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CSW 54^th Parallel Events

Korean Institute of Women in Politics

March 2 2:00 pm

Climate Change and Gender Responsiveness in Korea

Junhui Joo, PhD

Climate Change as the Crisis of the 21^st Century

     Climate change is the biggest threat to the nature and humanity in the 21st century.

Industrial revolution and modernization which seemed to promise human race economic development and prosperity have resulted in the destruction of environment and the crisis of Climate Change, threatening the very survival of human race unless global concerted actions are taken.

     Scientists have presented evidences that global warming threatens the planet in a new and unexpected way – by triggering earthquakes, tsunamis, avalanches and volcanic eruptions. 7.0 magnitude quakes in Haiti that struck on January 12 this year left 3 million people in need of emergency aid.  On February 27, 2010, 8.8 magnitude earthquakes in Chile affected 2 million people. Climate change, caused by rising outputs of carbon dioxide from vehicles, factories and power stations, will not only affect the atmosphere and the sea but will alter the geology of the Earth. At the same time, the disappearance of ice caps will change the pressures acting on the Earth's crust and set off volcanic eruptions across the globe.

     Carbon dioxide (CO₂) from fossil fuel such as oil and gas is the most significant of the global warming gases, accounting for over 80% of global warming pollution. Atmospheric levels of CO₂ are now higher than at any time in the past 420,000 years. And this is all due to human action. Around 97% of the CO₂ emitted by western industrialized countries comes from burning coal, oil and gas for energy. We spew approximately 25 billion tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere every year.

     According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it would take an immediate reduction in CO₂ emissions of at least 60% just to stabilize concentrations in the atmosphere at their present level. The international society aims at suppressing the temperature increase to 2℃ or less by the end of 21^st Century, and maintains the content of CO2 to 450ppm or less until 2050.

     In response to such crisis, it is imperative that international community make concerted efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission and develop renewable energy, develop national or local climate change adaptation strategies and disaster risk management strategies and plans. Korea has also actively responded to such a crisis.  However, women’s representation at the decision making regarding Climate Change is still surprisingly low.

Climate Change and Gender Responsiveness

      Climate change is not a neutral process. The effects of climate change vary among regions, generations, income groups and occupations as well as between women and men. Climate change often comes with particular implications for women.

     First of all, women are, in general, more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, not just because they represent the majority of the world's poor,[1] but also because they are more than proportionally dependent on natural resources that are threatened.

     A 2006 study of 141 natural disasters by the London School of Economics found that when economic and social rights are fulfilled for both sexes, the same number of women and men die in disasters.[2] At the same time, when women do not enjoy economic and social rights equal to men, more women than men die in disasters. This gender discrepancy has come to light in a range of major disasters, including the Asian Tsunami; Hurricane Mitch, Hurricane Katrina, and other storms in the Americas; European heat waves; and cyclones in South Asia, etc.

     In the 2005 Asian tsunami, death rates for women averaged three to four times that of men. In Aceh, more than 75 percent of those who died were women, resulting in a male-female ratio of 3:1 among the survivors. Deaths from disaster are often higher among women than men. 61% of deaths by Cyclone Nargis in Myammar were women; 70-80% of deaths by the Indian Ocean Tsunami were women; 91% of deaths were women in the 1991 Cyclone in Bangladesh.[3]  As so many mothers died, there have been major consequences with respect to infant mortality, early marriage of girls, neglect of girls' education, sexual assault, trafficking of women and prostitution.[4] Post-disaster, women are usually at higher risk of being placed in unsafe, overcrowded shelters, due to lack of assets, such as savings, property or land. In the context of cyclones, floods, and other disasters that require mobility, cultural constraints on women’s movements may hinder their timely escape, access to shelter or access to health care.

