Press |

September 12, 2018

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Advocacy

San Francisco. The 2018 Global Climate Action Summit brings together leaders from business, civil society, and local government from around the world to take climate “ambition to the next level.” This commitment to transformational change is facilitating action on the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement. However, poor and marginalized rural communities who bear the brunt of climate-related natural disasters are still largely left behind by climate action, chief among them: women and girls.

“As global food and water shortages increase at an alarming rate, now isn’t the time to back away from solutions to the climate crisis. The world’s most impoverished and vulnerable people – especially poor women and girls – have done the least to contribute to climate change, yet they are the most affected by it. The US can and must play a key leadership role in crafting and implementing policies that respond to climate change.”

Michelle Nunn, President and CEO, CARE USA

“Women are disproportionately affected by climate change and disasters, including in the US where they are largely left out of decision-making processes. To help communities adapt to climate change we must focus on the different needs of women and girls. But change cannot happen if both government and non-state leaders do not step up their commitments to the Paris Agreement to prevent a rise above 1.5C. Idle talk is no longer sufficient: gender-responsive climate action must happen now.”

Vidhya Sriram, Senior Technical Advisor for Research, Food and Nutrition Security, CARE USA