As we look back on global progress on climate action in 2022, one thing is clear: the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference was a disappointment on many fronts, not least when it comes to the voice of women in the climate debate. This glaring failure was reflected in the lack of women delegates at decision-making levels: Only one-third of all delegates were women, while less than 10 women were pictured among the 110 leaders who posed for the official “family photo.”
This imbalance can only be detrimental to the efforts to tackle climate change — particularly since women and girls are disproportionately affected by the consequences of the climate crisis. Addressing it starts with driving forward a solid gender-smart climate finance agenda.
The consistent lack of investment in women has environmental and social consequences. Today, 80% of people displaced by climate change are women. For solutions to the climate crisis to be viable, they must be designed by women, for women.