How are Gender and the Environment Related?
Environmental challenges have different impacts based on gender. Gender inequality is also becoming more apparent due to rapid urbanization and rates of pollution. Vice versa, gender inequality is also having a major impact on the environment. Here’s everything you need to understand about how gender inequality affects the environment.
Related: Gender Discrimination vs. Gender Inequality: The Difference
Facing the Environment Unequally
Gender equality and ecosystem preservation are matters of fundamental human rights and foundations for creating sustainable development goals. When the human population grows, so does the global human ecological footprint. And thus the greater the footprint, the greater the overall impact of humanity on Earth’s natural capital. In light of these growing populations, there must be immediate changes in how our urban cities sustain themselves. For example, every year, urban populations consume about 75% of the resources that we use and produce about 75% of the world’s pollution (Miller & Spoolman, 2021). These statistics of our human ecological footprint extend far beyond the boundaries of a balanced ecosystem.
Additionally, it has been historically proven that many of the urban communities that face these high levels of pollution and environmental degradation are communities of color and communities with low socioeconomic backgrounds. While changes in the environment affect everyone, women and girls are most vulnerable globally. Holding traditional responsibilities (food growers, water and fuel gatherers, and caregivers), women are more intimately connected to available natural resources and the climate – making them more vulnerable to environmental hardships.
Gender Gaps are Hurting the Environment
In order to care for the environment, we need to put gender equality and basic human rights at the forefront. Social and economic inequalities are obvious and urgent factors inhibiting effective sustainable management approaches. Regarding gender inequality specifically, there are disturbingly smaller percentages of women represented in decision-making for sustainable ecosystems and management initiatives.
Related: Unequal Pay Statistics: Gender Wage Gap Explained
In fact, civic activism and gender equity are positively associated with a more successful and pronounced record of environmental governance. There are a plethora of ways that these statistics can be changed, including but not limited to:
- Including women in environmental planning, budgeting, and policy-making processes,
- Harness women’s local knowledge to protect, sustain and manage the environment and its resources,
- Ensure women globally have access to and are involved in integrated water management and energy initiatives,
- Ensure national and local adaptation policies and actions reflect both women’s and men’s experience and needs, and
- Prevent gender-based violence, as this has been a historically known tactic to silence women from speaking out and defending human and environmental rights
Gender equality, women’s empowerment, and ecosystem services are all closely intertwined. Women are well-placed and equipped to have a first-hand understanding of environmental sustainability and resource management’s importance. As a result, they deserve sufficient recognition and involvement within policy implementation and sustainability initiatives.
Contributions to Environmental Challenges
As previously established, gender plays a prominent role in the differing impacts of the environment on men and women. Gender also determines how men and women differ in coping with environmental changes, as well as underlying structural inequalities. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 70% of the world’s poor are women, and disproportionately face severe consequences from climate change and ecosystem degradation.
With increases in the human population come increases in waste. All of which leads to greater exposure to toxins and chemicals. Gender roles may also affect men and women’s exposure to chemicals. Men are often engaged in activities that put them at heightened risk of illness or death due to exposure to hazardous chemicals outside the home. On the other hand, working roles for women – both inside and outside the home – may put them at greater risks from other hazardous chemicals.
As a whole, it is incredibly important to recognize how gender inequality is bridged with environmental issues, and how this bridge can be gapped through progress in equal representation and policy development. Gender equality, women’s empowerment, and sustainable environmental management are far from being mutually exclusive.
FAQs About How Gender Inequality Affects the Environment
Is it only women that are unequally faced with environmental challenges?
Globally, women are definitively faced with more environmentally-based burdens and a lack of representation in sustainable policymaking. Yet, women are not the sole recipients of environmental challenges. Men and children also face different types of toxins and environmental issues – stemming from differing familial responsibilities and work expectations.
Why is it so important for all people to equally contribute to environmental solutions?
With a collective effort, we all possess knowledge and skills that are critical to finding solutions to environmental challenges. All people bring different perspectives and benefits to ensure environmental protection and bring positive outcomes for sustainability for all. Gender equality in the environmental movement gives equal responsibility, input, and opportunity for all to create sustainability policy and development initiatives.
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