The Surprising Connection Between Climate Change and Gender Inequality

More women leaders may be the missing link to helping the environment

Gender equality is a topic that has been at the forefront of today’s issues both nationally and globally. Women have been making strides in closing gender pay gaps and widening overall female representation in politics, but one important issue poses a surprising link to gender inequality.

The connection between climate change issues and gender inequality is more present than we think. The Global Fund for Women explained, “When it comes to making decisions about how to combat climate change, women — especially rural women — are typically left out.” Not only are women being left out of decision-making processes, but they are also the most impacted by climate change issues. The Yale Program on Climate Change reported that an examination of U.N. data show that globally women make up 80% of people who are displaced by climate change.”

Remember the horrifying aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? The Institute for Women’s Policy Research reported that “83% of low-income, single mothers did not return to their homes in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina” Sri Lanka’s tsunami in 2004, killed nearly one in five displaced women, more than two times the death of displaced men.

Women are much more vulnerable in natural disasters because of imposed gender roles and certain cultural norms dispersed upon them. Women are often considered primary caregivers and provide food for their families. There are certainly men that share caregiving responsibilities, but in crisis, men are much more likely to migrate, while women remain at home to tend to caregiving responsibilities.

In many developing countries women and girls are responsible for water collection. In this scenario, their water collection workload increases as they have to walk further to find it. This has been tied to girls even risking their education because they are needed at home more often than boys.

One study found that “In crisis situations where food is in short supply, women and girls are more likely to reduce their food intake as a coping strategy in favor of other household members,” and “Because of social traditions men and boys may be favored and fed better than women and girls.”

Because women in many countries tend to have roles as primary caregivers and food providers — and tend to have less socioeconomic power than men — they are more vulnerable to climate problems including natural hazards like flooding, droughts, and hurricanes. EcoWatch reported, “the bottom line is that women are more affected by environmental devastation and climate change because, at a global scale, their basic rights continue to be denied. Tangentially, there is a clear link between poverty and who climate change impacts first and worst — and women make up the greatest percentage of the world’s’ poor.”

The good news is that getting more women involved in climate change and climate justice decisions can make a significant impact on global policy. Women’s’ personal experience as mothers or primary caregivers give them a vital perspective on certain policies. Women are known to invest more in health, security, the future of children than men. In terms of climate change denial — male deniers outnumber females two to one. Pacific Standard reported, “An American woman is 50 percent more likely to completely accept climate change science than is the average man.”

Bringing more gender diversity to environmental decision-making can bring more well-rounded solutions to global climate change problems. A study of 130 countries found that countries with higher female parliamentary representation are more prone to ratify international environmental treaties.

In order to help women stand up and fight for climate change, we must continue to bring this inequality to the forefront. Educating both women and men alike on climate justice issues and lack of gender representation in policymaking is vital in implementing any real change. We must continue to empower women to speak and be heard. After all, they could just change the world.