Ahead of World Population Day on July 11, the Population Institute on Thursday released a new report that examines the intersection of population growth and human-caused climate change. The report titled “Population and Climate Change Vulnerability: Understanding Current Trends to Enhance Rights and Resilience” highlights the importance of incorporating population trends, gender equity, and reproductive health and rights into climate adaptation planning.
It shows that climate change is far from gender neutral. During a recent heat wave in Europe, for example, climate-related deaths were 56% higher among women than men. In many countries, including the United States, where at least 25 people died during last week’s heat wave, women also face heightened risks of gender-based violence and reduced access to contraception in the aftermath of natural disasters.
They found that gender disparities in climate impacts are a global phenomenon, particularly in countries that are most vulnerable to climate change.
The researchers, women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate impacts and shoulder a greater burden in recovering from and adapting to them. They also found that storms, droughts, wildfires, and other climate shocks can compound existing gender inequities by reducing resources available to women and girls, limiting their economic opportunities and autonomy, restricting access to family planning, and increasing the incidence of child marriage, early childbirth, gender-based violence, and human trafficking.
These factors can contribute to rapid population growth, which the report finds is associated with greater climate vulnerability and can make adaptation more challenging.
Among the 80 countries ranked as most vulnerable to climate change, the average population growth rate is twice the global average. The report argues that climate adaptation plans should include strategies that advance gender equity and reproductive health and rights, helping to slow population growth, empower women, and strengthen climate resilience.
Yet these issues remain largely absent from most climate adaptation planning.
The report reviews global research on the intersection of population trends, gender equity, climate vulnerability, and resilience, and highlights examples of efforts to integrate these issues into climate planning in Uganda Bangladesh, Niger, the Philippines, and the United States.
“Our report looks at how population trends intersect with people’s climate change exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity,” said Kathleen Mogelgaard, CEO of Population Institute. “It shows that population is growing disproportionately in countries that are already highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, underscoring the need to better integrate population trends into climate adaptation planning.
Uganda ranks 32nd worldwide in climate vulnerability. Prolonged droughts, floods, and landslides threaten food security, livelihoods, and ecosystems in a country where more than 70% of workers depend on rain-fed agriculture and 18% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Uganda’s population growth rate is only slightly lower than Niger’s, while child marriage remains widespread and access to family planning remains limited. The NGO Regenerate Africa is working to address the interconnected challenges of climate vulnerability, rapid population growth, and gender inequity
“Uganda stands on the frontline of the climate crisis, facing impacts far beyond its contribution,” said Charles Kabiswa, Executive Director of Regenerate Africa, which has helped the Ugandan government incorporate gender equity and sexual and reproductive health and rights into its Health National Adaptation Plan (H-NAP).
“Yet the greatest challenge is not only vulnerability, it is the persistent gap between climate ambition and the financing required to turn commitments into action. Without urgent investment in adaptation and in the rights and health of women and girls, resilience will remain out of reach for the communities that need it most.”
In the United States, as in many other developed countries, population growth has slowed to about 0.5% annually. Regionally, however, population growth is concentrated in areas with greater exposure to climate hazards, including Florida and Texas, two of the nation’s fastest-growing states and among those most vulnerable to hurricanes and wildfires.
“There’s a growing body of research showing that gender and racial inequities are exacerbated as climate change worsens,” said Kelley Dennings of the Center for Biological Diversity, whose organization conducted a study this year finding that health, equity, and other underlying social drivers of climate vulnerability are often overlooked in climate planning.
“No community can say it’s truly prepared for climate-fueled disasters while ignoring the specific needs of vulnerable populations. Reproductive justice and gender equity aren’t just important considerations in climate planning; they’re essential components of effective climate solutions.”
“We know how to put population trends on a more sustainable path by expanding access to family planning, education, gender equity, and autonomy for women and girls, and we know these approaches work,” said Mogelgaard.
“Unfortunately, public funding for family planning and reproductive health is moving in exactly the wrong direction, both in the United States and around the world. Incorporating these measures into adaptation planning is one of the most promising and impactful steps we can take to strengthen resilience today and reduce climate vulnerability over the long term.”-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
