At Gender Day during COP29, UN Women called global leaders to take action on gender-responsive climate finance, highlighting the urgent need to address the specific challenges women face. For women, climate change intensifies the existing inequalities, enhancing the burden of unpaid household tasks, as resource shortages make gathering water and fuel harder.
Women in vulnerable areas are susceptible to climate change impacts due to their primary roles as caregivers, which often limits their ability to leave at-risk regions, rendering them 14 times more likely to die than men. Additionally, their exclusion from decision-making processes prevents them from advocating for vital resources and solutions.
While COP29 has had some upsides, such as tripling climate finance for developing countries, it missed significant advantages. Fewer than 8% of the leaders discussed the effects of climate change on women, with only four of the 78 speakers being women. Equal gender representation in climate governance structures remains a distant goal. COP29 extended the Enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender, which aims to better integrate gender equality into climate action. However, there was a lack of definitive pledges for gender-sensitive climate finance, and the agreements were devoid of specific goals and accountability measures, increasing the likelihood of perpetuating ongoing disparities.
Women’s leadership plays a great role in accelerating climate action. Research shows that greater gender diversity, particularly in business and politics, leads to better climate performance and innovation. Moving forward, it is essential that gender equality remains considered in climate policy, ensuring that women benefit from climate finance but also lead the way in creating resilient and sustainable communities.
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