As Australia presides over negotiations at the COP31 climate summit in Turkey, at home there are forecasts of a " very tough summer ". El Niño is predicted to bring higher temperatures, dangerous heatwaves, bushfires and extreme weather.
Authors
- Susan Harris Rimmer
Professor of Law, Griffith University
- Elise Stephenson
Deputy Director, Global Institute for Women's Leadership, Australian National University
- Tegan Clark
PhD Candidate, College of Systems and Society, Australian National University
Despite this, one of the most overlooked climate risks is not meteorological but social. Climate change affects different groups of Australians in distinct ways, but our adaptation policies fail to account for this .
While climate change is often framed as an environmental issue - and rightly so - Australians are discovering it's also relevant to their gender, work , housing , health and experiences of domestic violence .
At COP31, for the first time, there will be an expectation for nations to report climate data separately for women and men, rather than bundling it into a single combined total. This is a good thing: how is climate change impacting men and women, boys and girls, and non-binary people?
The United Nations describes climate change as a " threat multiplier ", amplifying existing inequalities rather than affecting everyone in the same way. Our new research shows it is already having gendered impacts on Australians.
How heatwaves affect us
Heatwaves are the leading cause of disaster-related death in Australia, often dubbed the " silent killer ". Some groups of people are at greater risk during heatwaves. Pregnant women are at higher risk , for example, due to physiological changes that can alter the body's response to temperature changes.
Indeed, in the 2022 European heatwave, heat-related deaths were found to be 56% higher among women, especially older women. While some male-dominated sectors have outdoor workers that are vulnerable to heat, such as construction or agricultural workers, in Australia caring professions are dominated by women - placing them at double risk of both experiencing heat-related impacts and caring for others facing the same.
Rising temperatures are also associated with increases in intimate partner violence, a trend documented both globally and in Australia . Violence against women is amplified during extreme heat - people are forced to spend more time inside hot homes, whilst heat stress may increase irritability, aggressive behaviour, and amplify existing patterns of gender-based violence. For every one degree rise in temperature, there is a 4.7% increase in intimate-partner violence.
Our recent policy brief for the World Health Organization shows how climate change deepens health inequalities for women and girls in the Western Pacific region, including Australia. It also reveals how Australian healthcare systems are not yet prepared for climate change. This matters as 68% of recent studies found that women are more affected by the health consequences of climate change than men.
These challenges can have long-term social impacts. Our representative survey of Australian voters found 36% of 18-34 year olds are hesitant to have children due to climate change. Across all responses, men are slightly more hesitant than women.
Why we need to consider gender
Because of the explicitly gendered way climate change affects different groups in society we need to tailor our responses.
Taking gender into account when creating policy is a bit like gardening. If you treat every plant the same way, you might have a few crops that thrive but lose the rest. Instead, the gardener must pay attention to what each plant needs.
Australians want this: three-quarters of the people of all genders we surveyed believe climate policy that responds to gender is necessary.
The reasons for this may differ between genders. For instance, our research indicates many men are concerned about the renewable energy transition affecting traditionally male-dominated, fossil fuel-intensive jobs. They are worried about greater caring burdens - of neighbours and family for instance in the aftermath of disasters - and the risks they take at work, including during frontline disasters such as bushfires.
Research shows heightened risks of climate impacts like drought on male suicide and mental health. Yet we have also seen climate denialism and misogynistic attitudes go hand in hand, with ramifications on women and broader social cohesion.
The Australian women surveyed, especially those under the age of 45, were most concerned about climate impacts and many felt they had already experienced negative impacts, especially to their work and personal safety.
Women felt the increased responsibility for dealing with mental health, risk of violence, and increased caregiving responsibilities due to climate change falls to women more than men. For First Nations women, climate justice includes a restorative approach to accessing and being in caring relationship with Country, kin and family in ways that create cycles of health and wellbeing.
Including gender in climate action is not about prioritising one group over another but ensuring our responses recognise impacts are felt differently.
Aren't we already doing this?
Pledges made to the United Nations offer the chance for governments to act at home. Disappointingly, in Australia's most recent 2026 budget, there were no new measures for the gendered impacts of climate change.
Also, the government agencies and departments that should be responsible, aren't delivering. The National Climate Risk Assessment , Australia's first assessment of climate risks, describes how hazards like bushfires and drought will impact Australia, yet it mentions "gender" only three times in a 273-page document. Two of these are in the citation list.
A chance to be leaders
As the world watches Australia lead the negotiations at COP31, at home Australian policymakers have the opportunity to lead on climate action in a way that recognises gender. Ultimately, new data will give policymakers a much better picture of how to plan for climate disasters, and prevent harm to all people.
Until then, we've produced more than 100 policy suggestions for government that would achieve this.
We have so little time to get this right, but get it right we must.
Susan Harris Rimmer receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Elise Stephenson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She is a steering committee member of Women in International Security Australia and receives funding/support as a fellow of the Women's Leadership Institute of Australia.
Tegan Clark does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
