Overcoming gender inequality for climate resilient development

Area of Science:

• Climate Science
• Sociology
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Gender inequalities exacerbate vulnerability to climate change impacts.
• Societal adaptive capacities are intrinsically linked to gender equality.
• Existing climate change scenarios often overlook gender dimensions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To project future Gender Inequality Index (GII) trajectories alongside Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs).
• To assess the potential for reducing gender inequality under different climate and development scenarios.
• To highlight the importance of integrating gender into climate change impact assessments and adaptation policies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Gender Inequality Index (GII) as a metric for gender disparities.
• Integrated GII projections with established Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) framework.
• Analyzed the potential reduction in girls' exposure to high gender inequality by 2030 and mid-century.

Main Results:

• Rapid improvements in gender inequality are feasible under sustainable development scenarios.
• The proportion of girls in countries with high gender inequality could decrease from ~70% to ~24% by 2030.
• Significant reductions in gender inequality are achievable by mid-century, though persistence is noted in less optimistic scenarios.

Conclusions:

• Incorporating gender dimensions into climate change scenarios is essential for accurate impact assessment.
• Policies addressing gender inequalities are vital for building climate-resilient societies.
• Sustainable development pathways offer a promising route to accelerate gender equality and enhance climate adaptation.