Sustainable Leadership in the Era of Climate Change: A Framework for Ethical Decision-Making

Abstract

Given the urgency of climate change, sustainable Received 02 April 2025 Revised 26 June, 2025 Accepted 28 June. 2025 leadership practices are now more important than ever. This paper offers a model of ethical decision-making in sustainable leadership, consistent with action on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The model incorporates leadership values relevant to critical aspects of climate action, justice and gender parity, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, how strong leadership impacts on SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). The discussion paper explores the place of such transformative leaders in bringing about cross sectoral collaboration, ethical decisions and climate-resilient regional planning that counters climate change’s effects at the same time as addressing issues of social equity and justice in policy development. The study follows a qualitative, conceptual approach. The results identify some key principles of sustainable leadership, including long-term thinking, stakeholder engage ment, transparency, and accountability, and highlight the importance of inclusivity in climate decision-making. The study emphasizes the critical role of leaders in driving climate action, promoting social justice, and fostering gender equality, provides examples of successful leaders who have made a positive impact.