Attending COP27 was a dream come true. Representing WOCAN at this internal convention was an honor as a Latina woman. So many people were excited to learn about the W+ standard and see how their efforts may be incorporated into WOCAN’s network. It was also a special celebration for women’s advocacy as each day, we connected with various women’s leaders in the daily feminist caucus. As a WOCAN delegate, I was able to attend a wide array of panels and meetings on the content of gender, climate finance, development, carbon markets, and feminism. Here are three key takeaways from my experience at COP27:
- Women’s Concentration of Power at COP27
- Women leaders were now and present, driving the conversations on how women may make a strong difference in gender equality outcomes. Many speakers highlighted women as the catalyst of action to sever patriarchal and violent patterns, eliminating historical declarations and mandates. For example, the Ministry of Environment in Guatemala recently instituted gender as a focal point in their national climate plans. Climate change is and will continue to disproportionately impact women, requiring women to hold a seat at the table for big meetings and negotiations happening at UNFCCC meetings, but in real-life political campaigns impacting people’s lives.
- Women’s Advocacy is Front and Center at COP27, but what does implementation look like?
- During my time at COP27, I was inspired by the moving messages advocating for women and the discussion of gender. However, there were little to no action items at the end of these discussions. Specifically, the topic of climate finance lacked no consensus and how women will be present in these crucial financial steps. The next COP will have to really uproot the nitty gritty details of how climate plans amplify women’s power and gender justice.
- The Role of Women in A Climate-Resilient Agriculture System
- Climate leaders, elected officials, scholars, NGOs, and activists emphasize the critical need to work with science, evidence, and data to bring unity, civil liberty, and justice to civil societies around the world. In regard to adaptation in agriculture, the importance of nutrition was highlighted with a spotlight on the importance of women due to their social and economic roles. Nutrition was viewed as a positive outcome of bridging connections between folks and developing healthier and sustainable diets. Women are often the gatekeepers of the household, requiring women to take big leaps in the efforts to produce sustainable food.