COP29 - Cities for Her: Gender-Inclusive Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystems (WEFE)

Cities Alliance hosts the interactive session 'Cities for Her: Gender-Inclusive Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystems (WEFE) Climate Solutions' at COP29, 9:30-10:30 (Baku time UTC+4)

This event will introduce the new toolkit Her4WEFE: Gender Perspectives on Urban Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystems developed by Cities Alliance, a gender-sensitive approach to the WEFE nexus in cities.

Climate change poses significant challenges to cities, with more frequent extreme weather events, heatwaves, rising sea levels, and increasing food and water insecurity. These challenges often exacerbate existing gender inequalities. Women, due to socio-economic factors and traditional roles in resource management, are disproportionately affected by these changes and remain underrepresented in decision-making processes. 

A Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) perspective offers a way forward by integrating gender considerations across all sectors. This approach calls for common and integrated strategies that acknowledge the cascading effects, externalities, and interconnections between water, energy, and food security. By doing so, cities can create more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient urban environments. 

The session will be an opportunity to explore the Her4WEFE toolkit to better understand and address the critical links between gender and the WEFE sectors. 

Opening: Mohammad Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dhaka, Bangladesh 

Presentation of the tool: Julie Greenwalt, Senior Climate Advisor, Cities Alliance 

Attend in person: COP29 - Blue zone, SEforALL Pavilion - G12a