Gender and the Climate Crisis.

The narrative that climate justice impacts us all is pushed constantly and while it is true, it is important to not forget the marginalised groups it unequally affects. Social justice issues are deeply intertwined with, and central to climate justice, coming from the same drivers of consumption and exploitation. Women around the world have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and are disproportionately impacted by the impacts of climate change.

A few weeks ago, I attended a talk by Ethical Hour highlighting the importance of a gender equal economy to solve the climate crisis. This talk was held amongst the backlash against UK’s COP26 all male team. The UN Conference of Parties invites world leaders once every year to discuss global response to climate change. Not only do we find women under-represented here, but also at a parliamentary level. As of June 2020, women make up 34% in the UK’s House of Commons, an all time high. Without equal representation at a leadership level, how will our best interests be fairly represented?

So how do we support women to just “go for it”!?

In comparison to giant male led corporations, micro-businesses, and SME’s (small and medium enterprises), tend to be women led, being one of the few available avenues. They also tend to be more agile when it comes to implementing sustainable practices, with easier changes the supply chain, etc. As Christmas comes closer and everyone scrambles to do their Christmas shopping, remember to try and support local businesses instead of large corporations such as Amazon.

Why is climate change seen as a feminine issue?

Studies have shown that eco-friendly consumers identify as being more feminine (think: reusable pads, menstrual cups). Social norms have dictated women to be the caregivers, with greater tendency for altruistic and empathetic behaviour. Whether women are born this way, or learn to be so, there is evidence that suggests that femininity and greenness have come to be cognitively linked.

Without a lack of gender balance in key political decisions, we can expect detrimental impact on action taken to tackle the climate crisis. More inclusive decision-making improves its quality, incorporating a larger range of perspectives and expertise. Climate change risk perception and concern is consistently shown to be higher in women than men, and women tend to keep in mind a wider range of aspects of climate change than men. All in all, women experience and shape climate change in different ways, and by excluding this, we cannot form truly effective action to take against climate change.

But we must also acknowledge what is missing. Too often, research on “women” is done through a binary lens and does not account for many other identities that shape someone’s experience, such as gender identity, race, class, ability, etc. When developing climate policies, key questions must be considered, such as who is not present in the data forming our actions and how different communities on the frontline are impacted by the crisis.