GGCA Gender and Climate Change Training Manual - Women's ...

Module 4:
Gender mainstreaming in adaptation efforts
Gender and climate change can be a vicious circle of worsening inequalities and impact. It is
well documented that climate change affects women more than men. This is because of existing
inequalities. The vicious circle is that the more women are affected negatively by climate change,
the worse the inequalities get. And the worse the inequalities get, the worse the impact becomes.
This vicious circle has a devastating effect on economic and trade growth, and can significantly
delay achievement of the MDGs (Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, 2008).
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Key messages
• Adaptation measures reveal the human dimension of climate
change;
• Both women and men are affected by climate change but existing
inequalities determine who is most impacted by natural disasters;
• Men and women have different needs and interests in adaptation
efforts;
• Women are important agents of change: their unique knowledge is
essential for adaptation measures and policies;
• Full and effective participation of women is essential in order to
make best use of their knowledge and experience.
4.1 Human adaptation to
climate change
In recent years, the world
community’s paradigm about the role
of adaptation in response to climate
change has been reformulated.
Adaptation was originally viewed
as a secondary and long-term
option to which to turn if mitigation
efforts were not enough. As it has
become clear that mitigation efforts
will not be sufficient, adaptation is now
considered to be a priority. Humanity,
Box 1 Definition of adaptation
The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) defines
adaptation as: “…adjustments in
ecological, social, or economic
systems in response to actual or
expected climatic stimuli and their
effects or impacts. This term refers
to changes in processes, practices,
and structures to moderate
potential damages or to benefit
from opportunities associated with
climate change.”
Source: IPCC, 2001.
Module 4