The Marshall Plan for Global Climate Concerns

On the Road to Copenhagen: Challenges and Opportunities

In December 7-18, 2009 the world would be looking at Copehnagen to save the earth from the 'Climate Crisis'. The world has gone through two world wars. World Wae I and II. Now we are experience in different global challenge the Global Climate Crisis. Whether we are looking at the agriculture, health, education, science, water, sanitation, energy, infrastructure etc. Whether we are in the Global North (Developed Countries) or Global South (Developing Countries) we all have to experience climate change impacts somw way or the other.

There is a lot of public awareness raising needed for people to start to get grip of what the whole climate change situation is all about and how it will impact on our lives directly or indirectly. The sad story is this just like most others things Gender Matters in Climate Change Concerns although many organisation even the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have seem to turn a blind eye on Gender and Climate Change concerns and continue to put forward the argument that both men and women are affected my climate change in the same way.

Yes we all are affected by climate change as citizens of the earth but our gender roles also makes a difference. In many parts of the developing world today there are has been floods sometimes and other times droughts. This has a great implications on water resources in a country or community. This meas that women who are the caretakers of the household have an added task to walk even further insearch of water. hen there is a flood, water sources are also contaminated leading to health problems and other social, environmental and economic implications. As concerns fuel wood, women would have to walk further to search for wood as due to drought and continuous afforestation, trees close to their houses and communites have been destroyed. Due to climate change impacts many crops also fail leading hunger and food insecurity.

Looking also at the energy requirements of women at household levels they only source of energy usually available is the wood or charcoal caused from buring of the forest. This also affects the ecosystem and prevent conservation of the forest and biodiversity. Again forest acts as sinks for Carbon Dioxide (Co2) and to cut Co2 emission there must be reforestation projects to absorb the Co2.

From the month of May till December 2009 we shall bring up information about the global climate change crisis and what we can do as women and global citizens. Borrowing from President Obama campaign message *Yes Women Can'.

I shall be happy to get comments concerns the Global Climate Crisis and waht we can do as women.

Ms Rosemary Olive Mbone Enie
Geologist/Gender Ambassador
Gender Focal Point-Gender and Climate Change (GenderCC)
-Women for Climate Justice C/O UNESCO Liberia, Mamba Point Monrovia Liberia
Tel, +231 6242236
www.gendercc.net
www.womenearthalliance.org