國立臺灣大學政治科學論叢

Abstract / Chinese PDF Download

Based on the concept of Gender, Environment and Development (GED), this paper looks at the influence of climate change on poor women in developing countries, and discusses how to strengthen women’s capacity and participation through incorporating a gender perspective into mitigation and adaptation strategies. Because of traditional gender roles and a socially and economically disadvantaged status, women have always had a high degree of vulnerability and a low degree of adaptive ability when faced with warming-linked ecological and social problems, including natural disasters, public health issues, water resource issues, food safety issues, forced migration and resource conflicts. This paper argues that the international response to climate change should include a gender perspective in mitigation and adaptation strategies. The mitigation strategy is as follows: first, international climate regulations should take the gender issue into consideration, and increase the level of women’s participation in decision-making processes; second, the United Nations, other international organizations, and national governments should strengthen the socioeconomic position of women allowing them to take part in international climate negotiations; third, the United Nations, international organizations and governments must ensure that men and women have equal accesses to environmental science and GHGs emission technology. On adaptation strategy, the United Nations and national governments should incorporate gender mainstreaming into international climate regulations. Gender mainstreaming should be reflected in adaptation-related policy tools. Moreover, governments must strengthen analysis of gender differences in adaptation strategies in areas such as agriculture, water resources, public health, and resource conflicts. At the same time, adaptation strategies should emphasize knowledge of gender-based structures in natural resource management as well as technical and institutional innovation. Furthermore, the United Nations and other international organizations should develop an adaptation fund to aid poor women’s responses to climate change.