Conclusies Raad over gendergelijkheid en rol vrouwen in aanpak klimaatverandering (en)

COUNCIL OF Vfl^

THE EUROPEAN UNION M

Council conclusions on Gender equality and the environment: enhanced decision-making, qualifications and competitiveness in the field of climate change

mitigation policy in the EU

3177th EMPLOYMT, SOCIAL POLICY, HEALTH and CONSUMER AFFAIRS

Council meeting Luxembourg, 21 June 2012

The Council adopted the following conclusions:

"CONSIDERING THAT:

• 1. 

  Women play a vital role in sustainable development, and that gender as well as social and employment aspects need to be integrated into efforts to combat climate change in order to improve them

• 2. 

  The Beijing Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 identifies "Women and the Environment" as one of twelve critical areas of concern, and notes that "The strategic actions needed for sound environmental management require a holistic, multidisciplinary and intersectional approach. Women's participation and leadership are essential to every aspect of that approach."¹ "Women and the Environment" is one of three critical areas of concern of the Beijing Platform for Action yet to be addressed by the Council

• 3. 

  Climate change mitigation is one of the greatest challenges of the modern era and an important area of policy intervention in the European Union. Thus it is important to apply a gender equality perspective in this field, and to develop indicators to measure progress. Other important issues that require attention from a gender perspective include climate change adaptation policy, the fact that women and men are affected differently by climate change, and the development aspects of climate change. "Women and the Environment" is a vast subject area and the present Conclusions are necessarily limited in scope. These conclusions represent only a first step towards women's full participation in this vital area

Beijing Platform for Action, paragraph 251

• 4. 

  Women and men affect the climate differently: their consumption patterns are different and they have different CO2 footprints,² and they are not represented equally in decision-making in this field.³

• 5. 

  Studies show that women and men also have different perceptions and attitudes towards climate change: women are in general more concerned about this issue and more motivated to act.⁴ Women's potential as agents of change needs to be recognised: ensuring their full participation in every aspect of the fight against climate change, in line with the principle of gender mainstreaming, would lead to better balanced, more comprehensive, and more effective policies. Ensuring women's full participation in scientific research of relevance to climate change is equally important

• 6. 

  In the context of the review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) has prepared a report⁵ on "Women and the Environment: Gender Equality and Climate Change."

• 7. 

  The report includes four indicators focusing on climate change decision-making and on educational fields relevant to that area:⁶
• a. 

  Proportion of women in climate change decision-making bodies at the national level in the EU Member States;

• b. 

  Proportion of women in climate change decision-making bodies at the EU level;

• c. 

  Proportion of women in climate change decision-making bodies at the international level;

• d. 

  Proportion of female tertiary graduates of all graduates in natural sciences and technologies at the EU and Member States level

The report shows a clear need to increase women's participation in decision-making, including in the field of climate change mitigation, at the local, national or international levels, as well as a need to boost the number of women graduates in natural sciences and technologies

• 8. 

  This set of conclusions builds on the political commitments voiced by the European Parliament, the Council, the European Council, the Commission and other actors in this area, including the documents listed in Annex II

STRESSING THAT:

• 9. 

  There is an urgent need to improve gender equality in decision-making in the field of climate change mitigation, especially the transport and energy sectors, and to increase the number of women with relevant qualifications in scientific and technological fields as well as the number of women participating in relevant scientific bodies at the highest level. Allowing all women and men to fulfil their potential throughout the life-cycle, including in the emerging green

See ADD l,p. 33. See ADD l,p. 29. See ADD l,p. 29. ADD 1. For further details, see Annex I

economy, a potentially job-rich area that also offers new opportunities for entrepreneurs, is also vital for Europe's competitiveness

• 10. 

  Gender-based prejudices and stereotypes help to perpetuate a gender-segregated educational system resulting in a gender-segregated labour market, including in the areas of the green economy that are most vital for climate change mitigation such as the transport and energy sectors. Such prejudices and stereotypes are also among the underlying causes of the gender pay gap and of economic inequality between women and men, and they cause human resources to be wasted, thus preventing the EU from achieving its full competitive potential

• 11. 

  WELCOMING the report on "Gender Equality and Climate Change,"⁷ prepared by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) at the request of the Danish Presidency, which demonstrates the lack of gender balance in decision-making, including in the field of climate change mitigation at different levels, and shows the need to improve women's access to education in the related scientific and technological fields, as well as the need to improve knowledge and the availability of data on the issue of women and climate change

• 12. 

