By Elishya Perera
LONDON (CU)_Former energy and climate change ministers of the United Kingdom, Claire O’Neill and Amber Rudd, have urged the government to demand for equal gender representation in the negotiating teams of all countries which will be attending the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow.
The former politicians made the demand in an open letter published by The Times on Monday (8 March) to mark International Women’s Day. The pair noted that as the host country, UK should insist on “equal representation within individual country negotiating teams”.
“We know that greater representation leads to better policy. By allowing all-male negotiating teams we risk allowing women’s interests to be excluded from these vital negotiations when women (and girls) are the group most adversely affected by climate change,” the letter read.
The COP26 Climate Summit, which will be co-hosted by the UK and Italy, is scheduled to be held this autumn, and tens of thousands of delegates from more than 190 countries are expected to attend the annual conference.
Rudd and O’Neill warned that under-representation of women continued to be a major issue at high-profile climate diplomacy events, adding that the British government has a huge opportunity, as a co-host, to boost female representation at the event.
“At the 2019 Bonn COP there were 27 delegations with no women, the highest it has been in 12 years,” they pointed out.
The letter was issued on the heels of growing criticism against the UK government for its decision to initially field an all-male senior leadership team for Conference. However, now a spokesperson for the government’s COP26 unit emphasised London’s commitment to boost female representation at the summit.
“The UK endorses the Gender Action Plan agreed at COP25 which notes the urgent need for improving the representation of women in party delegations and constituted bodies,” they said. “Women and girls have a critical role to play in the fight against the climate crisis – as educators, decision makers and advocates at all levels – and our vast network of leaders, diplomatic representatives and expert voices who are part of our COP26 presidency reflect this.”
