Why Women Are Footing the Bill for Climate: Lessons from Bangladesh

May 19, 2022 | International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
Online
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Over the past decade, more than two billion people around the world have been impacted by climate-related disasters. Exposure to climate risks causes considerable damage to the assets and livelihood opportunities for many households. The associated financial burden disproportionally impacts people, particularly women, living in climate-vulnerable places.

Reflecting on the findings of a new study on household expenditure in Bangladesh, this IIED Debates event will explore the intersection of climate and gender inequality and what is needed to alleviate the financial burden of climate adaptation.

Climate-related disasters such as storms, cyclones, floods, droughts and extreme heat or extreme cold put millions of lives at risk each year. The number of people affected by these climate events has more than tripled since the 1970s.

Exposure to these climate risks causes considerable damage to household assets and livelihood opportunities. In response, many households adopt private defence measures, investing their own resources in climate-disaster prevention. The financial burden of these adaptation measures disproportionately impact people and places that are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly women.

At this IIED Debates event, hosted in partnership with UNDP Bangladesh, Kingston University and the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), we will explore the exposure and expenditure of rural households on climate change.

Drawing on the findings from a new study focussed on households in Bangladesh, our speakers will demonstrate how women and men are impacted and the social, economic and cultural factors influencing the scale of financial burden.

What are the challenges faced by households and what opportunities are there to alleviate the burden? What learnings from the study can we use to influence policy and decision making and what is the role for governments, development banks and donor organisations?