Focusing on gender differences can help countries respond to climate change

In most societies, women have lower incomes and fewer opportunities than men. This limits their capacity to respond to the effects of climate change. In fact, existing international climate policies neglect addressing gender. Considering how men and women cope could increase the ability of developing countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.

Natural disasters and environmental damage associated with climate change are worse for vulnerable populations, including women and children. They depend largely on the environment for their livelihoods and have less access to natural and economic resources for recovery. Research from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization shows that current climate policies do not represent women adequately.

Negotiators for mitigation and adaptation policies have focused on scientific and technological solutions, rather than addressing social impacts of climate change and finding people-based solutions. This approach fails to acknowledge that poor women especially are less able to adapt to climate change. They are also least able to take advantage of any opportunities that climate change may bring in terms of sustainable livelihoods.

Focusing on women’s vulnerability is misleading, though. Women have skills and coping strategies that can minimise the impacts of environmental change and natural disasters. Research in areas affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004 showed women to be better at helping their communities to respond, organising groups and caring for affected people. The report also shows:

• Prioritising women in programmes for education and skills training can strengthen their ability to adapt.
• Women’s local knowledge systems are an important source of information for natural resource management in areas affected by climate change.
• The gendered division of labour, particularly in poor households, means women need to negotiate with men over key choices about mitigation or adaptation.
• The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol can offer women access to a range of projects using new technologies in household energy, agriculture and food processing.

Environmental policies, such as the CDM, must identify and specifically include women’s needs. A community-based response that considers the particular needs of women will reduce their exposure to the threats of climate change, as well as help to change some existing beliefs and prejudices about what women can or cannot do.

Policymakers should:

• ensure funds are available that allow women to learn about and acquire improved energy technologies
• ensure that more research is carried out to identify the gender differences in dealing with climate changes (such as emissions and lifestyle choices)
• increase the availability of gender disaggregated data on households and emissions profiles
• develop a marketing strategy based on gender differences in CDM projects and make government agencies ensure that gender differences have been properly considered
• introduce gender concerns as an issue into international climate change negotiations and at conference side events
• increase collaboration between the Convention to Combat Desertification, the Convention of Biological Diversity and the Climate Convention to increase awareness and conformity of  integrating gender issues.

Source(s):
‘Gender: the missing component in the response to climate change’, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, by Yianna Lambrou and Grazia Piana, October 2005 Full document.

Funded by: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

id21 Research Highlight: 24 March 2006

Further Information:
Yianna Lambrou
Gender and Population Division
Sustainable Development Department
Room B551
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
Rome 00100
Italy

Tel: +39 06 57054550
Fax: +39 06 57052004
Contact the contributor: yianna.lambrou@fao.org

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

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'Developments in adaptation: new responses to climate change'

'Tackling climate change and aid in Africa'

'Help yourself: how small islands can adapt to climate change'

'Women and environmental conservation'

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