11/2/25
Zoha Shawoo is a scientist at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), working on Loss and Damage, climate finance and the intersection between climate change, sustainable development and inequality. Her work has played a pivotal role in advancing global conversations on climate reparations, shifting the narrative from aid to rightful restitution for communities most affected by climate impacts.
To mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we reached out to Zoha with a set of questions that we hoped would shed light on how she came to work on Loss and Damage and why it is essential for women and girls to be at the center of Loss and Damage decision-making.
From breaking barriers in Loss and Damage research to amplifying the voices of the Global South, Zoha shares her insights on leadership, gender equity in science, and the future of climate solutions, whilst reflecting on her journey, the challenges women face in the field, and what it will take to build a truly inclusive and just scientific community.
The Loss and Damage Collaboration (L&DC): What motivated you to pursue a career focusing on loss and damage?
Zoha Shawoo: As someone from a formerly colonized country, I have always been interested in reparations and compensation for historical harm, and what that could tangibly look like. This is what I found most fascinating about loss and damage – that it was fundamentally questioning any narratives being pushed by the Global North that climate finance is simply aid, and instead putting to the forefront the idea that it is restitution owed to countries and communities facing climate impacts they are least responsible for.
L&DC: What were the greatest highlights of your career from your perspective in relation to loss and damage?
Zoha: When I first started researching loss and damage finance in 2019, I remember discussing with colleagues that any actual finance for loss and damage being mobilized is probably far-fetched and extremely unlikely, and that any research we are doing is probably just a theoretical exercise.
“I am particularly proud that many of our early research recommendations, such as the need for more accessible finance and the need for small grants to ensure finance reaches the ground, have now made it into the decision text of the fund.”
It is still baffling to me that after just a couple of years, a decision was made to establish a dedicated loss and damage fund. I am particularly proud that many of our early research recommendations, such as the need for more accessible finance and the need for small grants to ensure finance reaches the ground, have now made it into the decision text of the fund.
L&DC: Do you have examples where you had to break the glass ceiling within your work on loss and damage, for you or for others?
Zoha: I’m not sure I broke any glass ceilings, but I think that progress on loss and damage in the climate negotiations over the last few years is really a testament to how much can be achieved when civil society comes together to stand up for climate justice and the Global South. From working with Climate Action Network to amplify our research recommendations, to bilateral conversations with both developed and developing country negotiators, working on loss and damage is the first time I witnessed such a mass mobilization of activists and researchers behind a common goal. To see that happen for atopic that used to be so politicized that it was considered taboo in the climate negotiations is particularly impressive.
L&DC: Reflecting on the theme 'Women and Girls in Science Leadership: A New Era for Sustainability,' how do you perceive the role of women leaders in driving sustainable solutions, particularly in the context of climate change and loss and damage? Are sustainable solutions in fact enough to address loss and damage or is something truly transformative needed?
Zoha: It is well-established that women are not just passive victims, but often at the forefront of locally-led climate solutions. I think that, in addition to providing compensation for loss and damage faced, sustainable solutions should aim to address the root causes of women’s disproportionate vulnerability. This would include enabling equitable access to resources, land rights, and tackling the dominant patriarchal values and systems that limit women’s financial independence, agency, autonomy, and inclusion indecision-making.
L&DC: Despite significant contributions by women in science, they remain underrepresented in many fields, particularly in climate research and policy. What structural barriers do you think still need to be addressed to ensure greater gender equity in scientific leadership and Loss and Damage decision-making?
Zoha: There are probably a number of policies and measures that research and scientific institutions could improve, such as more flexible working arrangements and better parental leave and childcare policies to support women with family and household responsibilities, as well as addressing the gender pay gap. In addition, I think it’s equally important that knowledge, capacity, and resources are channeled to women from marginalized communities to better enable their participation in decision-making spaces.
L&DC: Can you share your experiences in leadership within the scientific community working on Loss and Damage? What challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?
Zoha: I think the biggest challenge I have faced is trying to be aware of my own positionality as a researcher from a Global North institution, and being conscious of whose narratives I am pushing forward in my work. I fundamentally believe that, no matter how rigorous and evidence based you are, there is no such thing as politically neutral research. By engaging as much as possible with Global South institutions and researchers, I have tried to make sure that my work responds to the priorities of the most vulnerable and amplifies their voices in international decision-making. Still, I think we as the scientific community could do much more to ensure our loss and damage work is truly inclusive, and use our privilege to channel more resources to grassroots institutions.
L&DC: From your perspective, what can be done to attract more women and girls to pursue scientific careers focused on loss and damage?
Zoha: As climate impacts exacerbate, it is increasingly clear that entire livelihoods are at risk, and that women from marginalized backgrounds are particularly vulnerable. It is therefore imperative that women are at the heart of researching and developing loss and damage solutions to ensure that they are indeed gender-responsive to account for women’s needs and priorities and enhance the opportunities they have access to as they recover from climate impacts.
To find out more about the important work that Zoha is doing on Loss and Damage follow her via LinkedIn and on Twitter/X and visit the dedicated SEI webpage for her work.
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