Poverty, women and climate change

The threat of climate change, manifested in the increase of extreme weather conditions such as, droughts, storms or floods, has been recognised as a global priority issue. 

Climate change is a sustainable development challenge, with broad impacts not only on the environment but also on economic and social  development. The effects of climate change will vary among regions, and between different generations, income groups and occupations as well as between women and men. Developing countries and people living in poverty are likely to experience significant impacts as they do not have the necessary technology or funds to adapt. 

Women form a disproportionately large share of the poor in countries all over the world. Women in rural areas in developing countries are highly dependent on  local natural resources for their livelihood, because of their responsibility to  secure water, food and energy for cooking and heating. The effects of climate  change, including drought, uncertain rainfall and deforestation, make it harder to secure these resources.

By comparison with men in poor countries, women face historical disadvantages, which include limited access to decision-making and economic assets that compound the challenges of climate change. It is therefore imperative that a gender analysis be applied to all actions on climate change.

Questions to consider:

How does your country contibute to the changing climate?
How is your country affected by the changing climate now?
How will the poorest people in your region adapt to climate change?
What impact has there been for women?
What needs to be done?

Further reading:
http://www.unwomen.org/focus-areas/climate-change-and-the-environment/ 
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/climate_change/ 
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources/climate_change_poverty_women/files/Guardian_Climate_Change_Atlas_%20081208.pdf 
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/files/climatechangewomen-factsheet.pdf