Celebrating Earth Day With a Gender Justice Lens

Apr 15, 2021 | Tanna Clews and Rob Werner
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As we look towards Earth Day 2021, we’re paying special attention to the intersection of climate and gender justice. We believe that there is no gender justice without climate justice, and there is no climate justice without gender justice — yet not all feminists and environmentalists are aware of how interconnected our fights for justice are. Across the board, women are disproportionately affected by climate change. Women make up 70% of the global population living in poverty. Through rising sea levels and extreme weather events, global warming places millions of people at risk of displacement — a staggering 80 percent of whom are women. Climate change severely impacts the agricultural industry, and in developing countries, women are responsible for producing 60% to 80% of food. Climate change-related extreme weather events are also associated with greater risks of low birth weight and preterm births.