  TAKING NOTE of the set of four indicators developed by EIGE for the future follow-up of the Beijing Platform for Action regarding the critical area K "Women and the Environment" and especially its objective K.l: "Involve women actively in environmental decision-making at all levels"

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

CALLS ON THE MEMBER STATES AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, in accordance with their respective competences, to:

• 13. 

  Take active and specific measures aimed at achieving a balanced representation of women and men in decision-making in the field of climate change mitigation at all levels, including the EU level

• 14. 

  Support women in science and technology at national and European level, including within the context of the European Research Area (ERA) and the relevant EU Framework Programmes, and facilitate access by women to educational fields and occupations in science, technology, engineering and mathematics ("STEM") where they are often under-represented

• 15. 

  Eliminate gender stereotypes and promote gender equality at all levels of education and training, as well as in working life, in order to reduce gender segregation in the labour market within industries, research bodies and other areas that are linked with climate change mitigation

• 16. 

  Dismantle the barriers that still impede women's access to the highest levels in post-graduate education and research - especially in disciplines such as STEM and with respect to leadership positions related to decision-making in the field of climate change mitigation — in order to make use of untapped talent

• 17. 

  Reinforce the integration of the gender dimension in the ERA, with a view to improving its quality and impact

Full title: "Review of the Implementation in the EU of area K of the Beijing Platform for Action: Women and the Environment: Gender Equality and Climate Change."

• 18. 

  Identify and overcome remaining financial, administrative, cultural and mobility obstacles and create more attractive and flexible working conditions in the scientific and technological fields, including by means of measures to reconcile work, family and private life, for the benefit of both women and men

• 19. 

  Promote the exchange of best practice between the Member States with a view to combating gender stereotypes, educational and occupational segregation and inequalities in climate change decision-making

• 20. 

  Integrate the principle of gender mainstreaming into all relevant legislation, policy measures and instruments related to climate change mitigation, including in the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy, particularly when implementing the headline targets in the fields of education, employment, research and development, and emission reduction; and CALLS ON the Commission to continue to draw up Annual Reports on the Progress on Equality between Women and Men in order to follow relevant developments in the EU in the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy, the follow-up of the Beijing Platform for Action, the European Pact for Gender Equality (2011-2020) and the Women's Charter (2010) and to provide guidance for gender mainstreaming of policy areas; and to consider focusing on the issue of women and climate change in one of the future reports

• 21. 

  Monitor gender equality in decision-making in the field of climate change (especially climate change mitigation) and the relevant educational fields on a regular basis by using the indicators set out in Annex I, and promote further research on women and the environment and women and climate change including with a view to further developing and improving the proposed indicators, making full use of the work of the EIGE

• 22. 

  Regularly review progress achieved on those critical areas of concern identified in the Beijing Platform for Action for which indicators have already been developed and to develop indicators in accordance with the mid-term plan developed by the Commission; and CALLS ON the Commission to take the outcome of these reviews into account in its annual Report on the Progress on Equality between Women and Men

• 23. 

  Make effective use of existing comparable EU data and, in cooperation with national and European statistical offices, drawing on existing structures and instruments, encouraging efficiency and making full use of the work of the EIGE where appropriate, to further improve the collection, analysis and dissemination of comparable EU data

• 24. 

  Take action, with the participation of civil society, to raise awareness of the gender dimension of climate change policy

ANNEX I

Indicators regarding "Women and the Environment: gender equality in climate change decision-making and the relevant educational fields"

Area K is one of three critical areas of concern identified in the Beijing Platform for Action that have yet to be addressed by the Council. To support political action by monitoring and documenting women's under-representation in the chosen sectors and educational fields, a set of relevant indicators, limited in number, is hereby suggested as a first step. The indicators provide information about the extent to which the Objective K. 1 of the Beijing Platform for Action has been achieved. They cover women's participation in decision-making in the field of climate change at the national, EU and international levels, as well as the segmentation of education by gender in the fields related to environment/climate change

The report prepared by the EIGE shows that the energy and transport sectors largely determine the content of climate change policies. It is therefore logical to focus on these sectors in the first instance

