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The gender perspective in the new climate agreement

The gender perspective should be included in the new global climate agreement. Women are more affected by climate change and, therefore, it is particularly important for women to take part in the decision-making process in climate issues at all levels.

Dec 16, 2009
Photographer
Johannes Jansson/norden.org

This was emphasised Iceland's Environment Minister, Svandís Svavarsdóttir, at the UN Climate summit COP15 in Copenhagen on Wednesday. Svavarsdóttir attended a workshop on gender and climate change organised by Norway and Finland and funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

"Women must be represented at all levels of decision-making related to climate change", stressed Svavarsdóttir in her opening speech.

The gender perspective and climate changes have become highly visible in the current climate debate, particularly in the last year. The issue has also had a high priority in Nordic co-operation within the framework of the Nordic Council of Ministers. This work has borne fruit and has contributed to the gender perspective now being taken into consideration in the drafts for a new global climate agreement.

It is to be hoped that the world's leaders, who are gathered in Copenhagen for the crucial phase of the UN's Climate Summit COP15, will reach a new global climate agreement on Friday.

Wednesday's climate seminar in Bella Center during COP15 was also attended by ministers from several African countries as well as Finland's Minister of the Environment, Paula Lehtomäki.