ABSTRACT
This chapter makes use of a number of feminist theoretical tools for understanding climate change as a political object. The challenge is to make these tools accessible so that they can help to change the nature of the debate. The process by which human societies have changed the earth's climate has been shaped by gender relations in complex ways. Climate change is perceived, experienced, and accommodated differently by diverse men and women in all parts of the world. Gender balance, sometimes the result of the feminist tool called 'gender mainstreaming', has been linked with effective environmental decision-making: the better the representation of women, the higher the likelihood that environmental protection and precaution will be prioritised. Looking at the connection between the political status of women and climate change policy, the empirical evidence appears strong.