The EIGE report establishes, moreover, that decision-making in the transport and energy sectors is male-dominated in both public and private enterprises, as well as in the context of research. This is partly due to the issue of gender-based educational choices, which is therefore another subject of focus in the proposed indicators

Many other areas are also of very high relevance for climate change policies. Although these indicators largely focus on the issue of climate change mitigation, they also to some extent cover areas such as climate change adaptation policy, as well as broader environmental issues, which are not the main focus of these conclusions. The indicators do not cover development aspects of climate change, including development and climate changes policies in other parts of the world

INDICATOR 1

Name: Proportion of women and men in climate change decision-making bodies at the national level in the EU Member States

Concept: This indicator will provide information on the percentage of women and men in national authorities with the highest level of decision-making competences (typically ministries) in environment/climate change, transport and energy policy. The following positions should be covered:

•  Level 1: the highest levels/positions (political level)

•  Level 2: the top level of managerial or administrative decision-making

•  Level 3: the heads of sectoral departments or divisions

INDICATOR 2

Name: Proportion of women and men in climate change decision-making in the European Parliament and the Commission

Concept: This indicator measures women's and men's participation in decision-making on climate change policies at EU level. Information on individuals holding high-level posts (European Commission) and members of the committees (European Parliament) is readily available on the respective websites of these institutions

For the European Commission, four Directorates-General (DGs) have been considered:

•  DG Climate Action;

•  DG Environment;

•  DG Mobility and Transport;

•  DG Energy

For each DG, the top three levels of decision-making are considered:

•  Level 1: the Commissioner;

•  Level 2: the top level of managerial or administrative decision-making;

•  Level 3: the heads of sectoral departments

The indicator also tracks women's and men's participation in the three committees of the European Parliament where decisions related to climate change are most likely to be taken. This includes:

•  members of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee;

•  members of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee;

•  members of the Transport and Tourism Committee. INDICATOR 3

Name: Proportion of women and men in climate change decision-making bodies at the international level

Concept: This indicator provides information on women's and men's participation in decisionmaking bodies working on international climate policies. It presents the percentage of women participating in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as part of national delegations and the EU delegation to the Conference of the Parties (COPs) and to the Subsidiary Bodies (SBs). The COP delegations to the UNFCCC represent the political negotiating and decision-making body on international climate change policies, and are supported by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Supplementary Body for Implementation (SBI)

Baseline monitoring data for this indicator should include the percentage of women in Member States' delegations and in the EU delegation to the COP, the SB STA and the SB I for the last five years for which data are available. The indicators will include:

the average percentage of women and men in Member States' delegations and in the EU delegation to the COP over the last five years;

the average percentage of women and men in Member States' delegations and in the EU delegation to the SBSTA and the SBI over the last five years;

the average percentage of women and men among heads of delegations to the SBSTA and the SBI over the last five years

INDICATOR 4

Name: Proportion of women and men among tertiary graduates of all graduates (ISCED levels 5 and 6) in natural sciences and technologies at the EU and Member State level

Concept: This indicator measures the proportion of women and men among tertiary graduates in natural sciences and technologies completing graduate/post-graduate (ISCED 5) as well as advanced research studies/PhDs (ISCED 6) both in public and private institutions

The indicator⁸ will consist of two composite fields, consisting of related relevant Eurostat educational fields. The indicator will include:

•  the percentage of women and men in natural sciences: in the fields life sciences (EF42⁹) and physical sciences (EF44¹⁰)

The levels and fields of education referred to in the indicator follow the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) and the Eurostat Manual of fields of education and training. ISCED 5 is defined as the first stage of tertiary education and comprises the two categories ISCED 5a and ISCED 5b. Most ISCED 5a programmes are largely theoretically based and intended to provide sufficient qualifications to gain entry into advanced research programmes or professions with high skills requirements. ISCED 5b programmes are practically oriented and the programme content is typically designed to prepare students for entering a specific occupation. The qualifications acquired in ISCED 5b programmes do not give direct access to advanced research programmes. ISCED 6 refers to programmes in the second stage of tertiary education that entitles the award of an advanced research qualification, often at Doctorate or PhD level or beyond. The programmes are devoted to advanced study, original research and prepare graduates for an academic career in institutions of higher education

Refers to the codes used by Eurostat in its database. Ibid

•  the percentage of women and men in technologies: in the fields engineering and engineering trades (EF52¹¹), manufacturing and processing (EF54¹²), architecture and building (EF58¹³), transport services (EF84¹⁴) and environmental protection (EF85¹⁵)

