As the world’s attention turns toward the lush landscapes of Belém, Brazil, for the thirtieth United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties, known as COP30, a critical ultimatum has been issued. UN Women, the global champion for gender equality, has stepped onto the international stage to demand that global leaders move beyond rhetoric and adopt a transformative, well-funded, and rigorously accountable Gender Action Plan (GAP). This framework is not merely a procedural document; it is the blueprint that will determine whether the next decade of climate action empowers half the world’s population or leaves them behind in the rising tides of environmental collapse.
The stakes in Belém are historically high. The decisions made during this summit will define the trajectory of global climate governance for years to come. For UN Women, the priority is clear: gender equality must remain the central pillar of climate strategy. If it is allowed to slip to the margins, the very efficacy of the Paris Agreement is at risk. Climate change is a phenomenon that does not strike with a blind eye; it is a crisis that preys upon and amplifies existing societal fractures. From the displacement caused by extreme weather to the mounting pressures of food insecurity and the erosion of traditional livelihoods, women and marginalized groups are disproportionately stationed at the frontlines of this global emergency.
“Failure to adopt a robust GAP would set back gender equality and human rights, undermining hard-won progress and signaling that women’s leadership and experience are expendable in the climate fight,” warns Sarah Hendriks, Director of the Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division at UN Women. Her words echo a growing sentiment among activists and policymakers alike: climate justice and gender justice are inseparable. The adoption of a strong GAP is not just a moral obligation or a matter of equity; it is a strategic necessity for survival. Without the full participation and protection of women, any climate solution is inherently incomplete.
To understand the urgency of this moment, one must look back at the progress already made. The inaugural Gender Action Plan, established in 2017, served as a landmark achievement in international diplomacy. It was the first formal mechanism to weave gender considerations into the fabric of the UNFCCC process, impacting everything from mitigation and adaptation strategies to the complex world of climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity-building. For the first time, countries and civil society organizations had a roadmap to make gender equality a tangible, measurable part of climate decision-making. However, as the world enters the mid-2020s, the original framework must evolve to meet the escalating scale of the climate threat.
UN Women’s vision for the new GAP is one of transformation. They are calling on participating nations to commit to a plan that is not only ambitious in scope but also backed by the financial resources necessary to effect real change on the ground. This means moving beyond “gender-awareness” and toward “gender-responsiveness”—creating policies that actively dismantle the barriers preventing women from leading in the green economy and surviving environmental shocks.
Coinciding with the opening of COP30 on November 10, UN Women, in collaboration with the Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls, has unveiled a groundbreaking new tool: the Gender Equality and Climate Policy Scorecard. This pioneering instrument provides a much-needed reality check, measuring exactly how effectively governments are integrating gender justice into their national climate strategies. By analyzing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)—the individual climate action plans submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement—the Scorecard offers a data-driven look at where the world stands.
The initial findings from the Scorecard are both illuminating and concerning. After analyzing 32 NDCs across six critical dimensions—economic security, unpaid care work, health, gender-based violence (GBV), participation and leadership, and gender mainstreaming—the data reveals a significant gap between recognition and action. While the vast majority of nations now acknowledge that women are disproportionately vulnerable to climate impacts, far fewer have recognized women as the primary drivers of climate solutions.
The analysis shows a fragmented global landscape. Ten pioneering countries, representing five distinct regions, are currently leading the way with comprehensive policy commitments that span nearly all six dimensions of the Scorecard. However, they are the exception rather than the rule. Sixteen of the 32 countries analyzed take a limited or only moderately comprehensive approach, while six nations failed to commit to any future gender-responsive actions in their NDCs whatsoever.
Perhaps most telling is what these national plans choose to ignore. While many countries focus on women’s economic security—recognizing that the climate crisis threatens livelihoods—there is a glaring neglect of other vital intersections. Issues such as women’s specific health needs in the face of rising temperatures and disease, the crushing burden of unpaid care work that intensifies during environmental disasters, and the documented spike in gender-based violence following climate-related shocks are rarely addressed in official climate policy. By failing to include these factors, governments are ignoring the lived realities of women on the frontlines.
The Scorecard and its implications will take center stage at a high-profile UN Women side event on Thursday, November 20. Hosted in partnership with the Government of Liberia and the Kaschak Institute, the event—titled “Gender-Responsive Climate Action: Unleashing and Accelerating Implementation of the Paris Agreement”—will be held at the Government of Liberia’s pavilion from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. This forum will serve as a critical space for experts and leaders to discuss how to bridge the gaps identified by the Scorecard and ensure that the next generation of NDCs is truly inclusive.
For UN Women, the path forward requires a fundamental shift in how we view leadership. The organization emphasizes that achieving climate justice is impossible without the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in every room where decisions are made. This is particularly true for those in communities most affected by the crisis, including Indigenous and rural women. These women are not just victims of a changing climate; they are the keepers of traditional ecological knowledge and the architects of sustainable agricultural techniques that could save their communities. When they are at the table, the solutions defined are more resilient, more equitable, and more effective for society as a whole.
As COP30 progresses, the call from UN Women remains unwavering. The adoption of a robust Gender Action Plan in Belém would represent a defining moment of global commitment—a signal that the international community understands that gender equality is not a “fringe” concern to be handled after the “real” work of emissions cutting is done. Instead, it is the very foundation of a just transition.
UN Women’s existence is rooted in the belief that the rights of women and girls must remain at the center of global progress. By shifting laws, transforming institutions, and challenging social behaviors, they aim to close the gender gap and build a world where an equal future is a reality for everyone. At COP30, they are reminding global leaders that gender equality is not just a policy goal; it is an essential pillar of the inclusive and rights-based multilateral governance required to save the planet. The world is watching to see if the leaders gathered in Brazil will seize this pivotal moment or allow the opportunity for a more just and sustainable world to slip away.
