UN: educating women 'key to climate change'
Updated on 18 November 2009
'Do not go forth and multiply' is the conclusion of the UN's world population report, which says educating women may be the key to cutting carbon emissions.
The report from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, warns that poor women in developing countries are among the hardest hit by global warming and more likely to die in natural disasters than men.
Women are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as droughts, flooding and severe storms because they are often the farmers and food producers, as well as caring for family at home which reduces their ability to move in the face of sudden weather events.
But according to the reports, investments in women's education and health can help reduce poverty and long-term greenhouse gas emissions, avoid climate-related migration and enable countries to cope with the impacts of rising temperatures.
Providing voluntary family planning and reproductive health care, as well as education for girls, would lead to women having fewer and healthier children, slowing population growth and greenhouse gas emissions in the long run.
Slower population growth could also aid economic development and reduce poverty, which could help poor countries become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
Despite the United Nations Population Fund report claiming controlling population growth is vital in combating climate change, this is not an issue on the table at the Copenhagen climate change summit next month.
UNFPA executive director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said: "Poor women in poor countries are among the hardest hit by climate change, even though they contributed least to it.
"With the possibility of a climate catastrophe on the horizon, we cannot afford to relegate the world's 3.4 bn women and girls to the role of victim. Wouldn't it make more sense to have 3.4 billion agents for change?"
