Women and the Green Economy (WAGE)

Promoting Sustainability and Solutions to Climate Change

To accelerate and provide the new thinking and creative power for a global post-carbon economy, Earth Day Network is engaging women business, government and NGO leaders in its “Women and the Green Economy” (WAGE®) Campaign. WAGE® is working today to create a policy agenda for Rio+20 and generate relevant national initiatives that will promote the green economy, secure educational and job training opportunities for women and channel green investment to benefit women.

Launched at the UNFCCC 16th Conference of the Parties in Cancun, Mexico in December, 2010, the WAGE® Campaign is actively creating a road map for women to aggregate their power and promote their leadership in creating a sustainable green economy and mitigating climate change.

Earth Day Network created WAGE® in view of the following facts:

• Women constitute more than half of the world’s population
• Women make 85 percent of all consumer choices
• Women are rising to key positions of power
• Women can lead the way to a sustainable green economy

Together, our most talented and successful women can fast-forward the green economy.

From U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who created a new office for women at the State Department, to Dr. Amina Benkhadra, Morocco’s Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, to Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, women are leading key efforts in the climate and renewable energy discussion.

READ: Secretary Clinton: Global Economy Depends on Women

Why Green Is Your Color: A Woman's Guide to a Sustainable Career

From the U.S. Department of Labor

• PDF version
• HTML version

Ensuring women are prepared to succeed in a 21st century changing economy is critical to the financial stability of women, their families, and our country. Why Green Is Your Color: A Woman's Guide to a Sustainable Career is a comprehensive manual designed to assist women with job training and career development as they enter into innovative and nontraditional jobs. The guide also provides vulnerable women a pathway to higher paying jobs, and serves as a tool to help fight job segregation. It offers women resources and information they need to enter and succeed in jobs in the emerging green economy. The guide was created to help women at all stages of their careers — whether they are newly entering the workforce, transitioning to new careers, or returning to the workforce — identify and take advantage of opportunities in the clean energy economy. It will help training providers, educators, counselors, and other workforce development professionals promote the recruitment and retention of women in green career paths.

WAGE® News & Recent Events

2012 WAGE® Leadership Award Presented to Connie Hedegaard

Earth Day Network honored Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, with the 2012 Women and the Green Economy (WAGE®) Leadership Award. The award was presented at the third annual Climate Leadership Gala on March 27 in Washington, D.C.

“Connie Hedegaard exemplifies what the WAGE Leadership Award is all about,” said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network.  “Most recently, she was the hero of the climate talks in Durban, getting the United States, India and China to accept a legally binding agreement to cut carbon emissions, but she has a long history of trailblazing for women in the green economy.”

Appointed in 2010, Hedegaard is the European Union’s first ever Commissioner for Climate Action. Previously, she was Danish Minister for the Environment. In that capacity, she was in charge of setting up the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy where one of the main tasks was to prepare the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. Hedegaard’s political career began in 1984 when, at the age of 23, she became the youngest person ever elected to the Danish Parliament. She chose to leave politics for journalism in 1990 and spent 14 years as one of the most recognized journalists in Denmark. She is the author of Da klimaet blev hot (When the Climate Got Hot) published in 2008.

“I am honored to have been chosen for this award,” said Hedegaard. “It’s vital that we encourage women’s full participation in the planning and leadership of the new green economy, one the most important social, economic and environmental transformation of our time. We need to continue to support women to be innovative, creative and resilient in a climate-constrained world as we strive to ensure equitable solutions to the climate problem''

The 2011 WAGE Leadership Award was presented to Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

WAGE Forum in Delhi: Feb. 1, 2012

Earth Day Network, in partnership with The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), hosted a day-long Women and the Green Economy (WAGE®) forum in Delhi, India, on February 1, 2012. The forum was held as a special event to the 12th annual Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, which brings together government, civil society and corporate leaders from around the globe. Fifty of the most influential women in business, media and civil society came together today to increase the participation and leadership of women in India and key countries of South Asia in the design and implementation of the post-carbon economy.

The goal of the forum is to begin developing a strong, cohesive set of policy proposals to achieve a green economy.  The proposals will be presented to the Government of India and to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Secretariat. They will then be disseminated to the United Nations, the U.N. Foundation, the U.S. and other state departments, as well as directly into the RIO+20 process, where Earth Day Network holds a seat on the Women’s Steering Committee for the Women’s Major Group.

Check out the press release here, and see the list of participants here.

At the WAGE forum in Delhi, India, on Feb. 1, 2012, Earth Day commended the following women for their extraordinary efforts on behalf of the planet and humankind:

