1. Social Implications of Climate Change and the Opportunity for Women’s Empowerment
November 2016

2. Economic Case for Gender Parity
Social Implications of Climate Change and the Opportunity for Women’s Empowerment
Economic Case for Gender Parity
Julie Fox Gorte
Senior Vice President for Sustainable Investing
Pax World Funds
Gendered Implications of Climate Change
Najada Kumbuli
Senior Investment Officer
Calvert Foundation

3. Living Dangerously in the Future
Two of the biggest problems the world must address are climate change and gender equality
So why am I talking about living dangerously? Because the world faces several systemic problems, and these are challenges that we must address in order to live less dangerously. By “dangerously”, I mean living in a world that sees the chances of conflict and strife rise markedly year after year, due to anger, unrest, and anything that causes mass dislocations.
The biggest problems the world has to solve are well laid out by the UN Sustainable Development goals. Several of those goals relate to both climate change and gender equality: goal 1 (no poverty), 5 (gender eqaulity), 7 (affordable clean energy), 13 (climate action), 14 (life below water), 15 (life on land) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).
While many of these problems will require unique and tailored solutions, we should be eternally vigilant in finding solutions that are synergistic. It will take far less effort if the work we do to solve any problem contributes to the solution of others. Happily, that is almost certain to be true: solving poverty will be easier when there is more gender equality; women are more likely to be poor, but when they do get money, they tend to spend it on education and family needs rather than entertainment. A less volatile climate will reduce the pressures for mass migration; there could be hundreds of millions of climate refugees if we let warming proceed as it will in a business as usual scenario. Solving climate change will reduce the pressure on life, both above sealevel and below it.

4. What’s our business case?
Gender equality is better for economic health
Diversity makes for better decision making. Having better gender balance in boardrooms and executive suites is positively related to better financial performance

5. The business case for solving climate
The price tag for inaction on climate: $4-$24 trillion
Where are the world’s stock markets?

6. Why do we care about climate change and energy access
© wame

7. The feminization of energy poverty and climate change
One in five people (1.3 billion) live in extreme poverty AND lack access to any form of electricity
Hours a day women spend collecting water – enough to build 30 Empire State Buildings
75 % of them are women and girls
Two in five people (2.7 billion women) cook in open fires
4 Million
Deaths a year, more than malaria, HIV/AIDS and lung cancer combined
200 Million
1 Billion
People served by health facilities that are completely without electricity

8. Correlation: Energy Access & Women Empowerment
“The Sustainable Energy for All initiative sets ambitious targets for 2030: Universal access to modern energy sources…but we cannot have the future we want without full equality for women.
Today, I call on everyone to help put the “power” in our drive to empower women.
Then they can help light our world.”
Secretary General of the United Nations, June 22, 2012

9. Manage Risks That Matter
Because any model of economic growth based on causes of systemic risk is ultimately doomed to self-destruct.

10. Most Critical Systemic Risks

11.  It requires 3,000 to 4,000 kWhs per year for a person to have what we consider a good life. It will take over 30 trillion kWhs per year worldwide to get everyone above that – in other words, to eradicate global poverty

12. “Any attempt to follow high-carbon growth will eventually be self destructive.” That 30 trillion kWhs must come from renewables.

13. Economic inequality leads to collapse
 Unequal enrichment provokes asset bubbles, excessive demand for debt and, finally, economic failure.

14. Economic inequality leads to collapse
Joy Behar: Trump’s win proves ‘men can get away with anything and women can get away with nothing’

15. So we need diversity and equity, everywhere
If we want an economy that can thrive indefinitely, we must work towards a renewables-powered, waste-to-value based economy that has fully enfranchised the 100%.

16. Social Implications of Climate Change and the Opportunity for Women’s Empowerment
November 2016