The UN climate conference in the UAE’s largest city, Dubai, began its second full week by hearing a diverse group of women leaders and activists call for an end to gender gaps and the mitigation of the worsening impacts of the crisis. Climate change affects women and girls; prevailing gender norms, existing inequalities, and unequal participation in decision-making processes often hinder women from fully contributing to climate solutions.
The report by UN Women, suggests that by 2050 climate change could push an additional 158 million women and girls into poverty and see 236 million more face food insecurity. However, women can play a significant role in climate solutions, as highlighted in the «Gender Equality Day» at COP28, showcasing how women change-makers are driving action.
Panelists emphasized the active role women are playing in ambitious climate actions, particularly in their communities, cities, countries, and regions. The progress in climate negotiations, especially in funding for a just energy transition, the «phasing out» of fuels, and the «gradual introduction» of clean energy, was emphasized, and discussions highlighted women’s contributions to solutions, saving lives, and protecting livelihoods.
The rights of women and girls must be at the center of climate action, and decision-making must be inclusive to ensure the voices of feminists, youth, indigenous people, and other grassroots movements are heard. The UN’s humanitarian office leader stated that the climate crisis is not gender-neutral and urged donors and humanitarian staff to remain focused on the differentiated needs of women and girls in aid response.
Ignacia de la Rosa, a community leader in Colombia, has been working on a ‘blue carbon’ project to conserve and restore coastal mangrove forests in the Sinú River basin. The pressure on the mangroves due to agriculture and livestock was immense in her community, and she has faced challenges in managing the forest sustainably to ensure benefits and livelihoods for the community.
She has not only protected a natural resource sustainably but has also enabled it to provide income through ecotourism. However, she highlighted the persistent racial and gender discrimination she has faced in her efforts for mangrove conservation, emphasizing that there is still a long way to go to achieve true equality.
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