In a rapidly changing climate landscape, understanding the differentiated impact of environmental changes on different genders is not just relevant but essential. This understanding forms the core of the Global Conference on Gender-Environment Statistics, set to take place on 28-29 November in Dubai, UAE. This conference, a key side event of the COP28, aims to integrate gender considerations into climate change discussions and action.

Organized by COP28, UN Women, UNFCCC, Women’s Environment & Development Organization (WEDO), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the conference brings together a diverse group of stakeholders. It seeks to address the gender-environment nexus, focusing on how different genders are uniquely affected by climate change and how this understanding can inform more effective and inclusive climate policies.

The conference’s objectives include:

1. Enhancing the understanding of Gender-Environmental nexus: Recognizing that climate change impacts genders differently, the conference aims to deepen the understanding of these differences. This is crucial for developing targeted, effective climate policies.
2. Bridging data gaps: A significant challenge in addressing the gender-environment nexus is the lack of comprehensive data. The conference seeks to identify these gaps and discuss strategies to bridge them, ensuring that climate policies are informed by accurate and comprehensive data.
3. Promoting gender-responsive climate policies: By focusing on the intersection of gender and environment, the conference aims to promote policies that are not only environmentally sound but also equitable and gender-responsive.
4. Facilitating collaboration and sharing best practices: A key goal of the conference is to facilitate collaboration among various stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, and activists. Sharing best practices and lessons learned is essential for advancing the field of gender-environment statistics.
5. Increasing financial support for gender-specific climate initiatives: The conference also aims to highlight the need for increased financial support for initiatives focusing on women and girls, who are often most affected by climate change.

The conference will feature a range of sessions and discussions, covering topics such as the current state of gender-environment data, innovative data collection methods, and the integration of gender considerations in environmental policymaking. Participants, including UN agencies, government officials, policymakers, feminist researchers, and representatives from civil society organizations, are expected to bring diverse perspectives and expertise to the discussions.

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