Exciting news — the Amazons Research Report has just been released!

The publication, “Analysis of Systemic Barriers Preventing Women from Becoming Environmental Leaders,” is a desk-based study exploring the systemic obstacles faced by girls and young women who aspire to lead in the environmental field. These barriers fall into four main categories: structural, institutional, socio-cultural, and symbolic & subjective.

Theoretical Framework

The report draws on several key theoretical perspectives — ecofeminism, intersectionality, transformative leadership, and European institutional gender approaches. Together, these help deepen our understanding of power, access, and representation in environmental decision-making. The analysis is grounded in examples from the countries represented in the project, primarily the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Portugal.

Four Dimensions of Systemic Barriers

1. Structural Barriers

• STEM education gaps: Women make up over 54% of students in Europe but remain underrepresented in STEM areas crucial for the green economy.
• Occupational segregation: Women are more common in lower-paid or less-prestigious environmental roles, while men dominate engineering, energy, and planning sectors.
• Unequal access to resources: Women have lower land ownership and fewer opportunities for climate financing.
• Invisible informal leadership: Women’s community-based initiatives are often overlooked by formal institutions.

2. Institutional Barriers

• Weak gender mainstreaming: EU strategies often fail to translate into measurable gender indicators in climate budgeting and policy.
• Bias in recruitment and promotion: Standardized, linear career paths disadvantage women balancing care work or holding non-traditional professional profiles.
• Rigid organizational norms: Expectations around mobility or availability often conflict with women’s unpaid care responsibilities.
• Technocratic leadership models: Institutions tend to favor hierarchical and traditionally “masculine” leadership styles.

3. Socio-Cultural Barriers

• Gender stereotypes associating leadership with masculinity.
• Care burden: Women still perform most unpaid domestic and care work, limiting time for leadership roles.
• Microaggressions and symbolic violence, such as interruptions or dismissal of expertise.
• Lack of role models in media, academia, and public institutions.
• Intersectional invisibility: Women from marginalized groups face additional layers of exclusion.

4. Symbolic & Subjective Barriers

• Implicit biases in how female leaders are perceived.
• Imposter syndrome disproportionately affecting women in male-dominated environmental spaces.
• Judgment around communication and appearance, reinforcing restrictive norms.
• Dominant “male expert” archetype, which shapes who is seen as credible.

Positive Trends and Good Practices

Despite the challenges, the report highlights promising developments:

• Women leaders — such as Spain’s Teresa Ribera — show that environmental leadership can integrate justice, participation, and feminist values.
• Support networks including Women4Climate, WiRE, and the Global Women’s Assembly for Climate Justice strengthen visibility, knowledge, and advocacy.
• Digital activism through campaigns like #WomenGreenPT helps amplify women’s voices.
• Institutional initiatives such as gender-responsive budgeting and funding for women-led climate projects.
• Educational and grassroots programs, including Erasmus+ initiatives, promote climate leadership skills among young women.

Conclusion

The Amazons report makes one thing clear: women are not underrepresented in environmental leadership because they lack ability or ambition. The barriers are systemic – woven into institutions, culture, and policy. Building a sustainable future requires not only equal opportunities but a new model of leadership built on care, collaboration, inclusivity, and diverse forms of knowledge.

The report offers concrete recommendations — from institutional reforms to community-level support — paving the way toward a more equitable and sustainable Europe.

Read now!