Climate change: Adapt today to save our tomorrow

An upcoming report from Islamic Relief further underscores the impact of climate change on women and girls. Here, Islamic Relief’s Head of Global Advocacy, Shahin Ashraf, explains the vital need for their input in discussions around adaptation.

As the world struggles to cope with the consequences of the 1.1 degree increase in global temperature above preindustrial levels, the impact of climate change is being felt perhaps more than ever before.

Research shows that the number of climate-related disasters has increased by 300 per cent in the last 3 decades . From heatwaves and drought in Europe to floods in Southeast Asia, hundreds of thousands of people have been adversely affected by extreme weather events just this year alone, resulting in thousands of lives lost.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the best-case scenario for the future of the planet is an estimated 1.4-degree rise – the only scenario compatible with the 1.5 degree target set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The worst-case scenario is a 4.4 degree rise by 2100.

As efforts to mitigate emissions and limit warming to well below a 2-degree increase continue, it is inevitable that the irreversible consequences of climate change will be felt even in the best-case scenario. Indeed, we are feeling the consequences already.

This means that we need to adapt now to extreme weather events to minimise the scale of harm inflicted onto those that are the most vulnerable.

A deadly situation for women and girls

Women and girls, particularly those from low-income countries and poorer backgrounds, are often the first to be hit and the least likely to recover from the impact of disasters. This is because the adaptive capacity of women and girls is often limited by cultural norms and gender roles which restrict women’s independence and decision-making capabilities.

During the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, for example, 77 per cent of the fatalities in Indonesia were women, as they lacked crucial survival skills such as swimming and climbing, and many had stayed behind in their homes with their children. Similarly, during the ongoing floods in Pakistan, many rural women were at a disadvantage since they lacked the skills to navigate the outside world due to patriarchal social attitudes that prevented them from leaving their homes without companions.

Islamic Relief Worldwide, in collaboration with IPB University in Indonesia, has recently conducted research into the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of women and girls on the Indonesian island of Lombok. According to the findings of the research, more than half of women interviewed (51 per cent) said they had lost income due to climate change, and 41 per cent reported facing financial difficulty as a result.

A staggering 94 per cent of unmarried women interviewed said they felt the psychological impacts of climate change, including anxiety and insecurity over their future. Girls, on the other hand, reported bearing the brunt of family income loss, as they were often the first to be taken out to school to assist with household tasks.

The way forward

One key factor in ensuring that women and girls are protected is funding. Despite the importance of adaptation, particularly for vulnerable groups like women and girls, there remains a dearth of funds for adaptation mechanisms. According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, adaptation needs in the developing world will rise to as much as $340 billion (£285 billion) a year by 2030 – yet only one-tenth of that amount is currently fulfilled.

Wealthy nations that are historically responsible for the bulk of collective gas emissions have not fulfilled their financial commitments, despite their pledge to mobilise $100 billion (£84 billion) a year to assist poorer countries in facing climate change.

The human cost of this missing funding is clear: thousands of women are displaced, injured, and financially impacted, while thousands of girls are missing out on an education as extreme weather events affect communities without adaptive mechanisms.

Beyond funding, there is also a critical need for a change in societal values, norms, and attitudes towards women and girls. As climate change exacerbates pre-existing inequalities and imbalances, harmful and outdated attitudes towards women and girls become all the more dangerous.

There is no doubt that the participation and leadership of women and girls is critical in facilitating climate change adaptation, not only for women and girls themselves but for the community as a whole.

Delaying action which will enable this to happen is a mistake that will only become more apparent as the frequency of extreme weather events and climate disasters increase.

We have to adapt today to save our tomorrow, and only women and girls can lead the way.

Join us on the 24th of November as we launch our report, present its findings, and discuss the way forward. Be a part of change.

Register here.
Watch the livestream here.

Islamic Relief advocates on behalf of women and girls around the world on climate change and other pressing issues. Help us continue this essential work. Donate now.