The groundbreaking 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, has emerged as a critical turning point in the global fight against climate change, particularly highlighting the crucial role of women’s decision-making in climate action.
This landmark conference spotlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and girls worldwide. As international leaders gathered to negotiate climate policies and commitments, the imperative of including women in developing sustainable solutions became increasingly evident, demonstrating the urgent need for gender-responsive approaches in climate strategies.
Organizations like Our Secure Future, dedicated to strengthening the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, have consistently championed such approaches. Their expertise in connecting women’s leadership in peace processes with effective climate action has proved especially relevant to COP29’s gender-focused initiatives.
Where are the Women at COP29?
Despite mounting pressure for increasing women’s participation in climate action, women’s representation at COP29 revealed persistent disparities. Women constituted only 34% of party delegates and 19 per cent of heads of delegation, marking minimal progress from previous years. This imbalance reflects broader global leadership patterns, where women hold just 23.3 per cent of cabinet minister positions worldwide.
The controversy surrounding the initial COP29 organizing committee—comprising 28 men and no women—sparked an immediate backlash from advocacy groups. While organisers subsequently added 12 women to the committee, this reactive approach underscored the ongoing struggle for equal representation in climate leadership.
Women face significant barriers to participation, including social constraints and gendered responsibilities. The challenge of balancing professional and domestic duties often prevents their engagement in extended international negotiations. Furthermore, the traditional assignment of social portfolios rather than key areas like finance and energy to women in government continues to limit their influence in climate policy decisions.
A major achievement at COP29 was the ten-year extension of the Enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender (LWPG). This crucial framework, first adopted in 2014, sets the foundation for developing a comprehensive Gender Action Plan (GAP) at COP30.
However, the negotiation process exposed cultural divisions, with countries including the Vatican, Egypt, Iran, Russia, and Saudi Arabia opposing the term “gender” in the text. Despite these challenges, the LWPG extension represents a significant victory for gender mainstreaming in climate actions.
Funding Deficits for Women’s Work
COP29’s focus on climate finance yielded mixed results. Developed nations’ pledge of “at least” $300 billion annually to developing nations until 2035 falls significantly short of the estimated $1.3 trillion yearly requirement. This funding deficit particularly impacts women, who often face the most severe climate effects with limited resource access.
The New Collective Quantified Goal on Finance (NCQG) makes only one reference to women, lacking specific targets for adaptation financing and disaster response. The absence of concrete mechanisms for gender-responsive funding represents a missed opportunity for promoting accountability in climate finance.
Strengthening the Climate-Security Connection
COP29 marked a breakthrough in recognizing the climate-security nexus, featuring a dedicated day on “Relief, Recovery and Peace.” The climate-security nexus refers to the relationship between climate change and security issues, where climate impacts can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and increase the risk of conflict. It recognizes that climate change acts as a threat multiplier, potentially triggering competition over resources, displacement, and social tensions, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings
The groundbreaking “Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief and Recovery” establishes the Baku Climate and Peace Action Hub, facilitating crucial collaboration between peace and climate initiatives.
Setting the Stage for Belém: Future Priorities
As attention shifts to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, several critical priorities have emerged. The implementation of gender-responsive efforts in Nationally Determined Contributions (NCDs) stands as a primary focus, alongside the development of a robust Gender Action Plan with clear accountability measures.
Gender-responsive NDCs actively promote equality by considering the different needs, priorities, and experiences of women, men, boys, and girls in society. These NDCs often involve specific actions to empower women in their households, communities, and broader decision-making processes. Notably, considering different groups is non-negotiable for these NDCs as it guarantees that climate actions are equitable for all population segments.
Achieving equal representation of women and men in COP delegations and leadership positions remains crucial, as does the establishment of gender-responsive climate finance mechanisms. The integration of gender-climate-security considerations across UNFCCC processes will be essential for comprehensive progress.
While COP29 achieved significant milestones in advancing equality between women and men within climate action, substantial work remains. The path to COP30 offers a crucial opportunity to transform commitments into concrete action, ensuring women’s voices and needs shape a sustainable future for all.
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