Video summary
On this World Environment Day 2026, Frances Ferreira from the Commonwealth of Learning emphasizes that collective action against climate change cannot be delayed any further. The accelerating impacts of global warming are severely disrupting livelihoods across the Commonwealth, with floods sweeping through communities, storms destroying homes, and wildfires forcing families to flee. While these environmental disasters affect everyone, they often hit women and girls particularly hard by interrupting their education, limiting access to healthcare, and shrinking employment opportunities. Despite facing these compounded challenges, women and girls are frequently excluded from decision-making processes regarding how their communities respond to crises, a situation that not only feels unfair but also weakens the overall effectiveness of solutions.
To address this imbalance, the Commonwealth of Learning's Empowering Women and Girls project works with partners to place women at the center of climate resilience efforts. Through initiatives like sustainable energy training and composting workshops, many women who previously lacked access to environmental education are now gaining practical skills that they apply in their daily lives. These programs have significantly boosted confidence among participants, transforming them from passive observers into active leaders who share knowledge with others. Furthermore, the project helps women become pillars of emergency preparedness by providing solutions for disaster response, enabling them to share critical information and help families stay safe during extreme weather events caused by a changing climate.
The economic and social benefits of these interventions are evident in how farming has evolved amidst unpredictable weather patterns. With support from the program, women are learning about climate-smart agriculture, including resilient crop varieties, fertilization techniques, and soil improvement methods that ensure more suitable harvests and stronger incomes. Additionally, communities have established local kitchen gardens to supplement food sources, contributing to healthier populations and greater financial stability. By empowering women and girls with these specific skills and knowledge, entire communities become more robust against environmental shocks, creating a cycle of growth where improved agricultural practices lead to better livelihoods for all residents.
Ultimately, World Environment Day serves as a crucial moment for reflection and action to deepen our understanding of the challenges we face while committing to protect our environment. Climate action is not merely about safeguarding the planet; it is fundamentally about building a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for everyone. This vision requires that women and girls be recognized as active agents of change rather than bystanders in their own communities. By ensuring they are included in leadership roles and equipped with necessary skills, we can drive meaningful climate action locally while fostering resilience that benefits the entire world.
Read the full video transcript
Hello. My name is Frances Ferreira. I'm
the senior advisor for women and girls
at the Commonwealth of Learning.
On this World Environment Day, the call
is clear.
Collective action cannot wait.
Every day, the accelerating impacts of
climate change are disrupting
livelihoods across the Commonwealth.
Floods sweep through entire communities,
storms destroy homes, and wildfires
force families to flee.
But for women and girls, the impacts
often run deeper, interrupting
education, limiting access to health
care, and shrinking employment
opportunities.
Yet all too often, it is women and girls
who are excluded from decisions about
how their communities respond. This is
not just unfair, it weakens solutions.
Through the Commonwealth of Learning's
Empowering Women and Girls project, we
work with partners to place women and
girls at the center of climate
resilience, building skills, supporting
leadership, and enabling women and girls
to drive climate action in their
communities.
>> Before this program, many women in our
community did not have access to
environmental training. Now they are
training practical skills such as
sustainable energy use and composting.
With this skill, they can apply in their
daily lives. They are more confident and
able to share their knowledge with
others. And girls we can not just
participants, they are leaders. What
stand out is their growing confidence.
They are not only participating, they
are leading and sharing this knowledge
with others.
>> Climate change is increasing extreme
weather in our region. Through this
project, women can access solutions to
emergency responses and preparedness.
They are now pillars in their
communities
sharing critical information and helping
families stay safe during disasters.
Farming has become more unpredictable
because of climate change. With core
support, women are learning climate
smart agriculture and growing their
knowledge of climate resilient crops,
fertilization and soil improvement.
Women and girls have also created local
kitchen gardens to supplement food
source.
We now have more suitable harvest,
strong incomes, and healthy communities.
>> When women and girls are empowered to
act, entire communities become more
resilient.
World Environment Day is a moment for
all of us to reflect and take action to
deepen our understanding of the
challenges we face and to commit to
protecting our environment.
Because climate action is not only about
safeguarding the planet, it is about
building a more just, inclusive, and
sustainable future for everyone. And
that future must include women and girls
as active agents of change.
>> [music]