Climate change poses growing risks. Catastrophic storms destroy lives and homes. Droughts pressure rural livelihoods. Sea level rise threatens low-lying areas.
Credit: IUCN, EGI and UN Women
Slowing a dangerous rise in global temperatures depends on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Since some level of climate change is now inexorable, other actions must help people adapt and become more resilient. Adequate education and employment, for example, help build safety nets against disaster.
The most vulnerable people are most at risk from climate change, including many poor women. For them, the impacts are already a daily reality. Many spend increasingly long hours hunting for food, fuel and water, or struggling to grow crops. When disasters strike, women are far more likely to perish [1].
Through their experiences and traditional knowledge as stewards of many natural resources, women can offer valuable insights into better managing the climate and its risks. They also have a right to all capacities needed to protect themselves, and to participate in decisions with profound implications for people and the planet.