Experts from UNSW (University of New South Wales) warn that COP30 must center Indigenous communities, especially women, in global climate solutions, arguing that climate change and health inequities are deeply interconnected. Their relational governance systems, land stewardship practices, and cultural authority provide essential knowledge for climate adaptation, yet they remain underrepresented in global policy spaces.
The authors stress that climate impacts are not gender-neutral: extreme weather intensifies disease, hunger, injury, and caregiving burdens that disproportionately fall on women.They argue that meaningful climate policy must integrate Indigenous, gender, and health equity perspectives; invest in health systems and green-care jobs; and move beyond symbolic inclusion to true shared decision-making. COP30, they say, is a critical opportunity to embed Indigenous women’s expertise at the heart of climate governance.
Compiled From: Jane Sloane, Keziah Bennet-Brook, Laura Downey, “Indigenous communities and women need to be at the centre of COP30’s climate solutions,” UNSDW Sydney, Nov. 13, 2025.