On Friday, we had the opportunity to delve into the crucial intersection of gender and climate change in a lecture led by Dr. Maxime Forest from Yellow Window organised by AGRIGEP project. The session explored how gender inequalities shape and are shaped by climate challenges—and why any meaningful climate action must address these disparities.
While eco-feminist perspectives have long highlighted the gendered dimensions of environmental issues, it was only in the mid-2010s that gender considerations were fully integrated into the global climate agenda. However, many mitigation and adaptation initiatives still fail to holistically address gender implications. In 2021, the French Development Agency conducted the most comprehensive study to date on how key international stakeholders—including the UN, national development agencies, multilateral funders, and NGOs—frame the relationship between gender and climate.
Building on this research, the lecture focused on water commons and the circular economy as case studies to illustrate the entanglement of gender inequalities and climate change. It also provided a participatory space for students to reflect on how they can integrate gender perspectives into their own climate-related research and action.
The session was facilitated by Maxime Forest, a senior lecturer and researcher at Sciences Po Paris University, with extensive experience in gender and development, urban planning, and international climate policy. His work includes participation in the CoP Paris (2015) and One Planet Summit (2017), as well as multiple research projects on gender and climate justice.
Watch the video teaser for an overview of the lecture:
