How Can Climate Considerations Be Better Integrated into the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda?

Oct 15, 2021 | Adriana Abdenur, Mayesha Alam, Adam Day, Cristal Downing, and Beatrice Mosello
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As the impacts of climate change become more clear—starkly outlined this August by the International Panel on Climate Change’s latest report—responses to them will require an agile and transformational approach, one that is based on innovative solutions and inclusive policies, including with respect to gender. Understanding of the gender dimensions of climate change is nascent, and while there has been research on its differential impacts on men and women, as well as the exclusion of women from decision-making on climate change, major gaps remain, including with respect to security. Namely, there has been minimal overlap to date on the nexus of the climate change agenda and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda at the United Nations (UN).

Like the WPS agenda, the climate and security policy discussions have been criticized for securitizing its agenda in ways that could lead to distortions in foreign aid and fund allocations or for being a predominantly Northern-driven agenda that may favor the geopolitical interests of rich countries. Nonetheless, there is growing evidence of the links between climate, conflict, and violence, and exploring the overlap with the WPS agenda may generate lessons for more inclusive and effective approaches to related challenges.