ILO, UNDP Warn on Gender Gaps in Climate Transition at COP30

Latin American and Caribbean countries have expanded gender considerations in climate strategies, but the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Development Program (UNDP) warn that the region is still far from ensuring a just transition that provides equal opportunities for women and men. The organizations released a joint study during COP30 outlining gaps that could hinder inclusive climate action amid accelerating environmental and economic pressures.

COP30 is taking place in the Amazon for the first time, a symbolic choice that underscores both environmental urgency and geopolitical tension. While countries are updating their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) through 2035, the UN suggests that commitments fall short of the 1.5°C limit. Experts note that the transition to low-carbon economies will create new jobs, but without coordinated policy, these opportunities may be unevenly distributed.

“In Latin America and the Caribbean, the development model must integrate resilience,” says Michelle Muschett, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, UNDP. Ana Virginia Moreira Gomes, Regional Director, ILO, says the transition cannot be limited to emissions targets and must instead “recognize the contribution of women and promote their leadership in emerging green sectors.”

The study notes that all 29 countries in the region with submitted NDCs have incorporated gender considerations. However, implementation remains uneven, especially in sectors where women have low participation, such as energy, transport, construction and certain industrial activities. This misalignment is significant, as the ILO estimates that the shift to cleaner economies could generate 22.5 million new jobs by 2030, mostly in male-dominated fields.

The urgency of bridging these gaps is amplified by the social impacts of climate change. For Latin America and the Caribbean, projections show that 68 million to 135 million people could fall into poverty by 2030 due to climate impacts. Women, rural populations, Indigenous and Afro-descendant groups, and migrants are among the most exposed. The report argues that gender-responsive planning is needed to strengthen social protection systems and ensure that climate resilience strategies do not reinforce structural inequalities.

The broader global context reinforces these concerns. The ILO’s latest global labour income analysis shows that women earn only 52 cents for every dollar earned by men, a ratio that has improved only slightly over the past two decades. In regions such as Africa and the Arab States, women earn as little as 35 cents and 14 cents, respectively. These disparities reflect persistent gaps in participation, access to decent work, and the heavy burden of unpaid care. In 2025, women worked more total hours per week than men when unpaid work is counted, yet recorded fewer hours in paid employment. Globally, women perform three times more unpaid care work, a factor the ILO identifies as one of the largest contributors to income inequality and time poverty.

Labour market segregation also plays a role. Women remain overrepresented in lower-paid care and service sectors and underrepresented in STEM fields, even as clean-energy and climate-related industries demand technical skills. OECD and CEDLAS data show that fewer than one in five women aged 30–40 in several Latin American countries work in STEM roles, despite equal or higher academic performance compared to men. Limited exposure to career-linked activities during adolescence and persistent gender stereotypes continue to influence occupational pathways well into adulthood.

As COP30 unfolds, climate diplomacy reflects broader governance challenges. According to Adrián Sánchez, Senior Consultant in Circular Economy and Applied Sustainability, Lealtad Verde, global climate policy is operating in a fragmented geopolitical environment. The United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement under the Trump administration has reduced engagement from the world’s largest historical emitter, while the European Union faces climate fatigue amid economic pressures. China and India continue to expand renewable investments but prioritize economic growth, adding complexity to negotiations in Brazil.

The financial dimension remains one of the largest constraints. Developing countries require between US$2.3 trillion and US$2.5 trillion annually by 2030 to meet climate needs, while public flows for adaptation reached only US$26 billion in 2023. Without accessible and equitable financing, the report warns that gender-responsive climate action will remain limited.

To address these challenges, the ILO and UNDP propose a roadmap centered on integrating gender equality into climate and labour policies, investing in green jobs and public services that reduce unpaid care burdens, and ensuring women’s participation in designing and implementing transition strategies. The organizations highlight examples from across the region, including gender-responsive climate budgeting in Panama, women-led sustainable livestock programs in Peru, and initiatives to increase female hiring in El Salvador’s geothermal sector.

The two UN agencies emphasize that a just transition requires aligning environmental objectives with equity and decent work. They argue that climate action will remain incomplete unless countries ensure that the shift toward greener economies does not replicate or deepen long-standing inequalities. As COP30 negotiations continue, the message from labour and development institutions is clear: climate ambition must be anchored in social inclusion, with gender equality treated not as an add-on but as a structural requirement for sustainable transformation.