Climate change is not an equal player; neither is environmental degradation. Research shows that both disproportionately affect populations that are already vulnerable. The effects of floods, fires, heat waves and droughts are all more likely to hit harder in communities living under the poverty line or on society’s socioeconomic fringes. And gender is a critical factor. Globally, women and girls suffer the effects of climate change more than men. Women and children are 14 times more likely than men to die in environmental disasters. Women also make up the majority of the world’s poor, and they rely more heavily on the environment for their survival. These are all among the reasons why the United Nations says women are key to climate action. And yet, women are also disproportionately neglected in reporting on climate change and the environment — one global analysis found that women account for just 28% of the voices quoted in stories about climate change. Further research shows a myriad of reasons for this: Women are seen as “less credible” sources than men, men fill the majority of newsroom leadership roles, reporters are influenced by cultural norms that don’t prioritize women’s voices and women journalists face greater safety risks in the field — and online — that often curtail their reporting. This year, Mongabay’s fourth cohort of Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellows comprised a diverse group of journalists from Bhutan, Nigeria and Kenya — all women. This was not orchestrated; each was selected (as all fellows are)…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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South Africa Today – Environment
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