Congresswomen Betty McCollum, who serves Minnesota's Fourth Congressional District, Barbara Lee (CA), and Anna Eshoo (CA) have introduced an excellent resolution recognizing the devastating impact of climate change on women living in vulnerable communities. In a press release, McCollum states:“Mitigating the impact of climate change on women in the developing world must be recognized as a priority. Rural women produce half of the world’s food. But climate change is exacerbating the international food crisis with changing weather patterns, droughts, hurricanes and tsunamis, which is compromising the economic stability of families and leaving them vulnerable to new and re-emerging infectious diseases. This House resolution sheds a national spotlight on the issue and affirms that investing in women and the environment will help improve food security and health outcomes here at home and around the world.”Read the full press release here. Too often, the human face of climate change is overlooked. People – and especially women – are suffering because of climate change. As climate change legislation progresses in Congress, it will be important to continually remind other policymakers of this fact to ensure that "investing in women and the environment" is part of any new law.
You can raise awareness and promote action on this issue through the Sisters on the Planet, a video produced by Oxfam highlighting the stories of four courageous women and their fight against climate change. Click here to read an earlier blog post for details on how to get your free copy.
Update: Oxfam America has issued a press release in response to the resolution.
