No Climate Justice without Gender Justice
Women in Europe for a Common Future (WECF) ask for clear Gender Perspective on Climate Change at the UNEP 10th Special Session in Monaco
19.02.2008 | Chantal van den Bossche
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No Climate Justice without Gender Justice
"We are here at the United Nations Environment Program's Conference in Monaco, called "Mobilizing Finance for Climate Action" but, we can put as much money in Climate Change as we want, it can still increase poverty and injustice" says Sascha Gabizon, Executive Director of WECF. "We see this happening in the area of CDM funding for Climate Change, which is not reaching the poorest. We see it happening with EU funds for climate change going to nuclear industry, which is an industry that creates great injustice when we look at the lack of human rights for people living near uranium mines. And in all countries, as UN statistics show us, women are the majority of the poor, and often doubly affected by injustice and poverty, as they are mostly the care-takers of the ill and disabled". Therefore WECF and its members say that “There cannot be climate justice without gender justice”.
The Right to Safe Energy
According to WECF everybody has the right to Safe Energy. Sabine Bock, WECF’s Energy and Climate Change coordinator states: “Poverty forces people to burn waste (e.g. plastics, tar, oil, kerosene, and traditional biomass) indoors for heating and cooking purposes, emitting toxic fumes and causing major health problems. We therefore demand Governments to invest in safe and affordable energy devices, energy efficiency technologies and sustainable energy sources, and demand access to affordable, efficient, renewable and clean energy for all and call for education on energy efficiency, renewable energy and conservation at all social levels”. Therefore WECF calls for the participation of the public, especially women, in decision making on energy sources and management.
Pro-poor financing decisions are needed
In response to a statement by UNEP’s Executive Director, Achim Steiner, who referred to wise people like Burndland, who saw that environmental protection and development need to go together as sustainable development, Sascha Gabizon, WECF, stated that “here in Monaco, which is probably one of the richest spots in Europe, my hotel room is next to the helicopter platform, and there is busy traffic, but we need “wise” people at this UNEP conference to decide that we will not finance large fields of maize in developing countries to fuel the helicopters of the affluent few, but, that we finally develop climate change financing measures which benefit the poor, unlike the current CDM mechanism”. She added, “this is of particular concern to women, as UN statistics show that women form the majority of the poor, and are often doubly burned, as they generally are expected to look after the ill and victims of climate change”.
Gender-sensitive post-Kyoto regime
WECF is concerned about the effects of climate change and the burdens that climate-related changes and disasters put on women, men and children, including health, environmental, and economic impacts in our region and globally. Gabizon adds: “We therefore demand a strong political commitment from every Government in the world to work for a far-reaching post-Kyoto regime. This regime can only be successful if the perspectives of women are fully taken into account. Surveys show that women give greater priority to safe, renewable energy”.
Downloads: Press Release, Draft Program
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