How History Informs Climate Action: A Gendered Perspective

Women and the Environment

With calls to reduce single use plastics by BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag), tote bags have become cultural symbols associated with environmentalism and sustainability. In 2007, a Times article humorously shared how a Hindmarch 'I'm not a plastic bag' grocery tote gained popularity comparable to brands like Prada and Fendi, amongst women. Long queues in front of supermarkets, even stampedes were a result of the trendy tote bag’s explosive demand.

‘Green marketing’ has been known to target women. Products like environmentally-friendly cosmetics, clothes, detergent, menstrual cups and reusable pads explicitly focus on female consumers. Research by Mintel, has found that women do in fact, care more about the planet than men and are more interested in topics like ethics and sustainability. In a self-enabling cycle, female consumers participating in sustainable practices perpetuates this stereotype that caring for the environment is a “natural” trait of women. In many minds (both male and female), femininity and “greenness” have come to be cognitively linked.

What is the reason behind this phenomenon? How have the historical experiences of economic and political marginalisation shaped women's stronger belief in taking personal action??

Dr Rachel Howell, a lecturer in Sociology and Sustainable Development at the University of Edinburgh, shared that women do express more concern about certain environmental issues, they express more worry, and more willingness to make certain kinds of choices. This difference could be due to different levels of trust towards institutions. “Women express less trust in institutions than men. They have less of a belief that the government and businesses are going to sort the problem out. Meanwhile, certainly for white middle-class men, the status quo has worked out quite well for them.”

Historically, the gates to education and employment have opened for women in Singapore and the wider Asia region only in the late 1950s. During this period, Singapore's female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) stood at 21.6 percent. Of this number, nearly half of the female workforce was concentrated in the community, social and personal services sector, where most engaged in paid domestic work. Even as the women's movement made progress, discrimination within these institutions reflected through historical underrepresentation in governments and companies has made women trust them less, Edelmen’s 2019 report shows.

Large corporations, let alone the role of decision-making within these bodies, were not easily accessible domains to the working woman for a long time. This lack of representation prevents women from expressing their aspirations and influencing systemic decisions. Just like today’s tote bag, the bicycle was a symbol of women’s liberation in the late 19th century. The two-wheeled vehicle represented self-reliance and independence as it enabled women to move freely without chaperones. It is no wonder then that ‘green marketing’ has been targeted at women. Women have had to use everyday objects to voice their ambitions and passion for causes they care about.

What’s in the scene?

A USAID report states women stand as Southeast Asia’s sustainability champions. 85% of women in the region want to invest in responsible companies that think about their environmental and social impact and 63% are reducing their energy use. Despite the enthusiasm on the ground, there is a lack of women in the climate leadership space (i.e. management roles). In 2020, UN Women reported that across ASEAN countries, only 6% of environmental and related ministries had a female minister as compared to the global aggregate of 15%. This irony has not gone unnoticed.

Recently, the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) responsible for holding nations accountable for delivering on their environmental targets saw massive backlash with its organizing committee. The committee was initially all slated out to be male. Women were only appointed and added to the committee following the controversy. Even then, 12 women were added and as Elise Buckle, co-founder of She Changes Climate, notes, “This is positive progress but we are still far from a 50:50 gender balance.”?

Importance of Female Representation in the Climate Space

The jarring inequalities in the climate space necessitates the importance of having more women and diversity in leadership positions. In the Asean region, research has found that women are disproportionately affected and are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to factors such as economic marginalisation, social inequality, and limited access to resources and decision-making processes. Empowering women to be represented in leadership roles is essential for developing and implementing effective climate policies that prioritise the needs of marginalised communities. Studies show that women in positions of power tend to champion more progressive climate policies, producing fewer carbon emissions and lower climate footprints. Another research study also discovered that a 10% rise in female lawmakers was linked to a 0.24 metric ton drop in per-capita carbon dioxide emissions.?

Women and girls thus should have greater access to resources to help lift barriers and prevent discriminatory practices that are perpetuated through social structures and institutions.

Every Step Matters

This is not to say that individual action does not matter. Ground-up, individual and collective action remains valuable. Some prominent faces of environmental activism like Greta Thunberg, Ridhima Pandey, Mitzi Jonelle Tan have created more lasting and prominent impact than what one would expect an individual can create. These young, brave women who insist on structural changes have frequently called?out Big Oil companies to make substantial commitments to the climate movement.

However, we should be sensitive to the underlying power, historical and structural relations that inform our view and lenses towards how we act in the climate space. We need to go further and continuously push and empower more women to be represented in leadership roles in formal institutions. Normalising women in climate leadership allows for women and girls who are passionate about sustainability to aspire for a variety of possibilities. By having role models in climate leadership, they can see the full spectrum of what they can achieve. The benefits of diversity (not only from a gendered lens) on decision-making has also been well-documented. We cannot lose out on the chance to speed up climate initiatives and create more opportunities for girls worldwide.

Kickstart your Sustainability Career

The CDG-EB Impact Sustainability Education Grant aims to support ten underprivileged youths in the Asean region, pursuing a tertiary education in sustainability. The grant is holistic in nature, serving to not only provide financial assistance, but also connect recipients to training, mentoring and leadership opportunities. Applications close 30 April.?

Apply now: https://www.jotform.com/form/240071685357459. The application is available in English and eight key Asean languages. For more information on the grant, click here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5f0j0SS2No/?next=%2F&img_index=1.