Climate Change Policies in Australia: Gender Equality, Power and Knowledge

Authors: Thomas K. Wanner

Abstract:

This paper examines the link between gender equality and climate change policies in Australia. It critically analyses the extent to which gender mainstreaming and gender dimensions have been taken into account in the national policy processes for climate change in Australia. The paper argues that climate change adaptation and mitigation policies in Australia neglect gender dimensions. This endangers the advances made in gender equality and works against socially equitable and effective climate change strategies.

Keywords: Climate change, gender equality, gendermainstreaming, sustainable development.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1071168

References:

[1] B. Aasen, Lessons from evaluations of women and gender equality in development cooperation; Why have efforts to promote gender equality not succeeded? United Kingdom: Department for International Development, 2006.
[2] Allen Consulting Group, Responding to Climate Change: An Issues Paper, 2004. Available: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/impacts/publications/riskvulnerability. html.
[3] Allen Consulting, Climate Change: Risk and Vulnerability. Working Paper for the Australian Government - Further Research and Response options, 2005. Available: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/impacts/publications/riskvulnerability. html.
[4] M. Alston, "Gender Mainstreaming in Practice: a View from Rural Australia," NWSA Journal, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 123-147, 2006.
[5] M. Alston, "Gender and Climate Change: Variable Adaptations of Women and Men," Just Policy, vol. 46, pp. 29-35, 2007.
[6] Australian Climate Group, Climate Change: Solutions for Australia. Sydney: WWF Australia, 2007.
[7] T. Barnett Donaghy, "Gender and Public Policy Making in Australia: The Howard Government-s Big Fat Lie," presented to the Australasian Political Studies Association Conference, University of Tasmania, Hobart, 29 September - 1 October 2003.
[8] A. Brody, J. Demetriades, and E. Esplen, Gender and Climate Change: mapping the linkages, Brighton: BRIDGE, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, 2008.
[9] Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Gender Equality and Climate Change, Quebec: CIDA, 2007.
[10] Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation (CSIRO), Climate Change in Australia, Canberra: CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology, 2007.
[11] I. Dankelman, "Climate Change: learning from gender analysis and women-s experiences of organising for sustainable development," Gender and Development, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 21-29, 2002.
[12] F. Denton, "Climate change vulnerability, impacts and adaptation: why does gender matter?"Gender and development, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 10-20, 2002.
[13] R. Garnaut, The Garnaut Climate Change Review, Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
[14] Government of Australia, Gender Mainstreaming in Australia. Asia- Pacific-Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting on Women, 2002. Available: http://www.apec.org.
[15] Government of Australia, Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability: Promoting an efficient adaptation response in Australia. Canberra: Australian Greenhouse Office, Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2005.
[16] Government of Australia, Gender Equality in Australia-s Aid Program - Why and How, Canberra: Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), 2007.
[17] Government of Australia, National Climate Change Adaptation Framework, Canberra: Council of Australian Governments, 2007
[18] Government of Australia, Australian Government Action on Climate Change. Available: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/about/publications/fs-overview.html.
[19] J. Healey, (ed.), "Gender Equality,"Issues in Society, vol. 286. Thirroul, NSW: The Spinney Press, 2009.
[20] Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Gender Equality: What Matters to Australian Men and Women, Sydney: Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 2008.
[21] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Climate Change 2001: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, Geneva: IPCC, 2001.
[22] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC, Summary for Policymakers. Geneva: IPCC, 2007.
[23] International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Gender and Climate Change: Women as Agents of Change, 2007. Available: http://www.iucn.org/media/materials/fact_sheets/?32/Gender-andclimate- change.
[24] G. Johnsson-Latham, A Study on Gender Equality as a Prerequisite for Sustainable Development, Stockholm: The Environment Advisory Council, Ministry of the Environment, 2007.
[25] Y. Lambrou and G. Piana, G. (eds.), Gender: the missing component of the response to climate change, Rome: Food and Agricultural Organisation, 2006.
[26] R. Masika (ed.), Gender, Development and Climate Change, Oxford: Oxfam Publishing, 2002.
[27] V. Nelson, K. Meadows, T. Cannon, J. Morton, and A. Martin, "Uncertain predictions, invisible impacts, and the need to mainstream gender in climate change adaptation, "Gender and Development, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 51-59, 2002.
[28] F, Porter, and C. Sweetman, Mainstreaming gender in development; a critical review. Has gender mainstreaming made a difference after 10 years? Oxford: Oxfam, UK, 2005.
[29] A. Salleh, "Is Australia-s climate policy gender literate?" Centre for Policy Development, 2008. Available: http://cpd.org.au/article/isaustralias- climate-policy-gender-literate.
[30] Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), Global Biodiversity Outlook 2. Montreal, 2006. Available: http:www.cbd.int/gbo2.
[31] J. Sloane, "A New Deal for Women: $$$ for global gender equality - how can Australians lead?" UNIFEM Informs Seminar, 16 April 2008. Adelaide: UNIFEM Australia, University of South Australia, and Hawke Institute.
[32] C. Sweetman (ed.), Gender and the Millennium Development Goals, Oxfam Working Paper, Oxford: Oxfam, UK, 2005.
[33] United Nations (UN), Gender Mainstreaming: An Overview. New York: United Nations, 2002.
[34] United Nations, "Gender perspectives on climate change," 52nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women, Issues Paper of Interactive expert panel on emerging issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting the situation of women or equality between women and men, 28 February 2008, New York: United Nations.
[35] United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Evaluation of Gender Mainstreaming in UNDP, New York: UNDP, 2006.
[36] United Nations Development Program, Taking Gender Equality Seriously: Making Progress, Meeting New Challenges, New York: UNDP, 2006.
[37] United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC), Report of the Economic and Social Council, 1997 (A/52/3). Available: http://un.org/documents/ga/docs/52/plenary/a52-3.htm.
[38] United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Gender Mainstreaming Among Environment Ministries: Government Survey 2006, Nairobi: UNEP, 2006.
[39] United Nations Environment Programme, Gender Plan of Action, Nairobi: UNEP, 2006.
[40] United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Report of the Initial Review of Australia. Compliance Committee, Report CC/ERT/IRR/2009/1, 19 January 2009.
[41] World Bank, Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals, Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2003.
[42] World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) (2009), Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook, Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2009.