In the penultimate webinar of our Fair Green Future climate series, we moved from looking at how decisions are made to who is affected. We explored why different lived experiences must sit at the heart of climate action and how our personal stories can build momentum for change.

As WI members, we are rooted in communities across England, Wales and the islands, bringing people together to learn, share and take action. We care about creating a fairer, greener future because we see how issues that sit at the heart of WI life, like housing, health, food and care, are increasingly shaped by climate change.

Through the Fair Green Future campaign, we are making sure women’s voices and everyday experiences are part of the conversation, in our WIs, communities and decision-making.

We were joined by the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), a charity working at the intersection of women’s rights, health, equity and environmental justice, to explore how marginalised and minoritised groups are disproportionately affected by climate change, and what this means for adapting.

In this webinar, we also delved deeper into the importance of storytelling with The Climate Coalition who talked about how we can use our personal stories when working to bring about change.

Why climate justice is a feminist issue

Kate Metcalf and Nnenna Onwuka from WEN started us off by exploring how climate change and inequality are deeply linked.

WEN’s core approach is that tackling climate breakdown cannot be separated from tackling inequality. Our current economic system has created both environmental damage and deep social inequalities, and unless we address these together, climate solutions will fall short.

What is intersectionality?

WEN works through an intersectional and feminist lens. This means recognising that people’s experiences are shaped by overlapping factors, not just a single identity.

This can include their gender, race, disability, income, housing and immigration status. They emphasised that policies must reflect this reality if they are to be fair and effective.

The gendered, intersectional impact of climate change in the UK.

There are a range of ways that climate change affects some groups more than others in the UK:

• Heatwaves – Women are more vulnerable to extreme heat, with higher mortality rates during heatwaves. Pregnant women, infants, and women experiencing menopause face particular health risks. Poor housing, lack of green space and lower incomes increase exposure.
• Flooding – Women often take on greater caring responsibilities during floods and are more likely to live in areas at higher flood risk. Low-income households are less able to recover financially or access insurance and support.
• Air pollution – Linked to increased risks of heart disease, breast cancer, infertility, miscarriage and stillbirth. Pollution disproportionately affects poorer communities and areas with higher proportions of residents from minoritised and racialised backgrounds.
• Chemical pollution – Many everyday products contain hormone-disrupting chemicals linked to reproductive and developmental harm. Exposure is often higher in insecure or poor-quality housing.
• Housing and energy – Women are more likely to live in fuel poverty, particularly single-parent households. Poorly insulated homes worsen heat stress, cold, damp and health impacts — increasing caring burdens.

WEN stressed that highlighting these differences is not about ignoring the experiences of those that don’t belong to marginalised groups, but about ensuring that those most affected are not overlooked. By designing solutions that work for the most vulnerable, everyone benefits.

What can be done? The Feminist Green New Deal

To address these challenges, WEN has developed their Feminist Green New Deal, a policy platform calling for:

• a green economy that values care, wellbeing and social infrastructure alongside decarbonisation;
• investment in care work as essential, low‑carbon jobs;
• fair access to green jobs for women and marginalised groups;
• better housing, childcare, transport and green spaces as climate solutions.

WEN has also developed their community‑led Climate Sisters program, designed to support racialised and marginalised women to shape climate policy from the grassroots.

WEN has recently published a policy report with more details.

Telling your story

We were then joined by Meg O’Neill from The Climate Coalition who introduced the idea of using personal storytelling to inspire change.

Meg introduced the concept of public narrative, a framework developed by community organiser Marshall Ganz. The idea is simple but powerful: people are moved to act not by facts alone, but by stories that connect values, experience and urgency.

Meg outlined three types of story we can all use:

1. Story of self – Why you care. The experiences and values that shaped you.
2. Story of us – What your community shares. Common values and hopes.
3. Story of now – Why action is needed now. A clear and specific call to act.

Using examples from literature, film and her own life, Meg showed how effective stories often follow a simple structure:

• Challenge – something that disrupted the status quo;
• Choice – a moment of decision;
• Outcome – what changed as a result.

Members heard examples from climate activists around the world and were encouraged to reflect on their own experiences, whether that’s growing up close to nature, caring for family, or noticing changes in their local environment.

Key storytelling tips

Meg left members with some practical advice to get started thinking about our personal story:

• You don’t need to be an expert — your lived experience is your expertise.
• Show, don’t just tell: sensory detail helps stories resonate.
• Start with why you care, not just what the issue is.
• Practice and adapt your story for letters, meetings, media or events.

She also encouraged WI members to use moments like Great Big Green Week to share stories and invite others to care too.

Looking ahead

This webinar reminded us that climate action is deeply human. It’s about health, homes, care, community, and listening to those most affected. If you wish to learn more or take action, you can check out the Fair Green Future Resources on MyWI. There you can also watch the recording of this and previous webinars.

In our final Fair Green Future webinar, we explored climate misinformation and climate myths — how they spread, why they stick, and what we can do to tackle them.

If your WI has plans or ideas inspired by this webinar, please do share them with the Public Affairs team on pa@nfwi.org.uk. We’d love to feature more WI campaign stories.