This year’s UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 27), held in Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh, has highlighted once again that climate change is the single most critical challenge of the 21st century.
This time, however, an assertion has been emphasized more strongly than on other occasions: .
With the impacts of landslides, severe droughts, floods and hurricanes becoming more evident around the world each year, one thing is clear – this phenomenon is and poses unique threats to the livelihoods, health, and safety of women and girls, .
Across most societies, women have and restrictions on their movements and freedoms resulting in and disproportionate caring responsibilities.
About two-thirds of the world’s illiterate people are women. Women also and earn 10 per cent of the world’s income. They hold only 18 per cent of seats in parliaments worldwide, and .
Consequently, in the event of tropical cyclones, heat waves and other natural disasters.
Moreover, if women do not have access to education, loans, political positions or land ownership, they will be excluded from the workforce and from making decisions about sustainability.
Generally, because of financial constraints and a lack of information.
It is increasingly apparent that is essential to guarantee positive outcomes in the fight against climate change.
As such, international climate change negotiations must incorporate women’s needs, perspectives and experiences to address not only the reduction of climate vulnerabilities, viewing women as mere victims, but also the empowerment of women to act and .
In fact, according to the climate research group , women’s empowerment in developing countries is the second most effective solution to reduce global warming.
in the implementation of low-carbon and climate-resilient development paths, as decision-makers, , facilitators, designers, innovators, producers, workers, consumers and household managers.
For instance, that increasing the number of women in national parliaments can help countries adopt more stringent climate change policies. Likewise, women are more inclined to as consumers and be more environmentally conscious when .
The use of is also a valuable tool for bringing women to the forefront of the fight against climate change and closing the gender gap.
Regarding the energy sector, by 2050, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that the , four times the current amount.
Most of these jobs will require technical skills and a high level of education, mainly in STEM fields. Women are currently underrepresented in this space – according to World Bank data, only a third of STEM graduates worldwide are women, and this percentage corresponds to only 32 per cent in Australia.
in determining access to formal employment and business opportunities for women. Therefore, the lack of women graduates in STEM fields exposes a major challenge.
Women will not be able to experience the energy transition benefits if they are not trained for strategic positions and to take advantage of new opportunities, further widening existing gender gaps.
Science, technology, engineering and math-related jobs and have a smaller gender wage gap than non-STEM jobs. Yet, over the past four decades, STEM-related initiatives have , and gender-based participation patterns persist in several subject areas.
Currently, most perform administrative duties. Without gender-sensitive policies, climate change could reverse the so far, which, according to a recent report by the UN, is .
A recent World Bank report also shows that fields requires addressing gender biases in learning materials, engaging parents, encouraging extracurricular participation, showcasing more female role models, and working with private companies.
A sustainable future requires the involvement of all of the world’s population.
To accomplish this, it is necessary to grant women and girls the same opportunities and include them in the fight against climate change.
