Every year, the United Nations holds a summit on climate change working to persuade countries, large and small, to give up fossil fuels. Past negotiations have produced important treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Accord. This years meeting—entitled The COP21—is likely to yield the world's first binding, universal agreement to cut carbon emissions and begin to fully address climate change.
The stakes have never been higher: Scientists have identified an increase of only 2 degrees Celsius as a dangerous tipping point for the planet, and we are already 0.85 degrees of the way there. But hope, too, is also at an all-time high; the international community has never been closer to taking unified, decisive action. Here, photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin take a closer look, and celebrate, 13 fearless women leading the way.