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Gender equality in climate policy and practice hindered by assumptions

Author

Listed:
  • Jacqueline D. Lau

    (James Cook University
    WorldFish)

  • Danika Kleiber

    (James Cook University
    WorldFish)

  • Sarah Lawless

    (James Cook University
    WorldFish)

  • Philippa J. Cohen

    (James Cook University
    WorldFish)

Abstract

Gender has a powerful influence on people’s experience of, and resilience to, climate change. Global climate change policy is committed to tackling gender inequalities in mitigation and adaptation. However, progress is hindered by numerous challenges, including an enduring set of gender assumptions: women are caring and connected to the environment, women are a homogenous and vulnerable group, gender equality is a women’s issue and gender equality is a numbers game. We provide an overview of how these assumptions essentialize women’s and men’s characteristics, narrowly diagnose the causes of gender inequality, and thereby propel strategies that have unintended and even counterproductive consequences. We offer four suggestions for a more informed pursuit of gender equality in climate change policy and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline D. Lau & Danika Kleiber & Sarah Lawless & Philippa J. Cohen, 2021. "Gender equality in climate policy and practice hindered by assumptions," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 11(3), pages 186-192, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:11:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1038_s41558-021-00999-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-00999-7
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ling Yu & Pengjun Zhao & Junqing Tang & Liang Pang & Zhaoya Gong, 2023. "Social inequality of urban park use during the COVID-19 pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Alice Tianbo Zhang & Sasmita Patnaik & Shaily Jha & Shalu Agrawal & Carlos F. Gould & Johannes Urpelainen, 2022. "Evidence of multidimensional gender inequality in energy services from a large-scale household survey in India," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(8), pages 698-707, August.
    3. Marina Kovaleva & Walter Leal Filho & Christian Borgemeister & Julia Komagaeva, 2023. "Central Asia: Exploring Insights on Gender Considerations in Climate Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-28, August.
    4. Christopher A. Freimund & Gregg M. Garfin & Laura M. Norman & Larry A. Fisher & James L. Buizer, 2022. "Flood resilience in paired US–Mexico border cities: a study of binational risk perceptions," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 112(2), pages 1247-1271, June.
    5. Khan, Majid, 2023. "Shifting Gender Roles in Society and the Workplace: Implications for Environmental Sustainability," MPRA Paper 116306, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 11 Feb 2023.
    6. Ryo Takahashi, 2022. "Gender differences in tolerance for women's opinions and the role of social norms," Working Papers 2123, Waseda University, Faculty of Political Science and Economics.
    7. Masuda, Yuta J. & Waterfield, Gina & Castilla, Carolina & Kang, Shiteng & Zhang, Wei, 2022. "Does balancing gender composition lead to more prosocial outcomes? Experimental evidence of equality in public goods and extraction games from rural Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    8. Michal Plaček & Cristina del Campo & Vladislav Valentinov & Gabriela Vaceková & Markéta Šumpíková & František Ochrana, 2022. "Gender Heterogeneity and Politics in Decision-Making About Green Public Procurement in the Czech Republic," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(3), pages 239-250.
    9. Renner, Laura & Schmid, Lena, 2023. "The decision to flee: Exploring gender-specific determinants of international refugee migration," Discussion Paper Series 2023-01, University of Freiburg, Wilfried Guth Endowed Chair for Constitutional Political Economy and Competition Policy.
    10. Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu & Martin Henseler & Helene Maisonnave & Ramos Mabugu, 2023. "Climate Change and Women - Impacts and Adaptation," Post-Print hal-04072199, HAL.
    11. Basanta Paudel & Zhaofeng Wang & Yili Zhang & Mohan Kumar Rai & Pranesh Kumar Paul, 2021. "Climate Change and Its Impacts on Farmer’s Livelihood in Different Physiographic Regions of the Trans-Boundary Koshi River Basin, Central Himalayas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-18, July.
    12. Plaček, Michal & del Campo, Cristina & Valentinov, Vladislav & Vaceková, Gabriela & Šumpíková, Markéta & Ochrana, František, 2022. "Gender heterogeneity and politics in decision-making about green public procurement in the Czech Republic," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 10(3), pages 239-250.
    13. Araceli Galiano-Coronil & Manuela Ortega-Gil & Belén Macías-Varela & Rafael Ravina-Ripoll, 2023. "An approach for analysing and segmenting messages about the SDGs on Twitter from the perspective of social marketing," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 20(3), pages 635-658, September.

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