Why Women Will Save the Planet

Big cities don't have to mean a dystopian future. They can be turned around to be powerhouses of well-being and environmental sustainability - if we empower women. This book is a unique collaboration between C40 and Friends of the Earth showcasing pioneering city mayors, key voices in the environmental and feminist movements, and academics. The essays collectively demonstrate both the need for women's empowerment for climate action and the powerful change it can bring. A rallying call - for the planet, for women, for everyone.

For more than forty years, Friends of the Earth has seen that the well-being of people and planet go hand in hand. Together with thousands of people they have secured safer food and water, defended wildlife and natural habitats, championed the move to clean energy and acted to keep our climate stable. C40 Cities connects more than ninety of the world's greatest cities, representing over 650 million people. C40 is focused on tackling climate change and driving urban action that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, while increasing the health, wellbeing and economic opportunities of urban citizens.

Foreword by Anne Hidalgo Introduction by Nicola Baird 1. The Power of Stubborn Optimism - Christiana Figueres 2. Empowering Women to Power up the Paris Agreement on Climate Change - Patricia Espinosa 3. The Hissing of Summer Lawns: Cities, Gender, and Climate Change - Susan Buckingham 4. What's Happening in Durban: From 'Tree-Preneurs' to Trendsetters - Zandile Gumede 5. Women's Empowerment and Environmental Sustainability in the Context of International UN agreements - Diane Elson 6. Walking the Talk: Empowering Tomorrow's Women Leaders - Alexandra Palt 7. How Holistic Thinking Benefits People and Planet - Lola Young 8. How Gender-Sensitive are National Adaptation Programmes of Action? Selected Findings from a Desk Review of Thirty-One Sub-Saharan African Countries - Nathalie Holvoet and Liesbeth Inberg 9. Why Educating Girls is Essential for a Sustainable Future - Atti Worku 10. Women, Conflict and the Environment in Somali Society - Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare and Fatima Jibrell 11. The Close Ties between Social and Environmental Justice - Karin Nansen 12. Engendering Urban Climate Policy - Gotelind Alber 13. Why do Gender Equality and Sustainability Go Hand in Hand? - Lyla Mehta and Melissa Leach 14. The Benefits of using a Gender Lens - Naoko Ishii 15. Is there a Specific Role for Women in Helping to Achieve Environmental Sustainability through Politics? - Caroline Lucas 16. Empowering a Balanced and Useful Economics of Sustainability: The Role of Gender - Julie A. Nelson 17. Hand in Hand: Women's Empowerment and Sustainability - Vandana Shiva 18. How the Defence of the Commons and Territories has become a Core Part of Feminist, Anti-Capitalist Struggles - Celia Alldridge 19. Mother Earth - Maria Mies 20. From Icebergs to Climate Refugees - Jude Kelly 21. From Individual to Communal Rights: Empowering Women for Sustainable Use of Natural Resources - Nidhi Tandon 22. The Role of Fashion in Bringing About Social and Ecological Change - Anna Fitzpatrick 23. Family Planning: A Win-Win for Women and Sustainability - Carina Hirsch 24. The Power of Grassroots Action for Women's Empowerment and the Environment - Kate Metcalf and colleagues 25. One Hundred Years of Collective Action for Environmental Change - Marylyn Haines Evans 26. The Impact of Gender Balance in the Renewable Energy Sector - Juliet Davenport 27. More Women in Business for a Sustainable Economy - Emma Howard Boyd