Women and the Climate Crisis

COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, is now underway. This provides a perfect opportunity to explore the fundamental concerns surrounding gender and climate change. 

According to the IPCC, "Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change and climate variability". For example, alpine glaciers in the Rwenzori mountains of East Africa are highly sensitive to changes in temperature. A study by Taylor et al. (2006) found that rising air temperatures of ~0.5 degrees Celsius over the last four decades contributed to a rapid glacier recession rate of ~0.7km2 per decade. As this warming continues, a shift towards fewer but heavier precipitation events is expected, leading to more frequent and intense floods and prolonged droughts, thus contributing to water and food insecurity. 


Why does gender matter in this discourse? 

 

Women "in the global South are particularly vulnerable to climate-related hazards, and resource scarcity", as a result of their ascribed societal roles and responsibilities. For example, women account for 80% of the agricultural industry in Africa and shoulder the responsibility for staple crop production. With 95% of sub-Saharan Africa dependent on rain-fed agriculture, prolonged droughts and variable rainfall patterns place rural women at risk of food insecurity and a vicious cycle of poverty. Men, typically involved in fishing and livestock rearing activities, can adapt or relocate more easily when crop failure occurs. Women's vulnerability to climate change is particularly impacted when their livelihood depends on it, and is further exacerbated by their limited mobility due to cultural roles as primary caregivers, having less access to assets and resources and reduced capacity to adapt, ultimately leaving them to struggle to sustain their families.


As mentioned in my previous blog post, women bear the burden of water provision. As climate change is likely to limit natural water supplies through more prolonged droughts, and previously reliable water sources like boreholes dry up, women are forced to walk much longer distances in search of water. This places additional strain on women's health and reduces the available time for decision-making, income generation and educational activities within their communities. Ubisi (2016) found that rural women of the Mopane district in Limpopo faced with climate change impacts have a sense of hopelessness due to their inability to escape and improve their current situation. Furthermore, women left with no other choice but to leave drought-ridden areas in Northeast Nigeria are targeted by Boko Haram and face additional risks of underage marriage, domestic and sexual abuse, and human trafficking. Women are seen as commodities, and due to their lack of autonomy and enforced rights, they are vulnerable and prone to abuse and exploitation.


What does this mean for COP26?


COP20 established the Lima work program on gender (LWPG); a commitment designed to integrate gender into the Climate Convention and the Paris Agreement. There has been some progress, for example, women's participation in climate delegations has increased by 3-5% every year for the past three years. However, climate policies today do not adequately account for the distinct impacts of the climate crisis on women and girls. For example, when it was revealed that the UK's COP26 team would be all-male, it sparked outrage, as it reflected an ongoing systemic failure for female representation and their critical role in climate solutions.

 

"Women's leadership is a climate solution, especially the leadership of Indigenous women, women from the Global South, and those most impacted by the climate crisis already.".



Figure 1: Women leaders rising for climate justice at a WECAN event during COP22.

 

However, these are the voices most neglected and underrepresented in conversations about climate change. There is a need to address the underrepresentation of women in governing agencies and climate policy to find a solution to the climate crisis. This would allow diverse decision-making processes to recognise and account for the needs of all women at all decision-making levels. COP26 is an opportunity for gender-sensitive climate policies and measures to be undertaken, however, currently there remains a gap between policy and action. Elevating the voices of African women is critical for influencing global climate debates and reducing the repercussions encountered by women who are disproportionately affected. Enhancing women's resilience to climate change impacts at the local scale is also necessary. For example, this may involve adjusting farming practices in a way that is not entirely dependent on rainfall and growing drought-resilient crops. 


Comments

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  2. Hi Greta!

    In your article you mentioned the Lima Work Programme on Gender (LWPG), launched in 2014 at COP20. Recently, I read an article stating that the host party for COP26 has not acted on LWPG, giving evidence to suggest it has largely been forgotten about already.

    Regarding this, how optimistic are you about COP26 and its potential to elicit lasting positive change for women in Sub-Saharan Africa? Or, do you think whatever changes made will also be forgotten about, as things fall back into a 'business as usual approach'?

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    1. Hi Stephanie! Thank you for your comment. This is an interesting point and example. There is a great sense of injustice at COP26, where countries who have felt the worst effects of the climate crisis are least represented, including the voices of women in Sub-Saharan Africa. If women in Sub-Saharan Africa are not included in all levels of climate discussions, policy-making and decision-making, the potential for COP26 to elicit lasting change for these women is low. Similarly, if climate pledges/projects are not translated into meaningful action following COP26, they will follow the same path as LWPG. I found it motivating to see women creating their own space for their voices to be heard, whether through social media or protesting for climate justice. Next year's COP27 will be held in Egypt, and I am feeling more optimistic that this will give African women a greater seat at the table.

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  3. Hi Greta! The quote you used by Marie Claire is very interesting, especially in regard to indigenous women. What approach do you think would be most realistic but achievable to have more women in decision making roles, considering most women spend a fraction of their days completing their water collection duties? I look forward to your response! :)

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    1. Hi Arzoo! Thank you for your comment. You have raised a key point of discussion. Water collection duties are a major obstacle to female participation in water management. To promote female participation, water professionals should be made aware of women's situation and why they are restricted from participating (due to lack of time or being excluded), and understand the deeply rooted socio-economic and cultural barriers. For example, improving water accessibility (implementing boreholes, water pumps) is a step forward that would allow more time for decision-making, as water collection journeys would be reduced. In communities where women do have more time to participate, it is important to understand why women tend to sit back and speak less than men. This could be for many many reasons including fears to speak up, being undermined by family members and even thinking their opinion is not as valuable. Once awareness of gender issues have been raised and the local context has been considered, through training, it is easier to understand how to increase women's participation - such as creating women-only spaces where women feel safe to express their opinions. I hope this answers your question!

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  4. Another good presentation of analysis of the inequality that underscores climate change negotiations and the implication of gender. Good engagement with literature but references need to be embeded. I was wodnering maybe an analysis of the Lima work program on gender (LWPG) could make up a blog post.

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    1. Thank you for commenting Clement. The LWPG is a crucial topic that is necessary to explore in further detail. Whilst I have not dedicated another blog post to this matter, I encourage you to read some of my other blog entries, where I pick up on the importance of integrating women in participation and decision-making processes. Happy reading!

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