How feminist leadership can pave the way to climate justice

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Australia’s approach to climate change is putting perceived economic interests ahead of our planet’s survival and well-being. IWDA sees the cost of climate inaction as a major feminist concern, and we cannot ignore its gendered impacts across the Asia-Pacific region.

In recent months, IWDA has discussed climate action as part of a feminist foreign policy, submitted our recommendations on meeting the Paris Targets to the Climate Change Authority, and published our policy position paper on climate change. Throughout this work we’ve become increasingly aware of the significant contributions that women can make to climate change prevention, mitigation, and adaptation – and, what’s more, the critical need to explore connections between women in leadership, feminist leadership and climate action.

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When there are more women in parliament, those parliaments are more likely to make better choices for the environment. Around the world, greater female representation in national parliaments leads to more stringent climate change policies, which results in lower carbon dioxide emissions, and countries with higher proportions of women in parliament are more likely to ratify international environmental treaties.

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Women’s unique insights and experiences are just some of the many reasons why it’s important to support feminist leadership: when women and their interests are better represented in government, so too are the interests of the environment. Listening to diverse women who live with the impacts of climate change on a daily basis should be the first step in developing climate-conscious policies.