1. Ms. Chandra Kala, Director, Chattarsal Seva Sansthan
   For close to a decade, Ms. Chauhan has worked tirelessly to help local communities minimize their dependence on forest resources and build awareness about the need to shift from fossil fuels to other energy sources.  Her work, which began in five villages of Almora District of Uttaranchal, has today expanded to benefit an additional 500 women in 25 neighboring villages.  Ms. Chauhan leads Chattarasal’s GEF/UNDP Small Grants Program supported project on “The Promotion of Community-led approaches towards Non-Conventional Energy Resources.”
2. Ms. Anita Rana, Director, Janhit Foundation
   Ms. Rana has relentlessly worked to reduce the use of Persistent Organic Pollutants through the promotion of bio pesticides and organic manures in the highly inorganic fertilizer-use areas of Western Uttar Pradesh.  Ms. Rana has also helped set up rain water harvesting units.  She is recognized for the environmental education programs she conducts for youth.  These have nurtured greater environmental consciousness and a sense to do something for the environment among youth. Ms. Rana’s endeavours have grown manifold, as have the results.  One example is the establishment of the first (and only) organic food ingredients outlet in Meerut city. Ms. Rana’s work is supported by the GEF/UNDP Small Grants Program.
3. Ms. Rekha Gujre, Secretary, Pradeepan
   Pradeepan is an NGO that works in 130 villages in tribal areas of Betul District of Madhya Pradesh.  With support from the GEF /UNDP Small Grants Program through CEE, Ms. Gujre has helped over 2,500 women implement simple, low-cost measures to conserve soil and water, and the local biodiversity, and at the same time create business models for livelihood enhancement.  Her successes include help with setting up Self Help Groups, so that there is a concerted effort to work for the environment, and assisting women connect with banks for credit for their environmental projects.  Ms. Gujre has worked to ensure that environment-related issues are placed on agendas of Panchayats (local government).
4. Ms. Beguma, Volunteer, Jagriti
   Jagriti is a women-centered NGO that works in remote areas of Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh.  Many of these areas are not accessible by any roads.  But that has not deterred Ms. Beguma visiting them time and again.  In these lesser-developed areas, Ms, Beguma has worked relentlessly to bring women together to lobby for environmental concerns.  With support from the GEF UNDP Small Grants Program through CEE, Ms. Beguma has helped 1,500 women introduce simple technologies that mitigate climate change.  These include: solar driers, energy efficient water heaters, and energy efficient cook stoves.  Ms. Beguma also helps in the conservation and protection of high altitude species of medicinal plants and local species of fruit.  She has actively worked for gender budgeting.

We would like to thank Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Development Program Small Grant’s Program, anchored through Centre for Environment Education, for making it possible for all the honorees to be present at the forum.

Photo Courtesy of Clinton Global Initiative

Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting September 20-23: 2011

Kathleen Rogers moderated a session at CGI entited, Women as Agents in Driving Climate and Environmental Solutions.

CGI recognized that women play an increasingly significant role in propelling environmental protection and restoration efforts and combating climate change. The session explored best practices that engage women to confront climate and environmental issues, including technological and traditional solutions. Members discussed the role of women in restoration efforts, forestry, agricultural and agroforestry innovation, repair and maintenance of technologies, and leadership in technological innovation. Jane Madgwick, Chief Executive Officer of Wetlands International and Sarah Otterstrom and Executive Director, Paso Pacifico also participated in the panel.

At the Clinton Global Initiative, Earth Day Network was also recognized for its A Billion Act of Green® commitment. "The commitment was selected from a larger pool of member commitments as an exemplary approach to addressing challenges in Environment & Energy.” - CGI

Yang Lan presides over APEC Women and Economy Summit 2011

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): September 15, 2011

Kathleen Rogers spoke at the Women and the Economy Summit in San Francisco on the September 15 at the session: “The Future of Women and the Sustainable Economy.” APEC is made up of 21 Asia-Pacific member countries.  

"Women are key to all economies, are agents of economic growth, and can be mobilized to create greater economic good. This program will feature high-level policy leaders who will highlight the importance of furthering women’s participation in the economy as an economic growth strategy."
- APEC USA 2011

President of the Earth Day Network, Kathleen Rogers; Senior Vice President of Earth Day Network, Susan Bass; EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson; Actress and Activist Bo Derek.

WAGE® Award: May 3, 2011

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson was presented with the Women and the Green Economy 2011 Leadership Award by Earth Day Network for her leadership in bridging the environmental movement and the political and economic spheres of influence to lay the foundation for a green economy for all Americans.

Admired for her tenacity under fire and proven perseverance, Ms. Jackson accepted the award, emphasizing that “women have a special role to play….in taking care of the next generation.” Ms. Jackson continued, “Sometimes we have to remind people why the economy is green. Yes, it will break our dependence on foreign oil. . . but it will also keep us healthy…Tens of thousands of premature deaths avoided every year. Hundreds of thousands of cases of asthma and bronchitis avoided each and every year. Forty dollars of health benefits for every dollar we spend to protect our clean air. It’s really simple folks. It’s good economics and very, very good preventive medicine.”

Kathleen Rogers; USAID's Global Climate Change Coordinator, Kit Batten; Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero; Vice President, Greening is Universal/Sustainability at NBC Universal, Beth Colleton.

WAGE® at the State Department: April 26, 2011

Participants in the Earth Day Speaker Event "Women and the Green Economy" included: President of the Earth Day Network, Kathleen Rogers; USAID's Global Climate Change Coordinator, Kit Batten; Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero; Vice President, Greening is Universal/Sustainability at NBC Universal, Beth Colleton.

“Earth Day Network is thrilled that leaders around the world have chosen Earth Day as a time to focus their communities on how they can all benefit from growing a green economy, " said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network, "They realize that preserving the environment presents opportunities for innovation and investment that can grow new, high-quality jobs."

Marina Grossi, Executive President, Business Council for Sustainable Development of Brazil

WAGE® KICK OFF IN CANCUN MEXICO: December, 2010

At the World Climate Summit, over 800 hundred of the top business leaders from around the globe convened including Sir Richard Branson and Ted Turner. The WAGE® panel featured:

• Marina Grossi, Executive President, Business Council for Sustainable Development of Brazil
• Martha Duggan, Vice President, Government Relations, United Solar Ovonic; 2010 Chair, Solar Alliance; and Board Member, Coalition for Green Capital;
• Sarah Severn, Director of Horizons, Corporate Responsibility, Nike Inc.;
• Mari Snyder, Vice President, Social Responsibility & Community Engagement for Marriott International, Inc.;
• Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association
• Tania Esparza, Managing Director, Iniciativa México