Climate change is not only reshaping the planet, it is widening the gap between rich and poor, with women and low-income workers facing some of the harshest consequences, campaigners say.
As droughts intensify, floods displace communities and food systems falter, those already living on the margins are often least equipped to cope.
Advocates argue that environmental crises are reinforcing long-standing inequalities in access to resources, healthcare and decision-making power.
During a recent virtual discussion hosted by Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA), speakers said climate policy must confront these structural disparities rather than treat global warming as a purely environmental issue.
Short-cuts leave out justice
Teresa Anderson, climate justice lead at ActionAid International, said many farmers and informal workers are already squeezed, exploited and stretched to the limit, yet are increasingly blamed for contributing to environmental degradation.
“Transition is not yet standard climate practice. Short-cuts that leave out justice steps make the journey much longer. Just transition helps communities transform from potential skeptics and blockers to powerful advocates for change,” she said.
The concept of a just transition ensuring that the shift to greener economies does not deepen poverty or inequality, has gained prominence in international climate negotiations. But campaigners argue that implementation often lags behind rhetoric.
In many low-income communities, livelihoods depend directly on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fishing and informal trade.
Without financial safeguards, new environmental regulations or economic shifts can push households further into hardship.
Gendered impacts
Mali Ngusale, strategic and technical lead at the African Centre for Health, Climate and Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA), said climate change interacts with entrenched gender inequalities in ways that heighten risks for women and girls.
She pointed to water scarcity, climate-induced displacement and increased exposure to gender-based violence during emergencies as key concerns.
“In many regions, women are responsible for securing food and water, tasks made more difficult by erratic rainfall and extreme weather. Health systems strained by climate-related disease outbreaks and malnutrition often fail to meet women’s needs,” Ngusale said.
According to Ngusale, these patterns are not accidental but rooted in unequal access to land, income, education and political representation.
The role of the media
Speakers also highlighted the influence of media narratives in shaping public understanding of climate change.
Gender-blind reporting, they said, can erase the lived realities of women, caregivers and frontline communities, leading to policies that overlook health inequities and social vulnerabilities.
They emphasized that more inclusive storytelling could shift climate action toward solutions that prioritise justice alongside emissions reductions.
As governments prepare new climate commitments, campaigners say the bigger picture is clear: tackling global warming requires more than cutting carbon, it demands addressing the inequalities that determine who suffers most from a warming world.
The virtual meeting was held under the theme “Reflections on climate change, gender, health, and impactful stories.”