2024 : Action on Climate Change

Published in: GENERAL

Sub-Category:

GENERAL

Resolution Number:

500.10.35

Background:

To strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, countries adopted the Paris Agreement. The Agreement aimed to mobilise nations to take action to address rising global temperatures. Over 194 states, totalling over 98% of greenhouse gas emissions, have ratified or acceded to the agreement.

In 2023, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report found that “Human-caused climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe. This has led to widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people. Vulnerable communities who have historically contributed the least to current climate change are disproportionately affected.”

A 2023 International Monetary Fund report found that urgent and decisive action is needed – planned action would see emissions cuts of 11 percent below 2019 levels by 2030, whereas cuts needed to be 50 percent. The report called for drastic increases in mitigation investment. A priority concern for women and girls is the full implementation of the 2018 General Recommendation 37 (GR37) which addresses the links between human rights and the gendered impact of climate change.

BPW International resolves that all Affiliates urge their governments to:
a. ensure emissions targets and supporting policy will achieve ‘net zero’ carbon pollution, including by updating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC’s, a state’s climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts);
b. formally recognise women as agents of change in addressing climate change by implementing the principles and provisions of General recommendation No. 37 on gender-related dimensions of disaster risk reduction in a changing climate; and
c. introduce mandatory, publicly available, climate change risk disclosure by all those publicly listed companies, financial institutions, insurance providers, investment funds and private companies that have total assets of over $1 billion.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women urge the Government of Canada,
specifically the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources to continue to work towards a “net zero” carbon economy by increasing opportunities for green energy, through both education of the workforce and incentives for companies to decrease their carbon footprint.
BPW Canada sponsored a resolution in 2019 “Implementation of a Just Job Transition Strategy for Canada’s Economic Development as a Result of Climate Change and Advancements in Technology”.