     Women in rural areas in developing countries are highly dependent on local natural resources for their livelihood, because of their responsibility to secure water, food and energy for cooking and heating. The effects of climate change, including drought, uncertain rainfall and deforestation, make it harder to secure these resources.[5]

     The majority of women farmers do not have secure land rights and their productive assets are generally of a lesser value than men's. Both of these factors limit women's potential to adapt their activities in the face of shocks such as sudden shortages in food supplies, drops in income, crop failure and natural disasters.

     Linkages between energy supplies, gender roles and climate change are strongest in countries with low availability of basic electricity and modern fuels, as well as high dependence on biomass fuels for cooking, heating and lighting – and close to two billion people in the developing world use traditional biomass fuels as their primary source of energy.[6] In these countries, cultural traditions make women responsible for gathering fuel and providing food, even when this involves long hours performing heavy physical labor or traveling longer distances. With the onslaught of aggravated environmental changes, women are likely to continue spending long (perhaps even longer) hours fetching firewood, drawing water, working the land, and grinding cereal crops.

     There are also gender differences in the access to information and property.  The technological change and instruments that are being proposed to mitigate carbon emissions, which are implicitly presented as gender-neutral, are in fact quite gender-biased and may negatively affect women or bypass them. The negotiation process tends to be driven by a masculine view of the problem and its solutions. Women's participation in the whole process, at international, national and local levels, is very low, both in the South and in the North; [7]skills and resources need to be developed to overcome this. Further, there are gender differences in the perception of, and the response to, climate change. At the same time, women are often underrepresented in decision-making about climate change, both on mitigation and adaptation, – yet their participation is crucial for addressing the issues.

     Financing mechanisms must be flexible enough to reflect women’s priorities and needs. The active participation of women in the development of funding criteria and allocation of resources for climate change initiatives is critical, particularly at local levels. Gender analysis of all budget lines and financial instruments for climate change is needed to ensure gender-sensitive investments in programmes for adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer and capacity building.¹

     Technological developments related to climate change should take into account women’s specific priorities, needs and roles, and make full use of their knowledge and expertise, including indigenous knowledge and traditional practices. Women’s involvement in the development of new technologies can ensure that they are user-friendly, affordable, effective and sustainable. Gender inequalities in access to resources, including credit, extension services, information and technology, must be taken into account in developing activities designed to curb climate change.   Women should also have equal access to training, credit and skills-development programmes to ensure their full participation in climate change initiatives.

     It is important to point out that equal inclusion of women and men in all aspects of climate change projects, including technology, pays off; this is especially true in the case of technologies aimed at tasks most frequently performed by women. Changing and influencing the course of climate change and preparedness thru disaster risk reduction are the two main strategies which women must understand and engage in.

     However, women have been absent in the discourse and debate on climate change. "An overall assessment of the climate change debate to date shows women are patently absent in the decision-making process. Their contributions in environmental policies are largely ignored. Decision-making and policy formulation at environmental levels such as conservation, protection and rehabilitation and environmental management are predominantly male agenda. Nevertheless, in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development reflected in Agenda 21, one notes the key role ascribed to women as principle actors in the management of natural resources and the development of sustainable and ecologically sound policies.

     Women comprised only 28 percent of delegation of parties and 12 percent of heads of delegation at the 13th Annual Conference of the Parties in Bali in 2007 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Not only lawmakers and bureaucrats but also researchers and experts are predominantly male. Gender diversity brings wider perspectives into decision making, and yields better results.

     The involvement of women in areas of environmental management and governance should not be perceived as an afterthought. Women's roles are of considerable importance in the promotion of environmental ethics. Their efforts in waste management through recycling are re-use of resources are an indication of the extent of their significant input to community development. Women in rural areas, due to their daily contact with the natural habitat for the provision of food, fodder and wood, tend to have sound ecological knowledge that could be useful in environmental planning and governance.

     The climate change requires a new life style: simple, and green. Women can practice green life style, saving the planet for the next generation. Women’s enlightened consumption activities can also influence the industry to adopt Low Carbon Green Growth policy. Women can also teach children with the model of low carbon green life style.

