The Women Climate Leaders Network of the UNFCCC (WCLN) met on the margins of the Bonn Climate Conference in June 2024. During the now traditional ‘first Monday of the conference’ dinner, which was supported by ecbi, WCLN members exchanged stories, discussed challenges faced, and explored ideas and plans for future events. 

The dinner was followed a few days later by a Women Leaders Café event, a first for the Network. As well as raising awareness about the Network, the drop-in session provided a space for new female negotiators and those who are considering taking up one of the leadership positions in the process to tell their stories and chat with Network members, in an informal setting. The event was very well attended, with approximately 60 women joining over the course of the 1.5-hour morning session. Plans are already underway for the convening of another Women Leaders Café event at COP29 in Baku in November. 

In a process that is still has a long way to go toward achieving gender balance in leadership roles in the UNFCCC process and in overall composition of UNFCCC bodies, the WCLN has become a welcome initiative which ecbi has been supporting since its inception. The Network was launched at COP25 to provide opportunities for women holding leadership positions in the UNFCCC process to meet, exchange experiences, and support each other as well as other women aspiring to leadership positions.