Women are still underrepresented at climate negotiations despite the fact that they are disproportionately affected by climate change. Studies also show that their participation in local and national level discussions tends to lead to more action.
“Women are the answer to every climate question,” Kathy Baughman McLeod, CEO of Climate Resilience for All, a gender-focused climate adaptation nonprofit, said at a Devex event on the sidelines of UNGA 79 on Sept. 25.
But since the first United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties in 1995, only five women have been appointed as COP presidents. In 2022, women made up less than 34% of the country negotiating teams at the COP summit in Egypt. And this lack of representation has been a discussion point at many COPs — without much change.
About the author
Jesse Chase-Lubitz
Jesse Chase-Lubitz covers climate change and multilateral development banks for Devex. She previously worked at Nature Magazine, where she received a Pulitzer grant for an investigation into land reclamation. She has written for outlets such as Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and The Japan Times, among others. Jesse holds a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics.
