Promoting Gender and Climate Smart Investment

Nov 16, 2021 | Katja Silva-Leander and Kongkona Sarma
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Climate change is set to cause unimaginable disruption unless immediate action is taken, and its impacts will disproportionately affect women — increasing inequality. In many low-income contexts, women’s livelihoods are more dependent on natural resources threatened by climate change as they tend to work in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and water. Women also have less access to finance, land ownership, education, and health care, which further limit their capacity to cope with and adapt to climate change. On the other hand, women have the potential to act as agents of change for climate mitigation and adaptation. They are often leaders in developing effective coping strategies to build resilience; for instance, by adapting their farming practices. Involving women in decision-making around climate responses could therefore enhance their impact.