Worsening droughts, floods, fires, and storms exacerbate unequal relations between women and men that have existed for generations, increasing violence against women and girls, impacting livelihoods and pulling girls out of school.
What needs to change
Women must be a central part of the response to the climate crisis. But they are under-represented at every level when it comes to decision making. Just 15 out of 133 world leaders attending the UN Climate Change Conference in 2023 (COP28) were women.
Women led and women’s rights organisations receive very small amounts of climate finance, despite being powerful actors in responding and adapting to climate change. Women also risk being left out of opportunities in the transition to a green economy unless governments and the private sector take action to address the specific barriers they face.
Communities vulnerable to the climate crisis must get help to address impacts that can’t be adapted to, including the loss of land, livelihoods and homes. It’s only fair that rich countries, including the UK, who are responsible for most greenhouse gas emissions, finance the loss and damage in nations devastated by the climate crisis.
Our priorities
Governments need to take urgent action to keep global heating to 1.5 degrees, support women as leaders and frontline responders and promote a gender-just green transition.
We are calling on the UK Government to:
- Promote gender justice and women’s leadership in climate policies, including in the green transition
- Keep 1.5 alive by committing to reduce emissions
- Ensure climate finance supports gender equality and reaches marginalised women and girls, including women’s rights and women-led organisations
- Provide finance for loss and damage for communities vulnerable to climate change
