The recently concluded UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, positioned itself as the 'Finance COP,' marking a critical juncture in global climate action negotiations. Attending COP for the first time was an exhilarating experience that offered a unique vantage point into the complexities of these global discussions. From the outset, one could sense the gravity of the conversations unfolding —charged with a shared urgency to confront the climate crisis within the Olympic-sized Baku Stadium. With pavilions and passages constantly buzzing with people, the energy was palpable. Yet, as the discussions progressed, it became clear that despite the momentum in the rooms, real progress was elusive. The same contradictions and hurdles repeatedly resurfaced, revealing just how little forward movement had been made, and underscoring the daunting challenges we still face in addressing the climate crisis. After two weeks of intense deliberations, nations agreed to mobilize $300 billion annually by 2035. While this decision signals a collective commitment to addressing climate challenges, it fell short of the $1.3 trillion per year that developing countries had deemed necessary.
The financial discussions dominated the summit, pushing other urgent topics—like phasing out fossil fuels and maintaining the 1.5°C global temperature target—into the background. Yet, one glaring oversight stood out: the insufficient focus on gender equality. Despite women bearing disproportionate impacts of climate change and playing pivotal roles in grassroots climate resilience, their inclusion in decision-making and access to resources remain limited.
Why Gender Matters in Climate Action
Recognizing the central role of gender, COP29 designated November 21 as Gender Day. While this acknowledgment was welcomed, it was also critiqued as activists felt that gender equality should be an ongoing, cross-cutting priority from the start of negotiations. Climate change exacerbates existing gender disparities, threatening women’s livelihoods and well-being. At the same time, women are powerful agents of climate action, provided they are included in leadership roles and granted equitable access to resources. The financial focus of COP29 made gender considerations even more critical. Women, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, face significant barriers to accessing climate finance. For instance, gender-responsive climate finance is vital to ensure that grassroots, women-led organizations receive the resources they need to implement effective climate strategies. However, this crucial need has not yet been fully addressed in global climate policies. Women’s leadership and equitable access to resources must become central to future climate finance frameworks to ensure truly inclusive and effective climate action.
Key Gender Issues at COP29
Countries reached an agreement on gender and climate change, extending the Enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender for an additional decade. This decision reinforces the significance of gender equality and the need to integrate gender considerations across all aspects of the convention. Additionally, they committed to formulating a new Gender Action Plan, to be finalized and adopted at COP30, which will outline specific steps for effective implementation.
However, Gender equality remained a contentious and underrepresented issue at COP29, with several challenges overshadowing progress:
- Recognition of Unpaid Care Work:A notable milestone was the acknowledgement of care work- both paid and unpaid in the draft Just Transitions document. Women, who shoulder a disproportionate share of care responsibilities, often see this burden intensify during climate crises. While some may see this as a positive, this text was not adopted, due to a lack of consensus among negotiating parties
- Limited Leadership Representation:Although 40% of party delegations included women, their representation in executive leadership was strikingly low. Out of 78 government leaders speaking at the opening, only 8 were women, and few addressed gender-specific climate impacts. India’s delegation, for instance, was 74% male and only 26% female, reflecting a persistent gender gap (Carbon Brief 2024).
- Gridlock in Negotiations:Differences between developed and developing nations on finance and mitigation overshadowed discussions on gender equality. This left little room to solidify commitments to women’s rights and empowerment in climate frameworks.
- Overlooked Intersections:Despite women’s critical role in climate resilience and conflict prevention, the interconnectedness of gender equality, peacebuilding, and climate action has received minimal attention.
- Lack of Gender-Responsive Finance:While the draft climate finance decision referenced gender, it failed to prioritize meaningful, gender-responsive actions. Women-led grassroots organizations, essential drivers of community resilience, continue to face barriers to accessing adequate funding.
Amplifying the Climate-SRHR-Gender Justice Nexus
One of the most fulfilling moments of COP29 for me was the launch of the Global Research Brief, a collaborative effort with Gender Hub Azerbaijan and the Asia Pacific Resource and Research Centre (ARROW). As a WOSSO (ARROW) fellow, I had the opportunity to co-author this brief, highlighting the intersection of climate change and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the Asia-Pacific region.
During the launch of the research brief, Gender Hub Azerbaijan and ARROW hosted a panel discussion where we emphasized the urgent need to integrate SRHR into climate policies. Women’s health challenges, exacerbated by climate-induced resource scarcity, illustrate how these two domains are deeply interlinked. The discussion underscored the importance of channeling gender-responsive climate finance to grassroots women-led organizations, ensuring that their work is supported and scaled.
Looking Ahead: Making Climate Finance Gender-Responsive
To truly address the climate crisis, gender considerations must become central to climate finance mechanisms.
This means:
- Ensuring equitable access to climate finance through grants, not loans, to avoid adding economic strain on vulnerable nations. Currently, more than 55% of the proposed $1.3 trillion for the NCQG is slated to be in the form of debt, which may not be favorable for vulnerable countries.
- Women and girls bear the brunt of the climate crisis and often lead the design of solutions, yet only 8 out of the 78 world leaders participating in COP29 are women. While the Conference of the Parties (COP) aims to be an inclusive summit, the negotiation table remains far from diverse. Therefore, elevating women’s leadership across all levels, from grassroots movements to global decision-making should be prioritised.
- Incorporating the care economy into climate policies, addressing the disproportionate unpaid labor burden on women as laid down in the UAE consensus on Just Transition.
As the world prepares for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, there is a pressing need for greater ambition and inclusivity, particularly in gender-responsive climate action. For me, COP29 reaffirmed the inseparability of climate justice and gender justice. As I reflect on my first COP experience, one overwhelming thought is the pressing need for greater participation from youth and women in global climate negotiations, especially from countries like India. We need more gendered perspectives within our party delegations to ensure that our voices are representative, inclusive, and participatory. These negotiations shape the future, and it is vital that the experiences, struggles, and ideas of all demographics, particularly those disproportionately impacted by climate change, are heard and valued. At the same time, it was inspiring to witness the passion and determination of people from across the globe—individuals who came to voice their demands, protest injustice, and resist systems that perpetuate climate inequalities. The energy in these spaces reminded me that change is driven by collective action. While there is a long way to go in making these platforms truly equitable, the shared commitment to climate justice left me with hope for a better, more inclusive future.
