Extreme heat and the unequal consequences of the climate crisis

Women and girls are at higher risk from rising temperatures than men and boys – not just because of differences in biology, but because of socio-economic pressures and cultural norms.

The sweat, the stress, the smog. Extreme heat isn’t just unpleasant. It’s deadly. Today, climate change, supercharged by the burning of fossil fuels, is contributing to rising temperatures and shattered records worldwide – just as this year’s El Niño threatens dangerous shifts in regional weather patterns.

Extreme heat is one of the most unequal consequences of the climate crisis and its impacts are already playing out in women’s daily lives. Gender plays an active role in heat exposure, as do factors like age, social and economic resources, and geography. Extreme temperatures affect women and girls differently than men and boys – not just because of biology, but because of gendered norms. If extreme heat isn’t gender-neutral, adaptation strategies and awareness campaigns can’t be, either. Learn what rising temperatures mean for women’s health, labour, and safety.

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