the intersection of climate change and law to offer greater representation to marginalised communities. Founded in 2021, her organisation Enact Earth Foundation, disseminates climate literacy and boosts intergenerational equity. Her work helps to increase gender and participatory justice and includes overlooked perspectives. She is currently a part of the 2024 cohort of the Women Climate Collective (WCC) and also a Council Member of the Loss and Damage Youth Grant-Making Council which disburses funding to youth-driven initiatives in the Global South.