Question 6: Case Study Using three different strands of environmentalism Flashcards
SUMMARY OF ARTICLE
SUMMARY OF ARTICLE: This article explores how climate change and gender inequality are interconnected, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. It argues that women are disproportionately affected by climate change due to existing patriarchal structures, social inequalities, and limited access to resources like healthcare, education, and energy. It uses Amartya Sen’s capability approach to frame the issue, focusing on how women’s real freedoms (capabilities) to live well are reduced by environmental stress. Women’s access to food, energy, clean water, and income are often constrained by social norms and their unequal roles in society. For instance, women in rural areas often stay behind to farm while men migrate, yet face declining agricultural productivity due to climate shifts. Energy poverty is highlighted as a major barrier. Without access to clean energy, women rely on solid fuels, which leads to health issues and lost time that could be used for education or income-generating activities. The article stresses that climate change solutions must be gender-sensitive. Gender-responsive policies should aim to increase women’s capabilities, not just access to resources, enabling them to adapt and thrive.
Reform Environmentalism:
Reform Environmentalism: This strand would likely focus on the disproportionate impact of climate change on women due to existing social and economic inequalities. They would advocate for policy changes and sustainable development initiatives that specifically address these gendered vulnerabilities, ensuring that climate solutions are equitable and consider the needs of women. They might emphasize the need for international cooperation and regulation to support developing countries where women are often more affected. Their analysis would likely involve finding a balance between environmental protection and addressing existing social inequalities.
Ecologism
Ecologism: This strand would analyze the gendered impacts of climate change as another symptom of anthropocentrism and the exploitation of both nature and marginalized human groups. They would argue that the root cause of both environmental degradation and social inequalities, including gender inequality, lies in a human-centered worldview that prioritizes domination. Their analysis would likely call for a fundamental shift in values and a recognition of the intrinsic worth of both nature and all human beings, advocating for solutions that move beyond simply mitigating climate change to dismantling systems of oppression and promoting a more ecocentric worldview. They might highlight how the exploitation of natural resources often mirrors the exploitation of women and other marginalized groups.
Socialist Ecologism:
Socialist Ecologism: This strand would connect the gendered nature of climate change to capitalist and patriarchal structures. They would argue that capitalism’s drive for profit leads to environmental destruction, and this disproportionately affects women who are often in more vulnerable economic and social positions. Their analysis would emphasize the need for social justice and human emancipation alongside environmental sustainability, arguing that true environmental solutions require dismantling both capitalist exploitation and patriarchal oppression. They might focus on how women’s traditional roles and responsibilities make them particularly susceptible to climate change impacts and advocate for empowering women and restructuring economic systems to be more equitable and environmentally sound.
