Report on Gender Debates at the June 2025 Bonn Climate Change Conference and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction

In June 2025, the Bonn Climate Change Conference was convened to prepare for the upcoming COP30. A significant portion of the two-week negotiations was dedicated to a terminological debate concerning the definition of ‘gender’ in climate policy documents. This report analyzes the debate, its context, and its profound implications for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with a particular focus on Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 13 (Climate Action).

2.0 Climate Change Impacts and the Imperative for Gender Equality (SDG 5)

The discussions in Bonn underscored the established principle that climate change disproportionately affects women and marginalized communities, thereby exacerbating existing inequalities and hindering progress on multiple SDGs.

2.1 Exacerbation of Poverty, Health, and Social Crises

Climate impacts directly threaten the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals by deepening gender disparities, particularly in the Global South.

• SDG 1 (No Poverty): The UN’s Gender Snapshot 2024 report projects that climate change could push an additional 158 million women and girls into poverty by 2050.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Climate-related events like floods damage healthcare infrastructure, limiting access to contraceptives and menstrual hygiene products. Increased water salinity in coastal regions is linked to higher risks of cervical cancer and hypertension among women.
• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Indirect effects include a rise in early marriages as a coping mechanism for families facing climate-induced financial distress. Food insecurity, a consequence of climate change, already affects 47.8 million more women than men globally.

2.2 Systemic Barriers and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)

The root causes of climate injustice are intertwined with those of gender inequality, primarily unequal access to resources and exclusion from decision-making processes. This systemic issue directly contravenes the objectives of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 5.

1. Resource Access: Women are often responsible for securing water, food, and fuel but have limited control over these resources. Climate-induced scarcity increases this burden, as seen in Bolivia’s Chiquitanía, where women must travel longer distances for water, reducing time for education (SDG 4) and economic participation.
2. Decision-Making: Structural exclusion from policy-making forums prevents the integration of gender-responsive solutions into climate action plans, undermining the effectiveness of efforts under SDG 13.

3.0 The Ideological Divide on Gender in International Climate Negotiations

The debate at Bonn was a manifestation of a wider ideological conflict regarding the concept of gender, which poses a significant obstacle to cohesive international action on climate and development.

3.1 Competing Definitions of Gender

A central point of contention is the definition of gender itself. The debate reflects two opposing viewpoints:

• Binary Definition: Citing the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which defines gender as ‘the two sexes, male and female,’ delegations from Argentina and Paraguay argued for this narrow interpretation. This position is often supported by nations citing traditional or cultural values.
• Inclusive Definition: Other nations, including Norway, Canada, and Iceland, advocated for a more expansive understanding that recognizes gender as a social construct and includes ‘gender diversity’. This aligns with a dynamic and intersectional approach that has gained prominence in international discourse.

3.2 National Policies and Repercussions for SDG 16

The ideological stance of a state on gender has tangible consequences for domestic policy and the achievement of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). The case of Argentina illustrates this link:

• The current administration has framed feminism and gender ideology as threats, leading to the dismantling of state agencies tasked with addressing violence against women.
• This policy shift coincides with an 11% increase in femicides in 2024, with a gender-based killing occurring every 40 hours in the first five months of 2025. Such outcomes represent a severe regression on targets within SDG 5 and SDG 16.

4.0 Analysis of the Bonn Negotiations and Future Outlook for COP30

The terminological impasse at Bonn is not merely semantic; it is indicative of deeper political divisions that threaten to derail substantive progress on climate action.

4.1 From Terminology to Policy Inclusion

The conflict over terms like ‘gender diversity’ versus ‘biological sexes’ determines which social groups are recognized and included in climate policy. The choice of language actively shapes who is represented in the global framework for climate justice. Failure to agree on inclusive language risks creating climate policies that ignore the realities of the most vulnerable populations, thereby failing the core principle of the SDGs to ‘leave no one behind’.

