Climate solutions are more effective when gender equality is part of the equation

This study, published in Nature Climate Change and led by SPARCCLE researcher Marina Andrijevic (IIASA), shows that societies’ ability to adapt to and mitigate climate change is closely linked to gender equality in all spheres of social and economic life and women’s access to resources and decision-making power.

The research examines the scenarios that underpin our understanding of climate risks and demonstrates that understanding trajectories of gender equality is essential for understanding how societies develop under climate change. The findings highlight that equal access to education, jobs, and financial services is key for effective implementation of solutions.

“The link between gender equality and climate action is so far reaching but has traditionally been neglected in mainstream climate research, especially in relation to mitigation,” says lead author Marina Andrijevic. “Ensuring that women have equal opportunities in decision-making, the labor force, and higher education across all disciplines makes the energy transition easier and more just.”

The study also explores how the shift away from fossil fuels has different effects on different groups. For example, industries like coal mining have been male dominated, with women playing supportive roles in unpaid or informal labor. Moving towards renewable energy presents an opportunity to change this dynamic. With well-planned policies, more women can enter the workforce, and care work can be more evenly distributed, ensuring fairer working conditions for everyone in a cleaner economy.

The authors point out how social norms can also lead to specific challenges for adaptation. For example, women face unique challenges, such as risks to maternal health, undernutrition during droughts, and exposure to diseases while collecting water. At the same time, they are deprived of access to different resources that hamper their adaptive capacity. Meanwhile, men are more likely to suffer from floods and storms, experience work-related heat stress, or face depression and suicide due to drought-related economic hardship. Understanding these differences is key to identifying and addressing the most vulnerable groups.

The authors emphasise that to fully grasp the challenges ahead and the societal capacity to respond to crises such as climate change, we must study how societies will evolve. They highlight the importance of imagining different possible futures: those in which fairness and opportunity are central, and those of deepening inequalities.

Adapted from a press release by IIASA. Read the original article here.

For more information:

Andrijevic, M., Zimm, C., Moyer, J.D., Muttarak, R., & Pachauri, S. (2025). Representing gender inequality in scenarios improves understanding of climate challenges. Nature Climate Change, 15, 138–146. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02242-5