The year 2024 is on track to be the hottest on record, according to projections from the latest United Nations estimates. Without immediate and drastic action, we are hurtling towards a future where the planet will be up to 3.1 degrees Celsius warmer by the end of the century. The urgency of solving the climate crisis cannot be overstated, and it requires global cooperation on an unprecedented scale.
However, the recent Conference of the Parties (COP) held in Azerbaijan in November failed to deliver the necessary bold actions. The current economic system, which is built on the exploitation of natural resources and cheap labor, exacerbates the climate crisis while perpetuating inequalities based on gender, race, and class. It prioritizes the interests of corporations and elites, further marginalizing women and vulnerable communities who bear the brunt of climate change impacts.
As gender-equality researchers at the U.N., we are increasingly seeing evidence that women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals are disproportionately affected by climate change. This raises the question: What if we approached climate action from a feminist perspective?
Feminism offers a critical lens through which to understand how inequalities drive the climate crisis. It provides a vision for a more equitable future that goes beyond transitioning away from fossil fuels to fundamentally transforming our economic and political systems. Women worldwide face unequal access to economic resources, making them more vulnerable to climate-related disruptions. As weather patterns shift and infrastructure is compromised, women struggle to adapt, recover, and rebuild, putting their livelihoods and economic security at risk.
The latest research from U.N. Women highlights that climate change could push millions of women and girls into poverty and food insecurity by 2050. This, coupled with increasing time poverty as women take on more unpaid care work, has profound and long-lasting consequences. For example, in drought-prone areas, girls are forced to drop out of school to help with household responsibilities, limiting their opportunities for a better life.
A feminist climate justice approach seeks to address the intersectional challenges of climate change, gender inequality, and social injustice. It uplifts the voices and knowledge of women and marginalized communities who are most affected by environmental degradation. By centering their experiences and contributions, we can chart a more sustainable and inclusive path forward.
To achieve this vision, we must take action across four key pillars:
1. Recognize and amplify women’s expertise and labor in climate policymaking to avoid maladaptation.
2. Redistribute resources towards women’s employment, regeneration, and care for both people and ecosystems.
3. Ensure diverse women’s representation in decision-making processes and protect activists from violence and harassment.
4. Repair the impacts of environmental degradation, with wealthy countries fulfilling climate finance commitments and holding polluters accountable.
The path to a sustainable future requires not just the ‘what’ of feminist climate justice but also the ‘how.’ Social movements, including feminists, environmentalists, indigenous groups, and youth, must work together to demand faster and more radical action from governments and businesses. By uniting around a common understanding of the urgent steps needed, we can push for a more equitable and resilient future.
Laura Turquet, Silke Staab, and Brianna Howell are researchers at U.N. Women, advocating for a feminist approach to climate justice. Follow them on their respective social media platforms for more insights.
