Advancing Gender Equity is Advancing Environmental Sustainability (and vice versa)

By Missy Maceyko, Co-Chair, CA State Public Policy Committee

After a year of wild weather in California, many of us may be thinking more about climate, environment, and sustainability. How does our concern with the weather relate to AAUW California’s Public Policy Priorities? Advancing gender equity is directly related to environmental sustainability. The inverse is also true.

The United Nations sustainable development goals, adopted in 2015, seek to push all countries to act to protect the planet, ensure widespread prosperity, and promote peace. Achieving gender equality, goal number five, is a crucial element in this overall strategy.

We know that having greater gender diversity in leadership improves organizations. One of AAUW California’s public policy focus areas is increasing women in leadership positions. However, advancing this goal can also have positive climate impacts. The UN has found that having greater gender diversity in climate discussions leads to improved outcomes on climate-focused policies and projects. This is just one case in which we can see how sustainable development goal 5, promoting greater gender equality, alongside advancing AAUW California’s public policy priorities, can be important for achieving sustainable development goal 13, creating more impactful climate action.

Data also shows us that (un)sustainable production and consumption patterns, which harm the environment, tend to be gendered, with “green” choices being widely feminized. While this is a global trend, we see this in popular portrayals of more planet-friendly consumption choices in the United States, as well, such as veganism, which tends to be marked as more “feminine” and less “masculine.” This example shows us that sustainable development goal 5, promoting greater gender equality, alongside AAUW California’s overall public policy mission of advancing equity for women and girls, is also important for achieving sustainable development goal 12, which focuses on creating more planet-friendly and responsible production and consumption patterns.

Advancing gender equity is directly related to environmental sustainability, and vice versa. In advancing AAUW California’s public policy goals, and expanding the rights of all women and girls, we can help create the conditions for greater justice and inclusion, economic parity, and environmental viability, all at the same time.

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