COP29: Strengthening gender equality in climate action

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, became a watershed in the global fight against climate change, particularly highlighting the role crucial for women in decision-making. do in terms of climate action.

This historic conference highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and girls around the world. As international leaders came together to negotiate climate policies and commitments, the imperative to include women in developing sustainable solutions became increasingly evident, demonstrating the urgent need for gender-sensitive approaches in climate strategies.

Organizations like Our Secure Future, dedicated to strengthening the women, peace and security agenda, have consistently championed such approaches. Their expertise in linking women’s leadership in peace processes to effective climate action has proven particularly relevant to COP29’s gender-focused initiatives.

Where are the women at COP29?

Despite growing pressure for increased women’s participation in climate action, women’s representation at COP29 revealed persistent disparities. Women represented only 34% of party delegates and 19% of delegation leaders, representing minimal progress compared to previous years. This imbalance reflects broader global leadership patterns, where women occupy only 23.3 percent of ministerial positions worldwide.

The controversy surrounding the original COP29 organizing committee – made up of 28 men and no women – sparked an immediate backlash from advocacy groups. Although organizers later added 12 women to the committee, this reactive approach underscored the ongoing fight for equal representation in climate leadership.

Women face significant barriers to their participation, including social constraints and gender responsibilities. The challenge of balancing professional and domestic obligations often prevents them from engaging in protracted international negotiations. Furthermore, the traditional allocation of social portfolios rather than key areas like finance and energy to women in government continues to limit their influence in climate policy decisions.

One of the major achievements of COP29 was the ten-year extension of the enhanced Lima Work Program on Gender Equality (LWPG). This crucial framework, first adopted in 2014, lays the foundation for the development of a Global Gender Action Plan (GAP) at COP30.

However, the negotiation process revealed cultural divisions, with countries including the Vatican, Egypt, Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia opposing the term “gender” in the text. Despite these challenges, the extension of the LWPG represents a significant victory for gender mainstreaming in climate actions.

Funding gaps for women’s work

COP29’s focus on climate finance has yielded mixed results. The commitment of developed countries to provide “at least” $300 billion per year to developing countries until 2035 is significantly lower than the estimated annual needs of $1.3 trillion. This funding gap particularly affects women, who often face the most severe climate impacts with limited access to resources.

The New Collective Quantified Financing Target (NCQG) makes only one reference to women, with no specific target for financing adaptation and disaster response. The absence of concrete gender-responsive financing mechanisms represents a missed opportunity to promote accountability in climate finance.

Strengthening the link between climate and security

COP29 marked a major step forward in recognizing the link between climate and security, with a day dedicated to “Relief, recovery and peace”. The climate-security nexus refers to the relationship between climate change and security issues, where climate impacts can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and increase the risk of conflict. It recognizes that climate change acts as a threat multiplier, potentially triggering competition for resources, displacement and social tensions, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

The Innovative “Baku Call for Climate Action for Peace, Relief and Recovery” establishes the Baku Climate and Peace Action Center, facilitating crucial collaboration between peace and climate initiatives .

Setting the stage for Belém: future priorities

As attention turns to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, several crucial priorities have emerged. Implementation of gender-responsive efforts in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is a main priority, alongside the development of a robust gender equality action plan with accountability measures clear.

Gender-responsive NDCs actively promote equality by taking into account the different needs, priorities and experiences of women, men, boys and girls in society. These NDCs often involve specific actions aimed at empowering women in their households, communities and in broader decision-making processes. Notably, consideration of different groups is non-negotiable for these NDCs as it ensures that climate actions are equitable for all segments of the population.

Achieving equal representation of women and men in COP delegations and in leadership positions remains crucial, as does establishing gender-sensitive climate finance mechanisms. Integrating gender and climate security considerations into UNFCCC processes will be essential for overall progress.

Although COP29 took important steps in promoting gender equality in climate action, there is still much to do. The path to COP30 offers a crucial opportunity to turn commitments into concrete actions, ensuring that women’s voices and needs shape a sustainable future for all.

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