Unit summary

In this unit you learned about why gender equality is important for responding to and mitigating the effects of climate change and building community resilience.

If communities are to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change, women must have the same opportunities to participate in sustainable livelihoods as men do. You learned that when women have access to education, training and resources, they can set up and run businesses that are good for the natural environment and mitigate the threats of climate change.

And when women have equal opportunities to participate in sustainable livelihoods, communities are better able to adapt to the impacts of climate change. For example, women can help to:

• conserve water and soil by using sustainable farming practices, and
• reduce waste and pollution by managing waste and using renewable energy.

One way to create sustainable livelihoods is to learn how to use natural resources in a sustainable way — for example, sustainable agriculture practices, agroforestry and water conservation.

Women could also be trained in waste management, water conservation and energy efficiency. For example, they could start businesses that provide solutions to local issues that arise from climate change, such as planting trees to reduce soil erosion or developing renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.