International Norms of Gender Responsiveness in Climate Change debate

     It has been emphasized by prevalent international norms developed by consensus in international conferences that Climate Change responses should be gender responsive.  International processes and declarations such as the Hyogo Framework for action, Call for Action on Gender and Climate Change by the International Colloquium in Liberia, Manila Declaration for Global Action on Gnder in Climate Change and disaster risk reduction presnets consensus among the world political leaders on the critical importance of gender mainstreaming to achieve the Millennium development goals (MDGs.)  In 2002, the Commission on the Status of Women considered the issue of climate change at its 46th session. The agreed conclusions on “Environmental management and the mitigation of natural disasters” [8] adopted by the Commission called for action to mainstream a gender perspective into ongoing research on the impacts and causes of climate change, and to encourage the application of results of this research in policies and programmes.

     The Commission on the Status of Women considered climate change as an emerging issue in its 52nd session in 2008. Participants drew attention to the fact that climate change is not a gender-neutral phenomenon, stressing that it has a direct impact on women’s lives due to their domestic work and makes their everyday sustenance even more difficult. The Commission called for efforts on financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women, specifically referring to the impact of climate change on women and girls. Furthermore, it called for governments to: integrate a gender perspective into the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of national environmental policies; to strengthen mechanisms; and to provide adequate resources to ensure women’s full and equal participation in decision-making at all levels on environmental issues, particularly on strategies related to the impact of climate change on the lives of women and girls.[9]

     Manila Declaration was the culmination of the 3rd Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance, organized by the Center of Asia-Pacific Women in Politics (CAPWIP), on 19–22 October 2008 — a forum that enabled advocates to share their experiences and expertise, and outline regional priorities for gender-responsive climate change policies.  The need for gender responsiveness in Climate Change adaptation was emphasized at: The Nairobi Action Plan for African Parliamentarians on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, February 20,2009,  “Gender and Climate Forum” at the World Climate Conference-3, Geneva, Switzerland, 1 September 2009, and International conference on gender and disaster risk reduction, Beijing, China, 20-22 April 2009.[10]

     The Beijing Agenda for Global Action on Gender-Sensitive Disaster Risk Reduction of April 22, 2009 emphasized that “women are more vulnerable to the impact of disaster” raised “concern that gender remains a marginalized issue in the current national and international negotiations and disaster risk reduction and Climate Change adaptation.” And “gender equality is a fundamental development issue, which needs to be integrated and addressed throughout the development process. “[11]

     The Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing + 15 was held from 22-24 October, 2009 in Quezon City, Philippines and was preceded by the National Women’s Summit on 20-21 October. Entitled “Weaving Wisdom, Confronting Crises, Forging the Future,” the Forum, organized by the Asia Pacific Women’s Watch (APWW), subjects ranging from gender and climate change and disaster risk reduction to gender and human security in situations of conflict and post-conflict.  Despite such international efforts, women's representation at Climate Change debate is still lacking gender responsiveness in many parts of the world

Korea’s Low Carbon Green Growth and Gender Responsiveness

     The main purpose of Low Carbon Green Growth is to pursue economic growth that minimizes its impact on Climate Change and then turn the crisis of Climate Change into the engine of economic growth. According to President Myung Bak Lee, Low Carbon Green Growth is a sustainable development of reducing greenhouse gas and environment pollution, and a new paradigm of national development which generates jobs and creates new growth engine with green technology and clean energy.

     Three elements of Low Carbon Green Growth are as follows.  First, to pursue economic growth while minimizing the use of energy and resources by reforming the industrial structure to consume less energy (change from manufacturing centered to knowledge service industry), and saving energy and maximizing energy efficiency.  Second, to minimize CO2 emission through the development of new renewable energy, clean energy such as nuclear power, regulation of CO2 emission, low carbon environment friendly infra-structure, and consumer movement to buy green products.  Third, to stimulate economic growth based on green quality of life by making R&D Investment on green technology and promoting green industry such as new renewable energy.

