Putting gender equality at the heart of the climate debate

Global climate negotiations get a bad rap. Yes, they are crowded, complex and lengthy processes that often feel completely mismatched with the urgency of the moment. Yet the more we distrust the process, the more we tend to lose hope and submit to inaction.

After intense discussions at the recent UNDP-OECD Cross-Regional Dialogue on investing for gender equality and inclusive climate action, I have hope. I have renewed confidence that there are choices that can be made at the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku (COP29) and beyond, which can initiate a new time where we are able to simultaneously address the climate crisis and build a more gender equal world.

Bending the arc of progress

The arc of progress towards gender equality is not linear. Wars, conflicts, climate change-along with social and political backlash-are putting up a "resistance fortress" against gender equality. In parallel, there are pockets of skepticism and misinformation which cast climate policies as threats to economic stability, while groups with powerful interests continue to resist.

But there is hope. Eighty percent of people want their governments to take stronger climate action, according to a recent UNDP survey. The Peoples' Climate Vote, the largest ever standalone public opinion survey on climate change, also showed that this includes the majority of people living in the biggest greenhouse gas emitters.

Agreeing on strong climate action is one thing. How do we get it right? Crucially, will women benefit equally? Will a green transition help women get higher paid, more stable jobs? Will it help them gain control of their lives and the future of their countries?

The answer can be yes. Yes, if governments' level of ambition is high. Yes, if countries adopt strong new policies and programmes, which embed justice and equality and are sufficiently resourced. Yes, if women are also the ones designing these climate actions, policies and programmes.

There is no time to lose. The transition has started, and it will soon be too late to ensure that equality is built into its very foundations. Estimates show that by 2050, climate change may push up to 158 million more women and girls into extreme poverty, 16 billion more than men and boys.

To address the systemic failures that continue to reproduce unequal outcomes, we must invest in the following areas;u

• Ensuring states are ready for gender-responsive climate action

Effective climate action requires substantial investment in reforming the institutions that implement the policies. Gaps in gender expertise, reliable data, intersectoral coordination, budgets, and institutional frameworks are just some of the challenges public institutions face. Meaningful engagement with women's organizations is also essential, but rarely happens.

Our experience has shown that cosmetic changes or ad-hoc trainings are not effective. Instead, UNDP's "Climate Promise" helps countries systematically integrate gender equality into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Additionally, as part of the UNDP Gender Equality Seal Certification programme, we work alongside public institutions, including ministries for environment and energy -supporting countries to undertake comprehensive reforms through a two-year roadmap to implement international gender equality standards.

• Putting care at the heart of climate action

Let me make a bold statement: women do not have time to be part of the green transition. Climate impacts not only increase care work for women disproportionately, but care responsibilities overshadow women's opportunities to join any green work force. After a flood or other climate-induced crisis, women will still be expected to take care of the kids (who are probably out of school due to the crisis), while also having to wait in line for hours to get food tickets and carry on with household chores even though water wells and natural resources are damaged beyond use. So how is the new green job market going to make a difference?

There are ways to unburden women. Universal access to clean cooking could save women up to 40 hours a week - hours they could, for example, invest in learning green technologies to join the new labour market. Free time can be transformational. Yet decision makers often do not invest in care, because the contribution of care to the economy is not reflected in major economic indicators.

A just and green transition must recognize care as a public good. UNDP is working with an increasing number of countries to develop and expand comprehensive care systems - including 13 countries over the last year - but much more needs to be done.

In 2021, the green finance market was worth upwards of US$540.6 billion, but most of it is channeled via commercial banks and investment vehicles, not adapted to small businesses or the informal sector, where a large proportion of women-led entrepreneurial activity is. The truth is that many women do not have credit records, collateral, or their own legal address, let alone access to major investment resources. Moreover, only a fraction of green finance is gender-responsive, and just a small percentage reaches women's organizations.

Public budgets can be another key source of green and inclusive financing, but only if they are planned with purpose. Through our global EQUANOMICs Programme, UNDP helps countries expand their fiscal space, and better plan their budgets to invest in gender equality.

A green and feminist future

The hard work of building a green and feminist future should not be underestimated. Ninety percent of the world-women and men alike-are biased against women. Shifting social norms, transforming policies and getting our institutions ready for a just transition is a huge task - but it is possible. As we participate in COP29 and look ahead to 2025 which will mark the 10^th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, there are urgent choices to be made. We can, and must, choose differently.

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