Gender and Climate Change in Rural Australia

This paper outlines the results of a literature review exploring the relationship between gender and climate change in rural Australia.  Whilst the climate change debate in Australia has largely focused on environmental and economic implications, little attention has been given to the social implications of climate change.  The focus of this study is on the climate change impacts on Australian rural women and men, with particular emphasis on the disadvantage experienced by rural women. A key finding in the review was that rural women and men adapt to climatic events, such as, drought and water shortages, in different ways.  Outcomes of the review also highlight the dearth of Australian research that focuses on rural women and climate change.  We contend that social workers have an ethical responsibility to be aware of the impact of climate change on disadvantaged groups, such as, rural women.  The fact that gender equality has been largely ignored in the Australian climate change debate points to a need for social work involvement in climate change advocacy, research, and policy development, in an effort to redress the imbalance.