Persistent women and environment linkages in climate change and sustainable development agendas

This research paper examines the persistence of the discourse linking women to the environment in climate change and sustainable development agendas, despite long-standing criticisms of these associations.

• Since the 1980s, global development policy and intervention programs have been influenced by a discourse suggesting that women possess special knowledge of natural resource systems, are more closely tied to nature, and suffer most from environmental degradation.
• Current climate change debates continue to frame women as both primary victims of climate change and as 'powerful agents of change' who lead early warning systems and locate water supplies for affected communities, despite risks that this discourse shifts the burden of environmental care onto women.
• The author identifies three reasons for the persistence of women-environment linkages: the projection of fixed and uniform female identities tied to nature to gain entry into climate politics, the use of climate vulnerability as a strategic entry point for feminist advocacy, and the inertia from previous environmental projects.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2013). Persistent women and environment linkages in climate change and sustainable development agendas. https://www.sei.org/publications/persistent-women-and-environment-linkages-in-climate-change-and-sustainable-development-agendas/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Persistent women and environment linkages in climate change and sustainable development agendas. 2013. https://www.sei.org/publications/persistent-women-and-environment-linkages-in-climate-change-and-sustainable-development-agendas/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Persistent women and environment linkages in climate change and sustainable development agendas |date=29 May 2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/persistent-women-and-environment-linkages-in-climate-change-and-sustainable-development-agendas/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2013persistent, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Persistent women and environment linkages in climate change and sustainable development agendas}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/persistent-women-and-environment-linkages-in-climate-change-and-sustainable-development-agendas/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }