THE INTEGRATION OF GENDER IN CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION

AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

Gender refers to the social attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female and the relationships between women and men and girls and boys, as well as the relations between women and those between men. These attributes, opportunities and relationships are socially constructed and are learned through socialization processes. They are context/time-specific and changeable. Gender determines what is expected, allowed and valued in a women or a man in a given context. In most societies there are differences and inequalities between women and men in responsibilities assigned, activities undertaken, access to and control over resources, as well as decision-making opportunities. Gender is part of the broader socio-cultural context. Other important criteria for socio-cultural analysis include class, race, poverty level, ethnic group and age.»

Definition of UN Women (http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/conceptsandefinitions.htm )

GENDER AS A TOOL OF ANALYSIS

GENDER-BASED ANALYSIS GBA is an analysis process that promotes gender equality when applied to the orientations and actions of local, regional, and national decision-making bodies. Its purpose is to detect different impacts on men and women which may result from adoption of public projects while taking into account the different realities and needs of women and men. It is carried out during project development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. In some situations, GBA will lead to different measures for women and men, to diminish inequalities. Its goal is to attain equality in fact.

Source: Québec, Gender-based analysis in government practices and those of local and regional decision-making bodies: A Summary guide, 2007.

WHY INTEGRATE GENDER INTO CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES?

For effective mitigation and

adaptation strategies

To ensure that mitigation

strategies and actions foster social equality

Because of gendered roles, stererotypes and division of labour, women and men have different perceptions,

attitudes, and roles to play relating to climate change mitigation

To ensure that the impacts of

do not exacerbate

social inequalities

WHY A GENDER-BASED ANALYSIS?

In 2008, the average salary of women working full-time was 83% of the average salary of men

Women are under-represented in the high paying primary sectors

(energy, mines, fisheries, forests and agriculture) and secondary sector

(transport and construction)

WHY A GENDER-BASED ANALYSIS?

In 2006, amongst parents with children of all ages, 53,7 % of partnered mothers and 44,9% of single mothers, compared with 24,5 % and 26,0 % of partnered and single fathers spend 15 hours or more per week on household chores.

In 2011, women were largely responsible for cooking daily meals (for 58% of couples working full-time) and doing laundry (for 65% of those couples). In working couples, women are also mainly responsible for doing groceries and cleaning.

•  Canada has signed and ratified CEDAW •  Beijing Platform for Action (1995)

establishes a clear link between women and the environment

•  The role of women in environmental protection also recognized at Rio and other environmental treaties (e.g. biodiversity, desertification)

GENDER AND CLIMATE CHANGE – INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS

•  In the Climate change regime: –  Decision 36/CP. 7 (2001) – increasing the

participation of women in UN bodies working on climate change

–  Decision 1/CP.16 (2010) – gender equality and the participation of women and indigenous peoples are important for effective action on climate change; adaptation should take a gender-sensitive approach

–  Decision 23/CP.18 (2012)- Promoting gender balance and improving the participation of women in UNFCCC negotiations and in the representation of Parties in bodies established pursuant to the Convention or the Kyoto Protocol

GENDER AND CLIMATE CHANGE – INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS

•  Québec Plan of action on climate change 2013-2020 does not include gender;

•  Québec adaptation strategy mentions « vulnerable groups » but is silent on gender;

•  The two ministries acting on climate change have not yet integrated gender into their work;

•  The integration of gender-based analysis is on a per project basis, in ministries working on social issues (immigration, elderly, children, health);

GENDER IN QUÉBEC AND FEDERAL STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS

THE GENDER DIMENSION OF

CLIMATE CHANGE

MITIGATION

SOURCES OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS (QUÉBEC)

43,5%

28,0%

14,0%

7,9% 5,9% 0,8%

Transport

Industrie

Résidentiel, tertaire

Agriculture

Matières résiduelles

Électricité

The Québec Action plan stresses the importance of education campaigns, changes in lifestyles and habits, and the development of knowledge on the socioeconomic impacts of climate change.

QUÉBEC CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN

INDIVIDUAL EMISSIONS GENERAL FACTORS

ü According to one European study, individual actions on climate change are influenced by education levels, income, social status and the gendered division of labour in the household;

GENDERED PERCEPTIONS

Women and men do not have the same perceptions of climate change

Women have a better understanding of and greater concern for climate

change

Women tend to prefer solutions geared towards changes in behaviours and lifestyles

whereas men tend to prefer technical and technological fixes

ENERGY CONSUMPTION IS GENDERED

•  80% of household greenhouse gas emissions are caused by personal transportation, the use of appliances, heating and air conditioning;

•  Energy consumption generally increases with income;

•  According to one study in Europe, single men consume more energy than single women;

•  Increasing electricity rates is a regressive measure

GENDERED CARBON FOOTPRINTS

Carbon footprints are gendered and dependent on income (indirect energy use)

Men travel more by car and airplane than women, who use public transportation

more

Women tend to eat less meat, more fruits and vegetables

Consumption habits are gendered

GENDERED DIMENSION OF COLLECTIVE MITIGATION STRATEGIES

• Women and men do not have the same uses and needs  

Public transportation  

• Who benefits from economic incentives (eg electric cars)?  

