Why women in ecology are crucial to the climate movement

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In 1859, physicist John Tyndall was praised for his discoveries of the greenhouse gas effect, setting a foundation for our modern understanding of climate change. Like any respectable scientist, Tyndall credited all those that contributed to his findings.

That is, all but one.

Three years before Tyndall gained the climate science spotlight, American scientist Eunice Newton Foote concluded the same principles of the greenhouse gas effect. Her findings were presented by a male colleague at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science but were never acted on moving forward.

Foote is one of many women whose work regarding our climate was diminished because of her gender. Now, Greta Thunberg, a household name, has made such an impact on the climate movement that her work has resulted in the “Greta Thunberg Effect,” inspiring young women to take action on climate change. Thunberg is proof of the success of female leadership and exemplifies the great potential in women’s ability to confront the climate crisis.

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Vanessa Nakate, a 27-year-old Ugandan climate activist, has brought perspective on struggles facing the Global South, emphasizing the intersectionality of climate change with other global issues such as hunger, poverty and gender inequality.

And nearby at SUNY ESF, Robin Wall Kimmerer, a distinguished teaching professor and an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, has highlighted the need to involve the wisdom of Indigenous women in the climate movement. Her bestselling book, “Braiding Sweetgrass,” includes ecofeminist ideologies and discusses the need for a shift toward a more reciprocal relationship with nature.

One thing all these women have in common, as well as with female leaders around the world, is that they excel in what are called “soft power traits,” like being communicative, flexible and patient – among the most important skills for leadership. Soft power refers to the ability to cooperate through persuasion rather than coercion through force. But, of course, this doesn’t mean that women aren’t powerful and commanding activists.

In whatever capacity, former president of Ireland and environmental activist Mary Robinson calls for a “feminist solution” to the “man-made problem” that is the climate crisis, and points to the fact that consequences are not equally distributed among men and women. These consequences are commonly known to be “gender-neutral,” denoting that men and women experience the same effects. But understanding climate change as a threat multiplier, or an enhancer of previously existing social issues, allows us to see that women and girls are set to face greater difficulties than their counterparts as vulnerable communities are forced to face the greatest impact.

Women are at the forefront of climate solutions and struggles in their everyday lives and therefore bring unique experiences to the table, particularly at a local level. There is great concern for the warming temperatures affecting women’s maternal health as air pollution and heat exposure may cause preterm birth, low birth weight, poor maternal health and complications during pregnancy.

In addition to their roles as mothers, women also contribute to up to 50% of the agricultural workforce with women in the Global South making up the most of this. This work is extremely labor intensive and time consuming with temperature increases and extreme weather events exacerbating these difficulties. During such extreme weather events, women tend to work more to secure household needs and livelihoods. This work (that often isn’t compensated) takes time away from other opportunities such as education and training that are necessary for women’s success.

While women are often the ones facing the gravest consequences of the climate crisis, they also have the capabilities to promote great change if given the opportunity to train and educate themselves. On a national level, it’s been shown that an increase in women’s participation in national parliament leads to the adoption of stricter carbon emission reduction policies.

The increased success of implementing these policies may result from women’s higher tendency to consider the collective whole rather than only themselves. This holistic approach allows society to consider climate change as an issue that affects all of humanity, meaning the solutions must consider the “greater good.” Principles of ecofeminism are crucial to facilitating greater change and providing a voice to those who have been silenced. It is in humanity’s best interest to give women a seat at the table.

Robinson illustrates this power of women through the metaphor of a dandelion.

“Have you ever tried to get rid of the damn thing?” Robinson questions in an April 2023 interview in reference to the resilience of the flower.

Grown on all seven continents and often referred to as a weed, the dandelion is astonishingly strong. Its seeds are spread as it is blown by the wind, leading to continuous repopulation of the cute but stubborn little yellow flower.

“Dandelions have a soft power that women also hold, that challenges the coercive aspects of life rooted,” Robinson continues.

This principle is what fueled the creation of Project Dandelion, a women-led campaign for climate justice founded in 2023 aiming to bring the galvanizing energy of women leaders to the forefront of climate action.

As Women’s History Month is in full swing, there is no better time than now to read up on the principles of ecofeminism, think critically about how you view nature and take some time to elevate the voices of female climate activists. With spring around the corner, when you inevitably come across a dandelion, remember its significance beyond its beauty.

Izzy Kaufman is a sophomore International Relations and Environment, Sustainability and Policy major as well as the Co-Director of the Student Association’s Sustainability Forum. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at [email protected].