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By 2050, climate-related disasters could necessitate humanitarian aid for over 200 million people annually. Yet, contingency planning remains “care-blind,” failing to account for the disproportionate burden on those with caregiving duties. As the G20 meeting in Brazil approaches, we call on these countries – which represent two-thirds of the global population – to take actions that show they care about those who care.
In 2023, weather-related hazards, including storms, floods, fires and droughts, displaced more than 26 million people. Despite these staggering numbers, contingency planning often overlooks the severe impact on individuals with caregiving responsibilities. These roles usually involve caring for children, the elderly, or those with illnesses or disabilities. As climate-related disasters are expected to increase in frequency and intensity, the unique challenges faced by caregivers will only intensify, making the current lack of attention to this issue even more problematic.
Statistics reveal a troubling pattern: G20 countries with the highest gender inequality regarding care responsibilities are also those most at risk from climate change. This intersection of gendered care work and climate risk exacerbates the vulnerability of caregivers – often women and girls (but, over the course of our lives, nearly everyone). Caregivers face additional significant challenges during environmental and climate crises for a wide variety of reasons: Cultural norms might mean their mobility is restricted. They lack information about essential survival skills. They have such limited financial resources that recovery is nearly impossible.
Figure 1: G20 Countries: Time spent on unpaid care and domestic work by women, compared to men; and rank in the Global Climate Risk Index 2019.
Source: Authors’ own, based on OECD, “Ending Gender-Based Discrimination in G20 Countries: A Frame for Action” and Germanwatch, “Global Climate Risk Index 2021”.
The gendered impact extends beyond physical immobility. There is overwhelming evidence that climate change is fuelling disease outbreaks and epidemics, placing additional burdens on caregivers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, women were on the front lines, both in formal health and childcare roles, and in their homes, managing the well-being of children, the elderly, those living with disabilities, and the sick. People with care responsibilities put their health at great risk and often sacrifice economic opportunities, such as paid employment.
Yet, despite the critical role caregivers play during crises, they are rarely included in high-level decision-making processes that influence contingency planning – such as those that will take place at the G20 summit. The absence of caregivers in such processes means that policies often overlook the challenges they face, perpetuating their vulnerabilities and exclusion. To address this, we propose six key pathways in a recently published T20 policy brief.
High levels of exposure to hazards cost the G20 countries a combined estimated annual average loss of USD 218 billion, setting back development gains. Unless G20 country leadership start to acknowledge caregivers’ critical role in building resilience and their unique vulnerabilities, and to listen to those groups unable or uninvited to join the summit and contribute to the discussion there, G20 policies will continue to leave behind those who care and those who are cared for. They deserve better.
Laura Del Duca, Policy Fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and part of SEI’s global Initiative on Gender Equality, Social Equity and Poverty. Laura’s research focuses on gender and power in emergencies and crisis management.
Eleonora Banfi, Manager of Al Nahda Women’s Studies Unit at the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development. Eleonora’s work focuses on localization of gender agenda and peace and security studies.
Other publication / Six evidence-based, actionable recommendation pathways for emergency preparedness, response and crisis governance for gendered caregiving for climate solutions.
Collection / These policy briefs are a contribution to the T20, an "idea bank" designed to inform and inspire policy discussions at G20 Summits.
SEI brief / This policy brief details how Colombia's efforts to reduce deforestation can conflict with other environmental policies and goals, such as the 2030 Agenda.
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