When it comes to climate, why aren’t we investing more in women? When women have a seat at the table, research shows that they push for more transparency and better policies to manage resources and lower emissions. Female-led firms achieve higher Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scores and are more likely to support the green transition by monitoring CO2 emissions and setting energy targets. Yet less than 2% of the $630 billion in climate investments made between 2019 and 2020 went to enterprises led by or benefiting women.
In emerging markets and developing economies, women bear the brunt of climate change – but they are also at the forefront of designing and implementing solutions. In this dynamic fireside chat, Nyeji Chilembo-Mhango will share her perspective on this investment gap as the managing partner of wCap Limited, a Zambia-based venture capital firm that both raises capital and backs female-led businesses in Southern Africa in sectors with high climate impact: tech, agribusiness, renewable energy, and manufacturing. She will be joined onstage by Payal Pathak of Visa Foundation, which develops and invests in global partnerships and programs that advance the growth of gender diverse and inclusive small and microbusinesses. Together, these women will share their experiences and insights into the challenges women-led climate solutions face in raising capital and opportunities to invest at the nexus of climate and gender to achieve maximum impact, including through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Climate Gender Equity Fund.
