Over the past decade, climate change seemed to have been the most common buzz word used worldwide, along with gender equality which has been the subject of debate for the past half century

Both topics are being given a lot of prominence on the national, EU and international agenda due to their impact and consequences on the daily lives of men and women in society. The perception of both sexes in relation to climate change differentiates. Men and women have different needs, priorities and possibilities of mitigating the effect of climate change. Enhanced gender equality in policies tackling this ‘environmental-economic’ issue could result in more effective actions.

According to a recent study by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the diverse role that men and women assume in households and in the labour market are highly dependent on the effects of climate change. In fact, among the main findings of the study, the EIGE lists the following disparities between men and women:

• Different vulnerabilities of men and women to the effects of climate change: More women casualties during extreme weather events and stressful experiences of recovering from disasters; lower salaries for women may place single mothers and elderly women in a disadvantaged position when expensive measures are required; and care work may increase due to the health impacts of climate change.

• Men and women contribute differently to GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions: Women generate less gas emissions than men (particularly in the transport sector due to different travel patterns); nutrition varies from women’s daily consumption as they eat less meat, while men tend to consume more meat, leading to higher GHG emissions to breed livestock and other agricultural practices.

• Divergent approaches by men and women to mitigate and adapt to climate change: Research shows that women and men convert to a low-carbon lifestyle according to their educational background, gender roles, division of labour in the household and income; they also have different perceptions and attitudes towards options for climate change mitigation, as women feel more concerned than men about this issue.

In view of the gender disparities mentioned above, policy-makers should take into account these key facts when developing climate change policies, measures and instruments. The EIGE is suggesting that an equal representation of women and men in decision-making positions, in climate change research, technology development and in international negotiations is vital for a more gender-neutral approach to address this global issue which needs immediate action to be able to safeguard the future of men and women. Another case in point is the European Parliament’s (EP) concern about women’s representation in institutional and democratic bodies. Statistics released by the EP show that women account for 51.2% of the European population but hold approximately 34% of seats in the EP. Despite this, the EP is at the forefront in the promotion of gender equality, not just by increasing more women MEPs but also within its institutional organisational structure. Since 1979, according to available EP data, more than 3,000 women are employed by the EP (58.5% of the EP staff), but they represent a mere 23.6% of the Head of Units. One of the key tools used by the EP for the promotion of gender equality and diversity in the EP Secretariat is the Action Plan 2009-2013, which is based on three specific principles:

• Equality between women and men;

• Employment and integration of disabled people;

• Elimination of any obstacle to recruitment and any potential discrimination.

By involving all stakeholders in the EP Secretariat, these actions will address work-life balance, as well as dignity at work and respect of the individual.

During a workshop held last week for journalists, organised by the EP and in which I participated, Roberta Angelilli, Vice-President of the EP and Chair of the High-level Group on Gender Equality and Diversity said that the position of women in the labour market does not fully reflect the progress made in areas such as education and research. She quoted statistics that show that women represent 60% of university graduates in Europe, but on average earn 17.5% less than men and are, therefore, more likely to be at risk of poverty. Angelilli expressed her disagreement with the introduction of quotas as being proposed by the European Commission. She thinks that women should progress on the basis of merit. However, Angelilli argued that quotas need to be implemented to encourage more women in the labour market and in higher positions.

EU Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding, who is the Commissioner responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, also participated in the debate and stressed that across the EU, 86.5% of company boards are currently male-dominated. She said that the women representation rate increased slightly by 1.9% in 2011 mainly as a result of the introduction of quota legislation by some member states. According to Reding, a study by the European Commission shows that where no action was taken, female presence on company boards has stagnated or even decreased in recent years. At this rate, she insisted that it would take decades to arrive at a reasonable gender balance of at least 40% of both sexes.

In her concluding speech, Vice-President Reding made reference to the historical path the EU law has followed since the inception years of the European integration project. She said that every time the EU legislates in the field of gender equality or in the field of company law, be it on accounting standards or corporate governance, the principle of subsidiarity is always applied and this will also be the case for the Commission’s next proposal. Commissioner Reding is confident that she can count on the continuous support of the EP in this area and indicated her intention to call on national parliaments to help the Commission in this process because the EU economy needs to make full use of all the talent available in order to regain competitiveness.

What is the way forward? The European Commission and the European Parliament seem to be focusing on how to achieve the forecasted results by setting the example themselves within their institutions. By reinforcing their infrastructures and providing more family-friendly measures for women-oriented working environments they would partly achieve their goal within their structures, along with a higher representation of women in decision-making positions, such as, for example, a female EP President or a female Commission President! Eventually, a revolution in the legislation could lead to a better representation of women, not just in the labour market but also in decision-making positions on a national, EU and international level. The decision is now in the hands of the EU leaders who will be debating and ultimately have to choose which approach fits their local scenario in the context of the EU targets. After all, they have already hinted at the need for achieving a more profound and systematic change towards a more gender-neutral society!

Norma Saliba is Media Coordinator, Meusac