     At the core of Korea’s vision for Low Carbon Green Growth is the development new renewable energy by technological development, which can satisfy energy needs without much cost or pollution. It will also benefit developing nations, as sufficient and reasonably priced water and power will provide the outlet from the vicious circle of poverty, providing long term jobs in various fields for long time.

     Korea’s will link its competitive IT·BT·NT technology to green technology, changing the existing manufacturing centered structure to high value added “knowledge-concentrated” structure.  Solar energy can create 7-11 times more jobs than in the existing fossil fuel energy field.  New renewable energy facility expansion and technology distribution will create jobs for 100,000 by 2012.  Korea doubles its investment on green technology R&D and will provide leadership in the green technology market by 2020 which will account for about 3000-trillion KRW, and will provide 1-million green home and aims at becoming the 4^th largest green car manufacturing nation in the world.

     Policies will be pursued to change the quality of life, such as building bicycle roads and building compact cities and environment friendly houses. Korea is also expanding “Eco living movement” encouraging consumers to purchase green products, reflecting low carbon green growth concept in school text books.  Disaster Management System is being strengthened to protect people from the disasters of Climate Change. Korea will also play a role as responsible member of international society, by supporting the efforts of developing nations in the Asia Pacific.

Gender Responsiveness in Korean Climate Change policies

     Korean women's organizations have responded to the crisis of Climate Change mainly by supporting and implementing government policies by carrying out the green life style movement.  In the future, more efforts would be required to ensure gender responsiveness of government policies through increasing women’s participation in decision makings concerning Climate Change.

Women and green life style

      In Korea, the green house gas emission from non industrial sources such as home, school, and hospitals accounts for 43% of all the green house gas emissions.  Therefore, reducing green house gas from daily lives is an important task in Climate Change adaptation.  It means women can play an important role in response to Climate Change.

     Korean women’s movement to respond to Climate Change gave birth to 「G –Korea Council of Women」in April, 2009. ‘G-Korea’ is a grassroots movement to practice 3G of Getting Job, Green life, Giving Hope.  Korean National Council of Women and Korean Women’s Economic Promotion Institute are jointly leading the movement.  We green managers and we green supporters are operated by each local government unit, and a conference is held to report on the achievement.  It is a movement of Korean women to play a central role in green life style by practicing, for example, the following:

- Green consumption:  purchase and use environment friendly products with recycle mark and carbon labeling.

- Save energy by maintaining proper room temperature: 26-28℃ in summer and 20℃ or less in winter.

- Use mass transportation and bicycle, and practice eco driving.

- Turn off light and computer during lunch time, and use stairs for 2^nd and 3^rd floors.

- Save energy by working efficiently during work hours and going home on time.[12]

     Various women's organizations have also carried out campaigns to raise awareness at the local and national levels as well. 

Absence of Women in Decision Making concerning Climate Change

     While women’s organizations have been active in awareness campaign for a new green style of life, women have been conspicuously absent from the decision making process concerning climate change domestically and internationally in Korea. It is partly because the Korean approach to Climate Change is market based, there are not too many women scientists and business people who can exert influence on the market based approach of developing technology and business concerning Climate Change, and also because many women feel the issue of Climate Change and Low Carbon Green Growth is too technical for them to understand. 

     So it is necessary to train women experts, and at the high school and university level, girls should be made aware of and encouraged to make use of the job opportunities for clean technology and business as well as of a green life style, and to advance into the fields of science, technology, and engineering which used to be considered as male subjects, to participate in new renewable energy development.

