The current capitalist system has driven two interconnected crises: ecological decline and social injustice. Climate change, a prominent outcome of environmental damage, intensifies global inequalities, disproportionately affecting vulnerable and poorer populations due to factors like geography and limited access to resources.
How it impacts gender equality
A key yet often overlooked aspect of this crisis is its impact on gender inequality. Women, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, face amplified challenges to their health, livelihoods, and security because of entrenched patriarchal structures. Resilience to climate extremes depends heavily on factors such as access to essential services, financial and natural resources, food security, and decision-making power—all of which are often unequally distributed between genders.
Economist Amartya Sen’s “capability approach” presents a valuable perspective for addressing these issues. This framework shifts focus from mere economic growth to enhancing individuals’ real opportunities to achieve well-being. Capabilities refer to the genuine freedoms people have to pursue their valued life paths, while “functionings” are the activities and states they achieve. Effective development thus requires converting resources into meaningful opportunities for all, considering the unique personal, social, and environmental factors that influence resource utilization.
In the global south, where many economies depend on agriculture and forestry which are sectors heavily employing women, climate change has severe repercussions. Droughts and floods drive men to migrate for work, leaving women to manage farming under increasingly difficult conditions. This strain diminishes agricultural productivity, compromises income, and reduces the scope of opportunities for women, impacting health and food security.
A comprehensive solution required
Access to clean energy is critical for enhancing human capabilities. However, approximately one-third of the global population lacks electricity, relying instead on solid fuels like wood for cooking. This energy poverty disproportionately affects women, who often spend hours collecting firewood, limiting their ability to engage in more productive activities. Indoor use of biomass stoves also exposes them to harmful air pollution, exacerbating health risks.
Climate policies must integrate gender considerations, promoting adaptation and resilience while addressing structural inequalities. The transition to low-carbon systems must include measures for social protection, welfare, and support for livelihoods to prevent deepening gender disparities and ensure that women play an active role in combating the climate crisis.
