For years, we have seen how the concept of climate change has given rise to numerous texts and countless articles, reports and studies that analyse what the climate risks are and how to confront them. However, climate change, as many specialists in the field have pointed out, does not affect all the inhabitants of the planet in the same way. The experience of the climate is different among different societies and the people who live in them, and its effects have a greater impact on women and minorities, making them more vulnerable.
We have seen many examples in recent years that show this greater impact. During the 2022 heat waves in Europe, 56% more women died than men. In 2019, after the passage of the cyclone Idai In Mozambique, women faced greater risks and less access to resources. “Addressing climate change without a gender perspective is one of the most determining social inequalities,” the report notes. Gender and climate change (2020) from the Women’s Institute.
Various UN agencies have reported that women are more affected by climate change due to lower purchasing power, patriarchal cultural norms and gender-related roles and responsibilities. Other factors, such as geography or ethnicity, also influence the impact of climate change on women: those who live in the so-called Global South or belong to an ethnic minority are more affected.
Power asymmetries are among the main causes of gender inequalities, such as limited access to resources and opportunities, low representation and lack of power in decision-making. Despite this, there are more and more initiatives that are trying to reverse this situation. Aligned with the principles of climate and gender justice, they seek to ensure that responses to climate change not only mitigate environmental impacts, but also promote equality and the empowerment of women and other minority groups.
Physicist and philosopher Vandana Shiva in India has implemented community solar projects to provide access to clean energy in rural areas of her country, and her results have had a crucial impact. More than two million farmers have adopted agricultural practices organic and regenerative and have improved women’s technical training in sustainable agriculture and the use of solar technologies.
In Ecuador, activist Nemonte Nenquimo has made a significant contribution to the preservation of the Amazon rainforest, which has fostered the empowerment of indigenous communities, especially women. Thanks to her activity, she achieved a legal victory in 2019, protecting 200,000 hectares of Waorani territory from oil extraction. In addition, her leadership in the “Our forest is not for sale” campaign led to an indigenous woman winning decision-making spaces traditionally reserved for men. For all her work, she was recognized in 2020 with the Goldman Environmental Prize.
Another inspiring example has been the Network of Indigenous Women on Biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbeanwhich has increased the visibility and participation of indigenous women in debates, and has trained them to lead initiatives related to biodiversity conservation, adaptation to climate change and the promotion of equality in their communities. They have also contributed to the defence of their rights in relation to land, natural resources and traditional knowledge.
In the United States, the project Soul Fire Farmled by Leah Penniman, a prominent activist and farmer, has founded community farms through which it has managed to strengthen marginalized communities, including racial disparities in the equation. Thanks to this project, these communities have had greater access to fresh food and have been included in educational and community action programs.
An essential issue that various projects are working on is education and awareness raising. In this regard, Project Drawdowna coalition of scientists and economists from around the world, addresses global inequities and promotes solutions that are accessible and beneficial to vulnerable communities. Solutions include family planning and education, which can significantly reduce carbon emissions while empowering women and girls by improving their access to training and health.
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