Climate change and gender

[21] Another study was conducted in 2016 using men and women from Brazil and Sweden to measure and inspect the effects of gender and political orientation on perceptions of climate change.

[24][25][26] In a study published in 2020 of smallholder sugarcane farmers in Malawi, it was found that more women than men do not access forecast information to guide adaptation decisions.

[45] Due to their social standing, women in developing countries are not generally taught survival skills like swimming or climbing, meaning they are more likely to die in a natural disaster.

[45] Women working in areas exposed to climate change effects, like agriculture, water or forestry, are also more likely to be affected by extreme weather, resulting in an increase of deaths.

A study the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows that men are more often exposed to work and outdoor activities in temperatures above 27 degrees Celsius.

[61] Cases of child marriage and sex trafficking have risen in some areas of the Indian Sundarban delta after the devastating effects of Cyclone Amphan and ongoing stress caused by COVID-19, impacting the lives of young girls.

[61] Combined with the accelerated spread of diseases and infections in developing countries, the breakdown of the social order and the malnourishment that sometimes accompanies climate change have led to higher rates of dengue fever, malaria, HIV, and STI transmission, especially for women.

[83][84] For example, women are typically responsible for collecting water and firewood and managing the household, so an increase in extreme weather events or a decrease in resources can make these tasks more difficult and time-consuming.

It is essential that governments and organizations recognize the effect climate change has on gender equality and take steps to protect and empower women and girls.

This may include providing access to resources, education, and support services, as well as developing gender-sensitive policies and programs to address the effects of climate change.The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report concludes that there is 'robust evidence' for an increase of gender inequalities as a result of weather events as well as for the perpetuation of differential vulnerabilities.

[99][100] For example, women in developing countries are more likely to be dependent on natural resources for food security, access to clean water, and fuel for cooking and heating.

As climate change causes more extreme weather events and shifts in precipitation patterns, these resources become scarcer, leading to greater food insecurity and poverty among women.

This can lead to policies that are not tailored to the gender-specific needs of different populations, resulting in unequal access to resources and services to address climate change impacts.

[108] On a similar note, a study conducted by the University of Oxford in cooperation with the Nielsen Company found that 18 of the 22 'most influential spokespeople on climate change' are male.

[114] Some scholars recommend incorporating gender dimensions into research and using human-rights approaches like the Millennium Development Goals and CEDAW as frameworks for climate change responses.

[61] In 2009, a forest-protection mechanism called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) was agreed upon by attendees of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

[9] The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Millennium Development Goals, and the Beijing Platform for Action are all gender-aware initiatives that may affect climate change policy.

[9] Some of the international responses to climate change that do not address gender or employ gender-sensitive approaches include Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on the Environment and Development, the Kyoto Protocol and the Bali Action Plan.

[122] Capacity building, knowledge management and communication requires gender consideration to play a larger role when creating policy and action plans.

[130] Additionally, evidence demonstrates communities are better prepared for natural disasters when women play a pivotal role in the early warning systems and reconstructions.

[130] A 2000 study in South Asia demonstrated that women were crucial in hazard preparation and rebuilding/managing communities after a disaster, as well as ensuring food security and safety for specific groups of people.

Initiatives to reduce this risk and danger include MapBeks Archived 29 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine to map LGBTQ+ safe spaces, HIV testing facilities, and access through roads and buildings for disaster management.

[13] In its phase II action plan, Alcinda António de Abreu, Mozambique's then Minister of Environment, comments that "climate change adaptation and mitigation [rely] upon the sustainable use and equitable control of, as well as benefits derived from, natural resources – and all citizens, regardless of their social status or their gender, in all spheres of economic and political life, have a role to play in this critical effort".

Similarly, thirty-six communities have learned and gained knowledge about more effective methods for prevention and control of fires, plantation of drought resistant crops, and production and usage of improved stoves.

[146] Coal and metal ore mining were also significant contributing sectors of the economy, but are decreasing in the 21st century due to climate change and globalization.

According to Jane Henrici, Allison Suppan Helmuth, and Jackie Braun from the Institute for Womens Policy Research,, during the span of the hurricane gender-based violence “in Mississippi rose from 4.6 per 100,000 per day when Hurricane Katrina hit the state, to 16.3 per 100,000 per day a year later while many women remained displaced from their homes and were living in temporary shelters and trailers.”* In the future, it is critical for communities prone to natural disasters to make a plan about how they will protect marginalized communities during times of environmental catastrophe.

However, a main problem with their adaptation stems from the limited resources they have to deal with droughts, floods, heat waves, sea level rise, and other climate related effects on their communities.

Only 5% of the women who live in rural communities and who own agricultural land have access to technical assistance, which leaves them vulnerable to poverty, disease, and violence.

This has not only improved the water quality of the ponds and enabled villagers to engage in duck farming and fishing but also checked the reduction of soil fertility and spread of diseases, snakes, and poisonous insects.

Specifically, Carolyn Sachs discusses the struggles women face on a global scale against environmental factors such as gender arrangements in agricultural development.