In this episode Catherine is joined by Gina McCarthy, Former White House "Czarina" & head of America's All In. Gina is tough, funny, and all about delivery!
We dig into how to turn targets into action—build coalitions, speak like a human (health, jobs, fairness), and stay hopeful while acting with a backbone. So many awesome stories from Kigali to the West Wing!
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Watch this episode on the Women Leading on Climate YouTube channel.
This episode was recorded on Riverside.fm in August 2025.
This week, we're on the ground in Brazil bringing you the voices that matter most ahead of COP 30.
First, COP CEO Ana Toni shares her bold vision for what these negotiations can—and must—achieve. Then, join Brazilian youth activist Paloma Costa ahead of her journey upriver to Belém, where she’s traveling in solidarity with the Indigenous communities of the Amazon.
Finally, climate and nature policy expert Ilona Szabo breaks down the stakes: what does the global South need from this COP, why Brazil's challenges are unique, and what real outcomes she's demanding from world leaders.
Three women. Three urgent perspectives. One critical moment for the Global South and our planet.
Catherine McKenna and Katharine Hayhoe dive into the reality that while the fight against climate change is intensifying, real progress is happening. They explore how we move forward together: by grounding political discourse in shared facts, mobilizing unexpected allies in faith communities, and mastering the art of climate communication that actually lands with people. Katharine and Catherine get candid about the barriers women face—from online hate and misogyny to burnout—and why self-care isn't selfish, it's strategic. But the heart of their message is this: individual voices matter, and when amplified through community solidarity, they become unstoppable. Whether you're a woman in science facing pushback or someone just finding your climate voice, this episode is a reminder that women and girls are leading this movement—and there's a place for you in it.
Recorded in September 2025.
Christiana Figueres, architect of the Paris Agreement, on why 1.5°C is still alive, the “magic” of women’s leadership in negotiations, and what you can do today to make a difference.
Introducing Women Leading on Climate Podcast—the podcast where host Catherine McKenna sits down with women leaders advancing solutions from negotiation rooms to classrooms, boardrooms, communities, and streets.
The series showcases the voices of women leaders across the climate space, from Indigenous communities in Canada and globally, to legal experts and activists keeping governments and corporations accountable, to policy leaders who are fighting to keep climate on the agenda.