As specialists in gender equality and social inclusion, climate justice is a priority for us. Climate change is making existing inequalities worse and having profound impacts on the people and communities we work with.
We bring our gender equality and social inclusion expertise to the climate change space and mainstream climate justice throughout our work.
Our vision is for a just, sustainable and resilient world with equitable solutions to the climate crisis.
The countries that have contributed the least to global warming are experiencing the worst impacts of climate change. Unequal distributions of power and resources increases the risks that people face from the climate crisis.
Women and girls, people with disabilities, and other socially excluded groups are often most affected as they are more likely to live in poverty, and less likely to have access to the information and resources they need to adapt. Responses to climate-related disasters are often not accessible for people with disabilities and don’t take into account the increased risks of gender-based violence.
The voice and inclusion of excluded groups is critical to taking the action the world needs. Inclusive climate action also creates opportunities to promote equality.
Our work on climate justice brings our gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) expertise to the climate change response. We have an in-depth understanding of the wide-ranging effects of climate change and the connections with GESI.
We partner with civil society, governments and the private sector to ensure gender equality and social inclusion is at the heart of climate action. We partner with civil society to amplify their voice and promote their leadership.
We support organisations working on climate change, environmental degradation and disaster risk reduction to increase their ambition on GESI in their work by providing high-quality training, participatory GESI audits, and technical assistance.
We produce cutting edge research and guidance, highlighting the linkages between climate change and areas including disability inclusion, education, energy and infrastructure, gender-based violence, and women’s economic empowerment. We also produced the first report on integrating a gender lens in the voluntary carbon market.
If you would like to hear more about our work on Climate Justice, please reach out to Rebekah Martin, Climate Justice Lead, rebekah.martin@sddirect.org.uk.
Social Development Direct (SDDirect)
SDDirect at London Climate Action Week
Social Development Direct (SDDirect) will be sharing our learning on equitable and inclusive climate action throughout London Climate Action Week, which is taking place 20-28th June 2026.
By Emma Jones-Phillipson
This learning brief introduces climate and disaster risk reduction (DRR) actors to the importance of addressing the connections between GBV and climate change to facilitate more effective and comprehensive climate action in the Asia-Pacific region. It begins with an overview of evidence of how climate change, manifested through both sudden onset disasters (e.g., cyclones, floods) and slow-onset events (e.g. drought) can lead to increased risks of GBV for women and girls, and how, in turn, this creates barriers to climate resilience.
This resource offers practical, experience-based guidance on GEDSI mainstreaming in practice showing how to move from strong analysis to lasting change in policies, systems and programmes.