Alternative transportation  

• They cannot exacerbate social inequalties

Economic instruments: carbon taxes

• Organic and local; community gardens

Agriculture

GENDER IN CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

Adaptation

Resilience

Vulnerability

Actions, strategies,

policies

ADAPTATION

GENDER IN CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

Gendered impacts

Appropriate adaptation strategies

THE GENDERED IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

•  The most affected are the elderly, children, people with chronic illnesses and people living in poverty  

Heat waves  

•  stress, violence  

Extreme weather events  

•  Gendered roles, gendered impacts

Agriculture  

Northern communities  

THE NEED FOR FEMINIST AND ECOFEMINIST ANALYSES AND

ACTION

Why?

¡  To understand and crit ique our relationship to the environment ¡  To understand and crit ique our relationship to energy ¡  To frame the climate change issues as social, economic and

polit ical issues ¡  To theorize the role of women in climate change and

environmental protection §  Avoid putting disproportionate burden on women §  Challenge gender stereotypes §  Link to feminist consciousness-raising

¡  To challenge the societal and structural causes of social inequalit ies, the gendered division of labour and climate change §  Capitalism §  Dualistic thought §  Western science and technology

¡  To offer an equitable and sustainable vision of the world

•  “Feminist citizenship has the potential to be a positive political identity that allows women to express their gender-related concerns for environmental quality but that does not forever tie women (in general) to the private sphere of care and maternal virtue”

•  “An ecofeminist approach to citizenship.. recognizes

care as a form of work and a moral orientation that has been feminized and privatized in Western societies and that must be distributed fairly within and between societies if gender equality and sustainability are to be realized. ”

MacGregor (2006), pp.6-7

FEMINIST ECOLOGICAL CITIZENSHIP

•  Alber, Gotelind, et Hemmati, Minu. 2011. “Gender Perspectives: Debunking Climate Policy Myths”. Commonwealth Ministers.

•  Alston, Margaret. 2011. “Gender and Climate Change in Australia.” Journal of Sociology 47 (1): 53–70.

•  Beaumier, Maude C., et Ford, James D. 2010. “Food Insecurity Among Inuit Women Exacerbated by Socioeconomic Stresses and Climate Change.” Canadian Journal of Public Health 101 (3): 196–201.

•  Carlsson-Kanyama, Annika, Engström, Rebecka, et Kok, Rixt. 2005. “Indirect and Direct Energy Requirements of City Households in Sweden: Options for Reduction, Lessons from Modeling.” Journal of Industrial Ecology 9 (1-2): 221–235.

•  Carlsson-Kanyama, Annika, et Gonzalez, Alejandro D. 2009. “Potential Contributions of Food Consumption Patterns to Climate Change.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 89: 1704S–1709S.

SELECTED REFERENCES

•  Chalifour, Nathalie J. 2010. “A Feminist Perspective on Carbon Taxes.” Canadian Journal of Women and the Law 22 (1): 169–212.

•  Clancy, Joy, et Röhr, Ulrike. 2003. “Gender and Energy: Is There a Northern Perspective?” Energy for Sustainable Development 7 (3): 16–.

•  Conseil des Montréalaises. 2009. Pour Qu’elles Embarquent! Avis Du Conseil Des Montréalaises Sur L’accessibilité Du Transport Collectif Et Son Impact Sur La Qualité De Vie Des Montréalaises. Montréal.

•  Druckman, Angela, et Jackson, Tim. 2009. “The Carbon Footprint of UK Households 1990-2004: A Socio-economically Disaggregated, Quasi-multi-regional Input-outpud Model.” Ecological Economics 68: 2066–2077.

•  Duncan, Kristy. 2008. “Un Dossier Chaud: La Santé Des Femmes Et Les Changements Climatiques.” Le Réseau. http://www.cwhn.ca/node/39849.

SELECTED REFERENCES

•  European Institute for Gender Equality. 2012. Review of the Implementation in the EU of area K of the Beijing Platform for Action: Women and the Environment; Gender Equality and Climate Change. Luxembourg: European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).

•  Eyzaguirre, Jimena. 2008. “Les Changements Climatiques Et Le Canada: Une Occasion Inexploitée Pour Faire Avancer L’égalité Des Sexes?” Réseau Canadien Pour La Santé Des Femmes. www.rcsf.ca/fr/print/fr/node/39400

•  Groupe d’experts intergouvernemental sur l’évolution du climat. 2008. Changements Climatiques 2007: Rapport De Synthèse. Genève, Suisse (GIEC).

SELECTED REFERENCES

•  Johnsson-Latham, Gerd. 2007. A Study on Gender Equality as a Prerequisite for Sustainable Development. Report to the Environment Advisory Council.

•  MacGregor, Sherilyn. 2010. “‘Gender and Climate Change’: From Impacts to Discourses.” Journal of the Indian Ocean Region 6 (2): 223–238.

•  McCright, Aaron M. 2010. “The Effects of Gender on Climate Change Knowledge and Concern in the American Public.” Popul Environ 32: 66–87.

•  Neumayer, Eric, et Plümper, Thomas. 2007. “The Gendered Nature of Natural Disasters: The Impact of Catastrophic Events on the Gender Gap in Life Expectancy, 1981-2002.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 97 (3): 551–566.

•  Räty, R., and Carlsson-Kanyama, A. 2010. “Energy Consumption by Gender in Some European Countries.” Energy Policy 38: 646–649.

•  Wolf, Johanna, et Moser, Susanne C. 2011. “Individual Understandings, Perceptions, and Engagement with Climate Change: Insights from In-depth Studies Across the World.” WIREs Clim Change 2: 547–569.

SELECTED REFERENCES