The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which took place in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, led to the adoption of the famous  -but unfortunately not legally binding- Agenda 21. Furthermore, three legally binding international conventions were adopted. One of them is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This convention is the only agreement adopted during the Rio Conference that does not make any reference to women or gender aspects.

Due to the unrestricted consumption in countries with middle and high income and the greenhouse gas emissions caused thereby, climate change is becoming the most severe ecological crisis of our time. Respectively, one of the main tasks of environmental policy is not only to mitigate this crisis, but also to encourage adaptation to the multiple changes global warming is causing. This task can only be achieved if justice – including gender justice – is the one guiding principle behind all actions.

genanet / LIFE e.V. has been active at the international climate negotiations for many years and was one of the main actors pushing the formal recognition of the Women and Gender Constituency in the UNFCCC process. The climate negotiations are tough, as we can read every year again in the media. But the gender perspective –at least what the negotiators understand as such – has gained attention over the last years. For a comprehensive insight have a look at the website of GenderCC - the international network of gender and climate organizations genanet co-founded – or on the homepage of the Women & Gender Constituency.

For more information on Climate and Energy  have a look at the corresponding topic pages.