Summarizing Evidence for Gender-Responsive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes: Key Gender and Equity Findings from the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability

The document distills evidence from the IPCC WGII report to highlight how systemic inequalities increase climate vulnerability and argues that inclusive, justice-based adaptation planning leads to more effective and sustainable outcomes.

• Certain groups face heightened vulnerability to climate change due to intersecting socio-economic factors and systemic discrimination. These include women, children, the elderly, people living with disabilities, people living in poverty, Indigenous Peoples, and those facing discrimination based on race, ethnicity, caste, sexuality, or gender identity.
• Vulnerability is not inherent but is driven by historical and ongoing marginalization. Inequalities in access to resources, economic opportunities, and services, combined with greater exposure to hazards (such as living on floodplains or in urban heat islands), increase climate risks for marginalized groups.
• Climate change impacts are disproportionately felt across five thematic areas: livelihoods, water, food security and nutrition, disaster risk management, and health. For example, women may face an increased burden of fetching water and higher incidences of violence and abuse, while Indigenous Peoples may lose cultural or spiritual practices associated with water.
• Integrating gender, equity, and justice into adaptation planning strengthens outcomes, making them more cost-effective and just. Conversely, ignoring these dimensions increases the risk of maladaptation, which can shift vulnerability to other groups or increase existing inequities.
• Effective adaptation requires moving beyond technocratic solutions to address the root causes of vulnerability. This includes cross-sectoral actions such as reducing poverty, improving housing, enhancing social safety nets, and implementing health initiatives.
• The inclusion of diverse knowledge systems, specifically Indigenous and local knowledge, is essential for strengthening adaptation and redressing historical marginalization. Ethical co-production of knowledge helps limit maladaptation in areas like ecosystem restoration and climate-resilient fishing.

APA

Hunter, C., & Dazé, A. (2024). Summarizing Evidence for Gender-Responsive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes: Key Gender and Equity Findings from the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. NAP Global Network. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/napgn-en-2024-summarizing-evidence-nap-gender.pdf

Chicago

Hunter, Cameron, and Angie Dazé. Summarizing Evidence for Gender-Responsive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes: Key Gender and Equity Findings from the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. NAP Global Network, 2024. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/napgn-en-2024-summarizing-evidence-nap-gender.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hunter |first1=Cameron |last2=Dazé |first2=Angie |title=Summarizing Evidence for Gender-Responsive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes: Key Gender and Equity Findings from the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability |publisher=NAP Global Network |date=August 2024 |url=https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/napgn-en-2024-summarizing-evidence-nap-gender.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hunter2024summarizing, author = {Hunter, Cameron and Dazé, Angie}, title = {{Summarizing Evidence for Gender-Responsive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes: Key Gender and Equity Findings from the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability}}, institution = {NAP Global Network}, year = {2024}, month = aug, url = {https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/napgn-en-2024-summarizing-evidence-nap-gender.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }