Efforts to combat climate change must be sensitive to intersections of race, class, gender, culture and nationality in order to promote effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. Men and women do not experience the effects of climate change equally, nor do they respond to climate change uniformly across a range of identities and social locations. Successful initiatives, campaigns, and policies promote an understanding of climate change that couples scientifically credible information with social awareness. The 1 Million Women Campaign in Australia and the Ghana Bamboo Bike Initiative both recognize that education, socioeconomic status, inequality and discrimination must be considered in the promotion of sustainability and environmental responsibility. When considering international policy, individual consumer decisions, and community adaptation efforts it becomes apparent that climate change efforts must take into account the social realities of the population of concern. Fostering awareness and communication across existing differences and inequalities at the individual, community, national and global level is crucial to constructing productive strategies to combat climate change, and improve the lives of men and women across the globe.

Bridging the gap: Climate change and social justice at the UN Conference on Climate Change

248th National Meeting (2014)

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