4.2 Recommendations for Advancing an Integrated Agenda at COP30

To overcome these obstacles and ensure that climate action is both effective and equitable, future negotiations must prioritize a framework that advances the integrated nature of the SDGs. The following actions are recommended for COP30:

1. Establish Clear and Inclusive Mechanisms: Adopt transparent procedures that ensure diverse perspectives are incorporated into climate policy, moving beyond terminological stalemates.
2. Promote Coherent Policy Action: Actively link climate strategies (SDG 13) with goals for gender equality (SDG 5) and reduced inequalities (SDG 10), ensuring that climate finance and adaptation plans are gender-responsive.
3. Transform Debate into Action: Focus on developing concrete measures that address the disproportionate impacts of climate change on women and marginalized groups, rather than allowing ideological divides to paralyze progress.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights several interconnected issues at the intersection of climate change, gender inequality, and international policy, directly or indirectly addressing the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the central theme of the article. It discusses how climate change disproportionately affects women and girls, deepening existing gender inequalities. It covers issues like violence against women (femicides), unequal access to resources, exclusion from decision-making, early marriage, and the terminological debate over the definition of ‘gender’ in international climate negotiations.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The entire context of the article is the international climate negotiations in Bonn, leading up to COP30. It explicitly discusses how climate change impacts, such as floods and cyclones, are not gender-neutral and require inclusive policies that address social justice dimensions.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article directly links climate change to poverty, citing a UN report that “climate change could push up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty by 2050.”

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  The article touches upon food security as a gendered issue, stating that “food insecurity already affects 47.8 million more women than men worldwide.”

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The health impacts of climate change are discussed, particularly on women. The article mentions increased risks of “waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid,” limited access to “contraceptives and menstrual hygiene items,” and a higher risk of “cervical cancer and hypertension” due to water salinity.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  A core argument of the article is that climate change exacerbates existing inequalities. It emphasizes that “women and other marginalized communities often suffer disproportionately from its impacts,” which “further deepens existing gender inequalities.”

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article discusses issues of justice and institutional failures, highlighting the rise in femicides in Argentina and the government’s dismantling of “its last state agency addressing violence against women.” The debate over inclusion in decision-making processes at the Bonn conference also relates to this goal.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article discusses “structural exclusion from decision-making” and the risk of “gender-discriminatory public and climate policies.”
  • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls. The article explicitly cites the increase in “femicides or feminicides” in Argentina.
  • Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage. The article identifies “early marriage of girls” as an indirect effect of climate change used to reduce a family’s financial burden.
  • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making. The debate at the Bonn conference over the definition of gender is framed as a conflict over “which social groups states are willing to recognize, represent, and include in decision-making.”

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Target 13.b: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management… including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities. The article’s call for “inclusive climate policy” and addressing the needs of women and marginalized groups directly relates to this target.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  • Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty. The article’s reference to climate change pushing “up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty by 2050” connects directly to this target.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  • Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations… to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. The mention of “food insecurity” disproportionately affecting women is relevant here.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article provides statistics on femicides in Argentina, where “a gender-based killing occurs every 40 hours.”
  • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The entire discussion on the terminological debate at the Bonn conference reflects the challenge of achieving inclusive and representative decision-making in international forums.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicators for Gender-Based Violence (Targets 5.2 & 16.1)

  The article provides specific data points that serve as direct indicators:

  • The number of femicides: “89 femicides were recorded in the first five months of 2025” in Argentina.
  • The frequency of gender-based killings: “a gender-based killing occurs every 40 hours in the country.”

• Indicators for Poverty and Food Insecurity (Targets 1.2 & 2.1)

  The article cites UN statistics that are used as official indicators:

  • Number of women and girls pushed into poverty by climate change: “up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty by 2050.”
  • Gender gap in food insecurity: “food insecurity already affects 47.8 million more women than men worldwide.”

• Indicators for Health (SDG 3)

  The article implies health indicators that could be tracked in climate-vulnerable areas:

  • Incidence of waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid.
  • Prevalence of cervical cancer and hypertension in coastal areas with water salinity issues.
  • Access to contraceptives and menstrual hygiene products.

• Indicators for Harmful Practices (Target 5.3)

  The article implies the rate of early marriage as an indicator:

  • The prevalence of “early marriage of girls” in communities affected by climate disasters like flooding.

• Indicators for Inclusive Decision-Making (Targets 5.5 & 16.7)

  The article implies qualitative indicators related to policy and participation:

  • The language and terminology adopted in official climate negotiation documents (e.g., the inclusion or exclusion of terms like “gender diversity”).
  • The existence and funding of state agencies dedicated to addressing violence against women.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: hungarianconservative.com