Climate action now: Why there’s no time to lose

Climate change will affect us all – from the wealthiest countries to the poorest, from the smallest of islands to whole continents. But its worst impact will be felt by the world’s poorest and the most vulnerable, especially poor women and girls.

We know what we need to do to avoid a catastrophe: reduce carbon emissions; transition to clean, renewable energy; and ensure that the global temperature rise is less than two degrees Celsius. And we must ensure that our efforts towards mitigation, adaptation and resilience in the face of climate change include women’s voices, perspectives and leadership. I recently attended the Small Island Developing States Conference in Samoa, where it was clear how powerful a role women – as leaders, farmers and first responders – can and must play in efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

So what’s holding us up? Lack of political will and consensus about how to get there. Read more