Why Women's Leadership & Participation are Crucial to Effective Climate Action
Climate change does not affect all groups of people equally. Women, especially those in vulnerable and marginalized communities, often bear the brunt of environmental crises. Despite facing greater risks and burdens from climate change impacts, women are pivotal in managing climate-related challenges and leading community adaptation and resilience efforts. Their unique perspectives and knowledge, particularly in managing natural resources and supporting household and community stability, make them indispensable in climate action. However, gender disparities, particularly in access to resources, decision-making processes, and opportunities for economic empowerment, hinder their capacity to contribute effectively.
Women leaders often prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term gains, reflecting a broader, more inclusive approach to governance that benefits both the environment and society.
The Unique Perspective of Women in Climate Action
Women's leadership and participation are not just beneficial but essential for effective climate action. Their unique knowledge, especially at the local level, significantly influences the design and implementation of climate response actions. A study by UN Women reveals that increasing women's representation in national parliaments leads to more stringent climate change policies and lower emissions. At the local level, women's involvement in natural resource management correlates with better governance and conservation outcomes. This is because women often have firsthand experience with the resources they depend on for their livelihoods, making them uniquely positioned to contribute valuable insights into sustainable practices.
Continue Reading: Empowering Women: The Impact of Sustainable Practices
Women's distinct roles also extend to agricultural productivity and food security. Giving women equal access to productive resources can significantly increase farm yields, potentially reducing the number of people facing hunger by 100 to 150 million. Such empowerment not only addresses immediate food security needs but also contributes to broader environmental conservation efforts by reducing the pressure to deforest additional land.
Moreover, gender roles, risk assessment, and decision-making processes play a crucial role in addressing climate change. The gender-differentiated impacts of climate change necessitate tailored adaptation strategies that leverage the unique strengths of different gender groups.
A policy brief from UN Climate Change underscores the importance of integrating gender considerations in climate adaptation plans. It highlights the progress in incorporating gender in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), Adaptation Communications, and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), demonstrating a growing recognition of women's key contributions to effective adaptation.
Countries and projects around the world have made strides in gender-responsive climate action. From rainwater harvesting technologies in India to the development and implementation of gender strategies in Guatemala, these initiatives showcase how focusing on women's specific vulnerabilities and strengths can lead to more effective climate solutions.
The Importance of Women in Climate Action
Research indicates that women tend to prioritize the welfare of their families and communities in their decision-making, which extends to the management of resources and the enactment of stringent climate policies.
Continue Reading: Changemakers for the Planet: Inspiring Women Making a Difference in Sustainability
For instance, a study highlighted by Climate Champions and Drawdown.org noted that national parliaments with greater female representation pass more stringent climate policies.
The involvement of women in climate action not only leads to better environmental outcomes but also has significant social and economic benefits. A 2019 study found that increasing women's representation in national parliaments results in the adoption of more stringent climate change policies and lower emissions. Furthermore, women's participation in natural resource management is associated with improved resource governance and conservation outcomes. Expanding women's access to productive resources can significantly enhance agricultural productivity, bolster food security, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, demonstrating a direct correlation between gender equity and environmental sustainability.
Moreover, gender inequality has been identified as a critical factor influencing the effectiveness of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Research published in Nature Communications elaborated on various socio-economic development scenarios (SSPs) and how overcoming gender inequality could enhance adaptive capacities and contribute to more resilient and sustainable development outcomes.
Additionally, evidence from the UC Davis ModLab and the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) illustrates that gender equity in leadership and agency can lead to reduced carbon dioxide emissions. They highlighted how women's leadership and gender equity are pivotal in driving down emissions and improving environmental outcomes.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) further emphasizes the economic advantages of women's leadership in climate-related sectors. Their research shows that women-led firms have higher environmental, social, and governance scores and that companies with significant female leadership are more likely to adopt eco-friendly practices and invest in renewable energy. This not only leads to reduced greenhouse gas emissions but also promotes energy efficiency and recycling practices.
The Barriers to Women's Participation in Environmental Decision-Making
Addressing the barriers to women's participation in environmental decision-making is crucial for achieving gender equality and ensuring effective climate action. These barriers not only limit women's opportunities to contribute to climate solutions but also undermine global efforts to address climate change effectively.
Unequal and Insecure Rights Over Land
Land is a critical resource for livelihood, identity, and access to natural resources, yet women globally face significant legal and social barriers to land ownership and control. Despite their crucial roles in using land for food security and household resources, women account for only 13.8% of landholders worldwide. Insecure land rights limit women's participation in sustainable management efforts and decision-making processes. Efforts to shift perceptions of women's ability to manage and own land, such as those undertaken in Tanzania through village dialogues, are vital for empowering women and promoting gender equality in sustainable ecosystem management.
Underrepresentation in Natural Resource Decision-Making and Leadership
Women are vastly underrepresented in decision-making positions, from local community groups to national governments, where they make up less than 25% of all national parliamentarians and only 12% of top ministerial positions in environment-related sectors worldwide. It results in the overlooking of women's needs, priorities, and knowledge in ecosystem management, thereby impacting the effectiveness of sustainable management solutions.
Global Disparity in Participation Despite Proven Effectiveness
Despite facing systemic barriers, women have been shown to contribute to more effective and equitable climate outcomes. Their unique perspectives and decision-making approaches, often prioritizing the welfare of families and communities, have led to successful environmental programming and sustainable development.
National parliaments with more women have been found to pass more stringent climate policies, and community-level forest management groups including women have shown better resource governance and conservation outcomes.
Recommended by LinkedIn
Strategies for Enhancing Women's Leadership in Climate Action
Here are practical strategies and policies to boost women's leadership and participation in climate action:
Education is foundational in equipping women with the knowledge and skills necessary for leadership roles in climate action. Supporting women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) through collaborations with local universities and training centers is vital. This includes providing a budget for mentoring, leadership programmes, upskilling, and reskilling of women in fields contributing to a just transition to a green, net zero economy.
Direct finance to initiatives like the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) empowers local women, enabling them to take leadership roles in climate governance and green growth markets. Projects such as the Association of Boromo Widows in Solidarity, an agricultural cooperative in Burkina Faso, exemplify how women can share income and reinvest in their communities to promote sustainability.
Systematic change to enable women's participation in institutional processes and create conditions for gender equality is essential. This can occur through changes in norms and governance, including shifts in labor markets, employment entry requirements, credit markets, and policy measures. Fostering an inclusive process that considers gender from the start is crucial to overcoming barriers to equality.
The importance of international and national frameworks that support gender equality in climate governance cannot be overstated. Innovative country-led approaches, such as the use of gender quotas and tailored outreach mechanisms, have shown promise in enhancing women's participation in decision-making and benefiting from sustainable forest management. For instance, in Burkina Faso, a significant percentage of the project's beneficiaries are women, showcasing the positive impact of these strategies on gender norms and women's agency.
Stakeholder engagement and collaboration across sectors are critical to identifying barriers and opportunities for enhancing women's climate leadership. This involves creating spaces for dialogue, sharing good practices, building awareness, and advocating for gender-transformative change in climate action.
Sustainable businesses play a crucial role by developing climate-resilient solutions focusing on women and supporting a gender-just transition. This includes ensuring equal participation of all genders in climate-related processes, setting targets for recruiting women into climate-related roles, and sourcing from women-led businesses fostering innovative climate solutions.
The Benefits of Gender Equality in Climate Action
Gender equality in climate action is not just a matter of fairness; it is crucial for achieving more innovative solutions, better conservation outcomes, and stringent climate policies. This comprehensive approach is essential for sustainable environmental management.
Integrating a gender perspective into climate action enables more innovative and effective solutions. Women, with their unique knowledge and experiences, particularly at the local level, play a critical role in decision-making processes. This leads to the adoption of more stringent climate change policies and lower emissions. Women in leadership positions are also associated with increased transparency around climate impacts, which is crucial for developing innovative climate solutions.
Women's participation in natural resource management leads to better resource governance and conservation outcomes. Their involvement ensures that conservation efforts are more inclusive and consider the needs and rights of all community members, which is vital for the sustainable management of natural resources.
A study found that increasing women's representation in national parliaments leads to the adoption of more stringent climate change policies. This is because women often bring different perspectives and priorities to the table, including a greater focus on sustainability and long-term environmental welfare.
Empowering women leads to improved climate solutions, increased agricultural productivity, and stronger climate resilience in communities. When women have equal access to resources, their farm yields can rise by 20% to 30%, significantly impacting food security and reducing the need to deforest more land for agriculture. This also contributes to reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
It is acknowledged that climate change has a disproportionate impact on women and girls, making them more vulnerable to its effects. This vulnerability is due to existing gender inequalities and discrimination that limit women's access to resources and decision-making processes. Therefore, gender-responsive climate action is vital for addressing these inequalities and ensuring that women and girls can contribute to and benefit from climate action.
By including women in climate action, from negotiations to fieldwork, especially in sectors and regions heavily impacted by climate change, we pave the way for a more sustainable and equitable future. Indigenous women, in particular, have invaluable knowledge and expertise in environmental conservation that can help build resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Conclusion
The evidence is clear: gender equality is not just a moral imperative but a practical necessity for effective climate action. Societies can adopt more robust and effective environmental policies by empowering women and ensuring their participation in leadership roles and decision-making processes. This means integrating gender perspectives into all aspects of climate policy, from planning and implementation to monitoring and evaluation. Eventually, the fight against climate change requires the contributions of all segments of society, with women playing an indispensable role in leading the way toward a more sustainable and equitable future.