BaCCC/Module 5/Lesson 2/Part 2
Contents
Different people’s responses to climate change
Here is an inspiring example of how women are responding to the climate emergency, in this case with the support of the United Nations Development Programme.
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A past example of intersectionality in climate change adaptation in Bangladesh was the Enhancing Adaptive Capacity of Women and Children to Climate Change project, which focused on responding to the intersectional impacts of climate change, gender inequality and poverty on vulnerable communities in the country.
The project worked to build the adaptive capacity of women and children in rural areas through a range of activities, including
- training in climate-smart agriculture
- promoting access to climate-resilient technologies such as
- drought-resistant crops
- rainwater harvesting systems
- education in disaster risk reduction
- establishing community-based early warning systems for natural disasters
By addressing the intersectional impacts of climate change, gender inequality and poverty in Bangladesh, the project helped to build more resilient communities and promote sustainable development. It serves as an example of how intersectionality can be integrated into climate change adaptation responses to promote equitable and inclusive outcomes.
Again, it is important to remember that when it comes to intersectionality and climate change, we cannot make assumptions. We have to study, research, observe, discuss and – especially – ask and involve. In some cultures and countries, top-down (government-led) approaches rarely work as well as grassroots responses.
Intersectional approaches to climate change adaptation recognise differential impacts and work to respond in ways that address the specific needs and experiences of marginalised communities. This involves engaging with these communities to better understand their lived experiences and their needs, and working together to develop adaptation strategies that are inclusive and equitable.
For example, according to the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh, “[w]omen and girls are the ‘backbone’ of building climate resilience.” But there appears to be a contradiction in how women respond:
I am doing a study on inclusive disaster risk management in the coastal belt. It is a very vulnerable area. I am studying different groups of people – men and women, the elderly, widows, and so on. There are a lot of differences between those groups. It’s not only gender but also age, class, religion, ethnicity, etc. – everything that comes into defining their identity. However, women are still more vulnerable than men. They are also more resilient. They know how to cope with the disaster as they are the first ones to take action when a disaster arises. (Shamim, cited in The Daily Star, 2022, emphasis added)
Women in South Asia face greater challenges compared to men during a disaster or crisis. Despite challenges, South Asian women have proven that they have incredible potential to respond to disasters effectively, which often goes largely unrecognised. To build gender-sensitive resilient strategies in the DRR (disaster risk reduction) process, it is necessary to address the gender needs of women and men using an intersectional lens. (Nasreen, 2023, emphasis added)
[Women and girls] face lingering impacts of disasters in comparison to men and boys. Several studies pointed out that women and girls are more likely to drop out of social protection during disasters. The differentiated vulnerability to disasters is driven by gender inequality and socio-economic conditions, traditional practices, and access to technology. Most importantly, we must promote women’s leadership in every sphere so that they can lead the change. (Bhatt, cited in The Daily Star, 2022)
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In Bangladesh, through the Children’s Climate Summit, 1 million Bangladeshi children have been consulted on climate change and ways to safeguard their future. UNICEF brought together 300 “child parliamentarians” from all over the country to debate climate issues, policies and actions with their elected representatives.
Read “Bangladeshi children raise their voices and call for climate action on World Children’s Day” (Reidy, 2020) to see how children’s voices can be amplified: https://www.unicef.org/bangladesh/en/stories/bangladeshi-children-raise-their-voices-and-call-climate-action-world-childrens-day
Young people are currently seeing increasing opportunities to share their voices and perspectives on the climate emergency – locally and on the international stage – and they are being heard! School strikes, marches and protests, songs and videos are helping older generations to finally grasp that the youth are literally fighting for a liveable, survivable future – for themselves, for their younger brothers and sisters, and for all coming generations.
Check out this collection of voices of youth from around the world: “Young Climate Activists Demand Action and Inspire Hope” (UNICEF, n.d.) at https://www.unicef.org/stories/young-climate-activists-demand-action-inspire-hope
Sadly (but not unsurprisingly), one of the responses of young people to the climate crisis is an increase in what is called climate change anxiety. Please note that we will talk more about this in Module 7 – Action for Climate Empowerment.
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Here is a tragic issue that came up in the video; it is an excellent reminder of the need for intersectional thinking and policy making:
Females with disabilities, in the case of a disaster, face challenges in terms of their sanitary needs. A diverse range of disabilities exists, and not everyone is able to properly express their needs. We need to keep this diversity in mind when distributing relief in the aftermath of a disaster. The system of washrooms in shelters should be accessible for everyone, but this is rarely the case for persons with disabilities. Women, especially women with disabilities, are likely to face sexual harassment in disaster shelters. Sometimes women with intellectual disabilities aren’t even able to express the fact that they have faced harassment or violence. That is why we need to be vigilant about such issues when setting up shelters. I would also recommend that disaster shelters have people who know how to use sign language, because otherwise persons with disabilities [might] have problems communicating their needs. (Maisha, cited in The Daily Star, 2022)
Persons with disabilities or mental illnesses are vulnerable to exploitation in shelter centres. We should ensure safety in these spaces. Persons with disabilities who have trouble moving should be provided with transport facilities during disasters. (Molla, cited in The Daily Star, 2022)
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Indigenous peoples everywhere are on the frontlines of climate change. Their connection to the land makes them both more vulnerable to impacts and more knowledgeable (known as traditional ecological knowledge) about necessary responses to climate change. There are many examples of Indigenous leadership around the world.
Indigenous peoples have deep relationships and histories with the land and water, and rich knowledge systems that are guiding their work to respond to climate change – from food security challenges, wildfire and flood risk reduction to species protection and energy security. Indigenous communities have observations of the land going back much farther than written records of weather patterns and climate-related events, giving them insights into these changes and providing principles for good stewardship, adaptation and resilience. (Government of British Columbia, 2023)
The poor and the elderly are among the most vulnerable populations affected by climate change. They often lack the resources (including physical health and strength) to respond and adapt to changes in weather patterns or extreme weather events and may face challenges in accessing basic needs such as food, water and healthcare in the aftermath of such events.
You have now considered the intersectional climate change experiences and responses of several types of people (women, children and youth, rural people, elderly people, people living in poverty, Indigenous peoples and people with mental or physical disabilities). Let’s look next at what we can learn from marginalised people.
