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Journalism of Courage
— Soumya Saxena
(The Indian Express has launched a new series of articles for UPSC aspirants written by seasoned writers and scholars on issues and concepts spanning History, Polity, International Relations, Art, Culture and Heritage, Environment, Geography, Science and Technology, and so on. Read and reflect with subject experts and boost your chance of cracking the much-coveted UPSC CSE. In the following article, Soumya Saxena, a Gender Lead with ActionAid Association, examines gender-specific climate actions at COP29 and COP16.)
The failure to adopt the Just Transition Work Program at COP29 highlighted a critical gap in addressing the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work on women, exacerbated by climate change. Despite acknowledging how climate-induced resource scarcity intensifies women’s responsibilities, such as fetching water during droughts or gathering food in calamities, the programme was stalled due to a lack of consensus among negotiating parties.
The setback draws our attention to the strong correlation between women’s empowerment and effective climate action. Recognising the unequal impact of climate change on women, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) launched the Gender Action Plan in 2017 to engage and enhance women’s participation in its initiatives, aiming to address issues like land desertification and drought more inclusively.
Similarly, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has extended the Lima Work Program on Gender established in 2014 to advance gender-responsive climate policies and processes, focusing on achieving greater gender equity in climate governance. Both initiatives reflect a growing recognition of the need for structural changes to integrate gender considerations into climate action effectively.
But how does climate change affect women differently than men and why is it important to discuss the unequal impact of climate change on women? Why does the UNCCD emphasise the role of women in combating land desertification and drought?
The UNCCD holds a Conference of the Parties (COP) every two years to review global initiatives addressing land degradation and desertification. Under the theme ‘Our Land, Our Future’, the 16th session of the UNCCD, or COP16, was held from December 2–13, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With 40 per cent of the Earth’s land now classified as dry and arid, COP16 focused on land restoration as a key strategy to tackle climate change, food insecurity, drought, forced migration, and economic inequality.
Building on the Gender Caucus convened during COP14 in New Delhi, COP16 emphasised women’s participation in combating drought, land degradation, and desertification. Reinforcing the importance of gender-responsive policies, the Gender Caucus also promoted equitable access to land and critical resources for women.
The conference saw over 540 participants, 68 per cent of whom were women, including delegates from country parties, and representatives of international agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs), the media and youth organisations.
The Gender Caucus called for global support for the HerLand campaign led by the UNCCD, emphasising the integration of gender equality in policies, investments, and actions related to sustainable development.
Additionally, the Caucus shared best practices in developing gender-responsive indicators for Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought (DLDD). Parties were urged to collect sex-disaggregated data through national statistics offices to create effective and sustainable solutions.
The UNCCD resolved to collaborate with organisations like UN Women to implement the Gender Action Plan and its roadmap while advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. A consensus was reached to design flagship initiatives and projects promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in land tenure and DLDD initiatives.
However, no concrete decisions were made to promote gender equality beyond discussions. While $12 billion was pledged for addressing DLDD worldwide, no specific allocation was made for achieving gender-based indicators. It was despite acknowledging the fact that women produce up to 80 per cent of food in developing countries but own only 13 per cent of agricultural land globally.
India demonstrated its commitment to eco-consciousness through initiatives like “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam,” in which Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav planted a sapling at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to advocate for environmental awareness.
During COP16, India also presented an ambitious initiative – the Aravalli Green Wall Project (AGWP – to restore 1.15 million hectares of degraded land across four northwestern states. Combining indigenous afforestation, biodiversity conservation, and advanced water management strategies, the project uses modern GIS tools and Nature-Based Solutions while emphasising community engagement and cultural preservation.
India also highlighted its advancements in drought vulnerability assessments, real-time monitoring, and early warnings through organisations like the Space Research Organisation and National Remote Sensing Centre, enabling informed decision-making to combat DLDD.
The UNFCCC organises a Convention of Parties (COP) every year to take crucial decisions to address climate change. This year, COP29 was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, with a primary focus on Financing Climate Action. Discussions also included gender parity and policy formation for women and children affected by climate change.
Nonetheless, the COP29 was criticised for being underrepresented by women in formulating any substantial policy around gender and climate change. While the organising committee did not include a single female representative, women accounted for only 35 per cent of national delegates. Moreover, the Gender Climate Tracker revealed that since 2008, no COP has been able to achieve equal representation of women and men in their summit.
During COP29, the extension of the Lima Work Programme – mandated to advance gender equality in climate policies – for 10 years is seen as a positive outcome. Furthermore, the New Quantified Climate Finance Goal, aimed at supporting developing countries, emphasised engaging women and marginalised groups to ensure their human rights are upheld.
While the inclusion of gender equality measures was welcomed by several groups, the overall agenda and discussions during the summit fell short of systemically engaging on the question of gender and climate change.
Lack of gender-responsive financing goals: Despite pledging USD 300 million, no specific targets or measurable allocations for gender-responsive policies were set.
Failure to adopt the Just Transition Work Program: The programme recognised women’s increasing unpaid care burdens due to climate change but was not adopted due to lack of consensus.
Insufficient female leadership and data: COP29 displayed lack of gender parity in climate governance structures at national and international levels, while limited gender-specific data undermines the possibility of gender analysis of the delegations sent by participating countries.
Diverse female identities: Attempts to address the intersectional impacts of climate change on women with diverse identities, including LGBTQ+ individuals, faced opposition from countries like Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the Vatican.
The Indian delegation at COP29 emphasised the role of clean energy solutions in empowering women and rural communities, highlighting its successes in renewable energy. The delegation hosted the session titled Solarizing Communities through Women-led Climate Action: Strengthening Adaptation, Unlocking Finance, and Creating Jobs.
India’s recent accomplishments in large scale implementation of renewable energy were highlighted, including International Solar Alliance’s ‘Solar for She’ programme. The programme is designed to improve women’s access to energy and incomes through solar solutions and aligns with SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 7 (energy access).
Governments across the world need to recognise that climate change disproportionately affects women, and hence solutions must integrate gender diversity and social inclusion. Building on the limited yet significant gender-based decisions from COP29 and COP16, there is a need to advance gender-responsive climate action with urgency.
Achieving a sustainable future calls for structured participation of women as leaders, decision-makers, change-makers, and beneficiaries. The gaps identified at COP29 should drive collaboration at COP30 in Belem, Brazil, to secure a robust gender-based action plan.
A 2022 UNCCD study also highlighted persistent challenges faced by women in land rights, access to resources, education, and participation in decision-making. While COP16 made progress on women’s issues and desertification, it missed opportunities to include women in key decision-making processes to combat drought and land degradation effectively.
How does climate change affect women differently than men? Why is it important to discuss the unequal impact of climate change on women?
What was the purpose of establishing the Lima Work Program by the UNFCCC in 2014? What are the main objectives of the UNCCD’s Gender Action Plan launched in 2017?
Why did COP29 fail to adopt the Just Transition Work Program, and what were the key points of disagreement among negotiating parties?
In what ways does climate-induced resource scarcity exacerbate women’s unpaid care responsibilities?
What are the potential long-term consequences of ignoring gender-specific impacts of climate change in global agreements like COP29?
(Soumya Saxena is working as Gender Lead with ActionAid Association.)
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