Climate change and gender inequality
Reviewing a podcast by The Climate Question
The impacts of climate change are increasingly affecting everyone around the world, but until I stumbled upon this episode of The Climate Question, I wasn’t aware of the ways in which it can affect women disproportionately. I recommend giving the whole thing a listen but here are a few key points (good and bad) that surprised me and I think everyone should at least be aware of.
Natural disasters in developing nations
Despite agricultural workers in developing countries receiving similar wages, women suffer greater loss from natural disasters.
Over 85 % of the worlds agricultural land is made of small family farms with women making up the majority of smallholder farmers in the global south. However, they own very little. This leaves them with few legal options or a safety net when disaster strikes. On top of that, other jobs may not be available due to limited access to education or social norms that prevent them from migrating to cities for other opportunities.
Women are may be less able to flee natural disasters - clothing in South Asia such as Saris affects women’s ability to swim and therefore survive.
Worsening climate change is correlated with child marriage and gender based violence.
Across both the developing and developed world, women are statistically more likely to live in poverty; since climate change amplifies both economic and gender equality, this strain on women is significant.
Success and solutions
The podcast also explored what can be done so that impacts of climate change don’t widen the gender gap even more.
Learning centers in Pakistan teach women to negotiate and bargain so they can unionise and demand fair earnings.
Zimbabwe is setting up a renewable energy fund that creates specific entrepreneurship for women so that they too can reap the rewards of the green jobs boom
The UN recognises the need to put gender equality at the center of climate action. Verania Chao who works on the UNDP’s Climate Promise initiative comments on the importance of government climate change policies and plans to account for gender inequality
Out of the 120 countries that the UNDP supports, 96% have now integrated gender equality into their national climate pledges
Although the annual climate conference (COP) has seen more female representation, in the last COP in Egypt, the negotiating teams had very low female representation
“Are we developing the most well informed approaches? How can you do that if you leave out half the population and their experiences?” - Dr Mayesha Alam
How can you help?
Well that depends on who you are. Women often face greater challenges in accessing finance so if you’re an investor you could consider investing in female businesses - like Belize is doing. At the individual level, no matter who you are you can take steps to reduce your climate footprint, whether that’s improving the energy efficiency of your business or home, rethinking your diet and travel or using less water.
In summary, climate change exacerbates existing inequalities but the podcast nor this article aims to suggest that women are simply victims of climate change, quite the opposite. Many women are on the front lines of climate action, so by encouraging the support of women-led enterprises in climate-vulnerable countries, entire populations can benefit from their problem solving.