12 13 14 15

Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid

ANNEX II

References

• 1) 

  European Parliament

Report on "Women and Climate Change" adopted on 20 April 2012 (doc. T7-)

• 2) 

  Council

All Council Conclusions adopted on the review of the Beijing Platform for Action,¹⁶ and especially those cited below

Council Conclusions of 28 November 2011 on "the Modernisation of Higher Education" (OJC 372, 20.12.2011, p. 36)

Council Conclusions of 11 October 2011 on "Rio+20: towards achieving sustainable development by greening the economy and improving governance" (doc. )

Council Conclusions of 7 March 2011 on the European Pact for Gender Equality (2011-2020). (OJ C 155, 25.5.2011, p. 10)

Council Conclusions of 14 February 2011 on "the Role of Education and Training in the Implementation of the Europe 2020 Strategy" (OJ C 70, 4.3.2011, p. 1)

Council Conclusions of 6 December 2010 on Employment policies for a competitive, low-carbon, resource-efficient and green economy (docs + COR 1)

Council Conclusions of 6 December 2010 on "Strengthening the Commitment and Stepping up Action to Close the Gender Pay Gap, and on the review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action" (OJ C 345, 18.12.2010, p. 1)

Council Conclusions of 6 December 2010 in "Support of the implementation of the European Commission's Strategy for equality between women and men 2010-2015" (doc. )

Council Conclusions of 19 November 2010 on "Education for Sustainable Development" (OJC 327, 4.12.2010, p. 11)

Council Conclusions of 26 May 2010 on "Various issues related to the development of the ERA" (doc. )

Council Conclusions of 30 November 2009 on "Gender equality: strengthening growth and employment — input to the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy" (doc. )

Council Conclusions of 21 October 2009 on "the EU position for the Copenhagen Climate Conference (7-18 December 2009)" (doc. )

Council Conclusions of 30 May 2008 on "Family-Friendly Scientific Careers: towards an Integrated Model" (doc. )

¹⁶ http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/tools/statistics-indicators/platform-action/index_en.htm

Council Conclusions of 9 June 2008 on "the Review of the implementation by the Member States and the EU institutions of the Beijing Platform for Action: Women in political decision-making" (doc. )

Council Conclusions of 9 June 2008 on "Eliminating Gender Stereotypes in Society" (doc. )

Council Conclusions of 30 May 2007 on "the Review of the implementation by the Member States and the EU institutions of the Beijing Platform for Action: Indicators in respect of the Education and Training of Women" (doc. )

Council Conclusions on "Reinforcing Human Resources in Science and Technology in the European Research Area" (doc. )

Council Conclusions of 1 December 2003 on "the Review of the implementation by the Member States and the EU institutions of the Beijing Platform for Action [representation of women in decision-making processes in the public and private sectors]" (doc. )

Council Recommendation of 2 December 1996 on "the Balanced Participation of Women and Men in the Decision-Making Process" (OJ L 319, 10.12.1996, p. 11)

• 3) 

  European Council

Europe 2020 Strategy (doc. EUCO 13/1/10 REV 1)

• 4) 

  Commission

Report on Progress on Equality between Women and Men in 2011 (doc. ADD 2)

Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2010-2015 (doc. )

Communication from the Commission: - A Strengthened Commitment to Equality between Women and Men: "A Women's Charter - Declaration by the European Commission on the occasion of the 2010 International Women's Day in commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the adoption of a Declaration and Platform for Action at the Beijing UN World Conference on Women and of the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women" (doc. )

• 5) 

  Other

Declaration on gender equality presented on 21 October 2011 at the informal meeting of ministers for family and gender equality in Cracow by the Trio of Presidencies in office from 1 July 2011 (Poland, Denmark and Cyprus)

EMCO Opinion of 10 November 2010 on the Employment dimension of tackling environmental challenges (docs + ADD 1)

United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 10/4 "Human rights and climate change" (25 March 2009)

http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/G/G09//PDF/G0914983.pdf?OpenElement

Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development (4 September 2002). http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/WSSD_POI_PD/English/POI_PD.htm

Principle 20 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (June 1992)

http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=78&ArticleID=1163&l=en

Agenda 21: the United Nations Programme of Action from Rio (June 1992) http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/