PUTTING WOMEN AT CENTRE OF GLOBAL CLIMATE ACTION

HE COP29 climate summit going on in Baku has scheduled November 21 as 'gender day' to focus on women's participation in global climate action.

- SHUBHAM THAKUR

But are they adequately represented at the COP high table? Only eight of the 78 world leaders participating in COP29 are women; the 2023 COP summit featured 15 women among a total of 133.

This is not to say that women's voices are not being heard. The UN claims that more than four-fifths of the parties at COP have looked closely at gender in their latest nationally determined contributions and adaptation plans. There is good reason for that. It has long been established that women-especially those in developing nations-bear the brunt of climate change more than men. Different reports, including quite a few from various UN offices, have highlighted this over the years.

As far back as 2009, a UN report noted, "Women are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men-primarily as they constitute the majority of the world's poor and are more dependent for their livelihood on natural resources that are threatened by climate change." It pointed out that women don't have many of the freedoms they require to adapt to climate crises due to persistent social, economic and political setbacks.