Global gender and climate alliance launched

12 December 2007

A major alliance as been formed by several of the world’s leading environment and development organizations to include gender in climate change policy.

In a first for IUCN, the UN’s Environment and Development Programmes, and the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), have launched the Global Gender and Climate Alliance.

The main goal of the Alliance is to ensure that climate change policies, decision-making, and initiatives at global, regional and national levels are gender responsive.

The Alliance will undertake the following:

1. Provide support to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its bodies to ensure that the UN mandates on gender equality are fully implemented.

2. Ensure that UN financing mechanisms on mitigation and adaptation address the needs of poor women and men equitably.

3. Set standards and criteria for climate change mitigation and adaptation that incorporate gender equality and equity principles.

4. Build capacity at global, regional and local level to design and implement gender-responsive climate change policies, strategies and programmes.

5. Establish a learning and knowledge exchange and advocacy network on gender and climate change.

During the launch of the Alliance, IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefévre recognized that the efforts needed to address climate change and gender call for collaboration between multiple sectors and institutions.

For more information:

Lorena Aguila, lorena.aguilariucn.org