"Gender Equality and the Climate Crisis: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Role of Sustainable Development in Greece”

Our approach in this study focuses on gender inequality and the climate crisis. Women often have less access to resources such as land, education, and financial services, which limits their ability to adapt to climate challenges like food insecurity and displacement. These inequalities perpetuate cycles of poverty and exclusion, making it harder for women to participate in sustainable development initiatives.

In Greece specifically, extreme weather, climate change, and its impacts disproportionately affect differently women. A research (using questionnaire) that we conducted in 2023 in certain regions of the country revealed that the consequences are not the same for everyone. Women are disproportionately affected due to biological, economic, and social factors, such as motherhood, lack of resources, psychological pressure, increased caregiving responsibilities, and the reduction or elimination of their incomes.

At the same time, it became clear that the climate crisis exacerbates existing inequalities, with women being more severely impacted in various sectors by natural disasters and energy poverty. Limited access to education and employment opportunities reduces women's ability to adapt and respond to new conditions.

By leveraging the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a systematic plan is created to address these issues, providing a useful roadmap. Specifically, Goal 5, which focuses on gender equality, aims to empower women and girls by addressing the systemic barriers that limit their participation in economic and environmental decision-making.

To tackle these issues in Greece, it is crucial to strengthen gender equality, ensure women's participation in decision-making centers, and promote environmental education and awareness. This paper will outline how effective collaboration between various stakeholders can ensure inclusive governance while simultaneously combating gender stereotypes, which are essential for achieving climate justice, sustainable development, and enhancing the equality and the resilience of women and society as a whole.