As thousands gather in Baku for the UN climate conference, it is essential that addressing injustice and promoting equality is at the heart of the discussion.
We know that the climate crisis is exacerbating existing inequalities and creating barriers for socially excluded groups to exercise their human rights. Upcoming research with women workers in India, found that their livelihoods are being threatened by increasing heat, with crops failing, outdoor workers risking heat stroke, and reduced footfall at markets. Flooding, which climate change has increased the frequency and severity of, has a disproportionate impact on women and girls, who are more likely to be injured, bear increased responsibility for caring for family members, and face increased risk of gender-based violence, including early marriage and sexual exploitation and abuse.
Despite these barriers, women and people from socially excluded groups are acting on climate change. The just transition to a green economy also offers opportunities for inclusive economic empowerment, such as jobs in the renewable energy industry and nature-based solutions. We also continue to be inspired by the women, young people, people with disabilities and indigenous people leading activist movements and advocating for a greener, more just, future.
Climate activists and civil society organisations are facing threats to their crucial work, exacerbated by misogyny, racism, ableism and homophobia. Gender-based violence is being used as a tactic to silence climate change activists and environmental human rights defenders, to undermine and discourage their work and as retaliation for challenging gender norms through their climate leadership. In Latin America, indigenous peoples, afro-descendant people and women environmental human rights defenders face lethal and non-lethal violence for opposing illegal logging, mining and theft of indigenous lands.
Increasingly evidence is also showing that greater inclusion and diversity improves the impact and sustainability of action on climate, environment and nature. For example, banks that have more gender diverse boards provide more credit to greener countries and lend less to firms with high pollution intensities. Despite this, only 34% of party delegates at COP28 were women, which is the same percentage as 10 years ago. We have also found that gender equality, disability, and social inclusion and safeguarding are not sufficiently prioritised in environmental frameworks and programming.
In this blog series, we will explore the ways we are working on climate justice at SDDirect across our different portfolios of work. Over the next two weeks, we will share findings from recent publications on topics including carbon credits, disability inclusion, and gender-based violence, and insights from programming on education, safeguarding, and women’s economic empowerment. Stay tuned!