     For the past decade, women’s movement to expand political representation in Korea seemed to be bearing fruits as a Quota System for women was introduced at the political party level, and more and more women were appointed as ministers as well as prime minister.  However, since 2008, there has been an obvious stagnation in women's movement to increase political representation. There is only one female minister who can be involved in the issue of Climate Change and gender responsiveness, the Minister of Gender Equality, and there is only one more female minister who is in charge of Health, Welfare and Family.  Although the number of congresswomen has been increased from 5.9% in 16^th National Assembly to 13.7% in the 16^th, it is short of the world average of 17.2% and still 81st among 189 nations of the world, and few congresswomen are expressing interest in the issue of Climate Change and gender responsiveness.  And it is necessary to make a breakthrough in such stagnation in Korean women’s political development, by finding and supporting right leadership, with right organization and issues.

     Korean women’s movement for green life style such as WE-green can produce many leaders and mentors and develop networks among women leaders concerned with Low Carbon Green Growth.  Such a movement at the grassroots level, combined with proper funding, organization and leadership, can be a powerful source for the empowerment of women as they start exerting positive influence for society. The Green Party in Germany provides a good example of the political empowerment of women through their activities to respond to Climate Change, where the majority of party member are women, and the party produced many women political leaders based only on Climate Change issues.  The party allocates exactly 50% to women in all the party positions and candidates, as well as in nomination process.

      Women’s organizations and the Ministry of Gender Equality should make efforts to develop the list of women leaders to be included in the decision making processes concerning Climate Change and exert influence on the government to be more gender responsive in its policies and decision making processes at domestic and international levels. 

Concluding Remarks

Climate Change is the crisis of the 21^st Century, and prevalent international norms of international community require that national, regional, and international policies to respond to Climate Change be gender responsive. Korea sees the crisis as an opportunity to develop a new paradigm of Low Carbon Green Growth, and Korean women’s organizations have responded with the green life style movement, but women’s participation in decision making has not been substantial enough.  The followings are suggested to promote gender responsiveness in Korean Climate Change policy making.

1. The “Climate Change and Gender Responsiveness Act” should be legislated to support women so that they can equally participate, exert influence to reflect women's concerns, and enjoy benefit in the Climate Change decision making at local, national, regional, and global levels.

2. The government should increase political commitment to make Low Carbon Green Growth policies gender responsive, and review Low Carbon Green Growth policies and take immediate action to mainstream gender into them.  The Government should carry out systematic gender analysis, collect and utilize sex-disaggregated data; establish gender-sensitive benchmarks and indicators; and develop practical tools to support increased attention to gender perspectives.

3. Women should have equal access to the opportunities and benefits of Low Carbon Green Growth.

The government should increase budget and funding for research on Climate Change and gender responsive policies as well as for training women experts for women’s awareness campaign at the local and central levels. Gender responsive statistics on Climate Change should be accumulated and a separate budget is required for it. Girl students should be properly advised into green technology fields.

4. Particular attention should be paid by all the actors to make technology gender responsive.  The impact of bio fuel and nuclear energy as well as other forms of new renewable energy should be evaluated by women's organizations and experts together. The new renewable energy used for cooking, cleaning, and washing should reflect women’s needs. 

5. Women’s influence on Climate Change decision making should be increased through their participation in local and central politics. The government should guarantee women’s participation in the formulation and implementation of policies on Climate Change as well as in international negotiations.

     The role of women's organizations is important in carrying out awareness campaigns among women, propagating a new green life style based on new renewable energy, finding and training women leaders, and carrying out consumer movements to buy green products and monitor carbon emission in local communities. They are the key actors to make sure that the government use people’s tax to make Climate Change polices gender responsive.

      We need a new development paradigm for the 21^st Century.  The industrial development of the 20^th Century, primarily led by fossil fuels by men, ended up destroying the environment and Climate Change.  Women, who bear and give birth to life, are naturally fitted for protecting and caring for life and nature.  To restore the nature and life, and to introduce a new paradigm of development based on new renewable energy, women are the right actors to contribute to sustainable development, by participating in the efforts for mitigation, adaptation, and technology and financing of Climate Change.  Women’s nurturing and caring leadership will be an important resource for the success of the 21^st Century low carbon green politics.

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