EU countries must step up to implement gender-responsive climate change policies, says a group of civil society organizations on the occasion of the European Development Days and World Environment Day.
On the occasion of the European Development Days (EDD) and World Environment Day, CARE International, CIDSE, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, ACT Alliance EU, WWF and GenderCC-Women for Climate Justice urge the European Union to step up its ambition in climate action. The organizations jointly highlight the need to pursue the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C in the context of this year’s EDD’s theme, “Women and girls at the forefront of sustainable development.” Achieving this goal, globally, would substantially reduce harmful climate change impacts which exacerbate gender inequality and cause huge economic losses, impeding sustainable development efforts. Transforming existing power structures is key to effectively combatting climate change and to entering a gender- and climate-just future.
The six organizations state:
“Climate change impacts, such as droughts, floods, and heat waves, already exacerbate poverty and gender inequality, with millions of women and girls suffering despite current action to cope with these impacts. The present EU emission reduction targets are insufficient to prevent a temperature rise above 1.5°C. Additionally, current solutions, such as the rapid acceleration of renewable energy use and protecting ecosystems, must be gender-responsive and deliver substantial sustainable development benefits, particularly for the poorest people.”
“We urge the political leaders of the EU and its Member States in their ministerial and leaders’ meetings in June to commit to move beyond the current target of 40% CO2 reductions by 2030. Leaders must also nationally implement the recently adopted UNFCCC Gender Action Plan and increase financial support in developing countries for women and girl’s efforts to adapt to and mitigate harmful climate change impacts.”
Action at EDD:
#StepUp2018 for 1.5°C: 0 emissions, 0 poverty, 0 gender inequality.
Action at 10:00 am, June 5, at the Tour de Taxis, Brussels.
Link to photos following the action: http://bit.ly/1o5CPhotos
For further information and interview requests, please contact:
Camilla Schramek, Climate Change Communications Officer for CARE International
cschramek@careclimatechange.org or +45 50 22 92 88
CARE International is a leading humanitarian organisation fighting global poverty and delivering lifesaving assistance in emergencies. In more than 90 countries around the world, CARE places special focus on working alongside poor girls and women to equip them with the proper resources to lift their families and communities out of poverty. To learn more about CARE International’s work on climate change, please visit: www.careclimatechange.org
WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: conserving the world’s biological diversity; ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. The European Policy Office helps shape EU policies that impact on the European and global environment.
Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe is Europe’s leading NGO coalition fighting dangerous climate change. With over 150 member organizations from 35 European countries, representing over 1.700 NGOs and more than 40 million citizens, CAN Europe promotes sustainable climate, energy and development policies throughout Europe.
CIDSE is an international family of Catholic social justice organizations working together with others to promote justice, harness the power of global solidarity and create transformational change to end poverty and inequalities. CIDSE brings together 18 member organizations from Europe and North America and its international secretariat is based in Brussels.
ACT Alliance EU is the Brussels based advocacy office of ACT Alliance – a coalition of 146 churches and affiliated organisations working together in over 140 countries in humanitarian aid, development cooperation and advocacy. http://actalliance.eu/
GenderCC – Women for Climate Justice is a global network oforganisations, experts and activists working for gender equality, women’s rights and climate justice. www.gendercc.netGenderCC is working to achieve gender and climate justice by: Raising awareness and building capacity on gender and climate to improve climate policies; increasing the knowledge base on gender and climate to identify effective mitigation and adaptation options; empowering women and men to actively contribute to mitigation and adaptation; enhancing cooperation on gender and climate issues at all level; and advocating for gender and climate justice as overarching, guiding principles.
