EU Statement – 66th UN Commission on the Status of Women: Building resilient futures (STEM)

Chair,

Distinguished panellists,

Tackling climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and disasters is one of the greatest challenges of our time.

To respond effectively, we need to understand both the causes and the consequences of climate change and other environmental crises, as highlighted in recent reports by the International Panel on Climate Change. We must also comprehend the differentiated impact these crises have on women and girls.

Therefore, it should be evident that the physical and social sciences have key roles to play in ensuring evidence-based policies and gender-responsive climate action. It should further be clear that all scientific disciplines must collaborate rather than operate within their own academic bubbles.

The EU underlines the importance of building bridges between all scientific fields in order to identify effective solutions and achieve real progress. Research and innovation is key for combating climate change, implementing green industrial policy and achieving sustainable development.

The EU stands ready to do our part. ‘Horizon Europe’ is the EU’s main funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth. All its work related to research on climate, energy and mobility contains efforts that use both physical science methodologies and those based on social sciences methods.

Chair,

The EU further stresses the urgent need to eliminate gender segregation and the digital gender divide. We must increase all women’s and girls’ access to inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels and boost the number of women graduates in ecology, environment, energy and water related STEM studies and related occupations. The EU also underlines the importance of combating gender stereotypes in this regard. 

The EU calls for concrete action on all fronts. From 2022 onwards, all Horizon Europe funded research projects will be required to include a gender equality plan. The programme also has an objective to increasing the gender balance throughout, with a target of 50% women in Horizon Europe related boards, expert groups and evaluation committees. Gender balance among research teams is a ranking criterion for proposals.

It is imperative that more is done to increase women’s full, equal, effective and meaningful participation in environmental leadership and decision-making locally, regionally and internationally, including in relevant scientific bodies at the highest level.

In conclusion,

The EU and its member states stress the role of women and girls as agents of change, and bridge builders, including in the research and science communities. We need to harness their full potential in order to address our most pressing challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and disasters in a way that promotes a gender equal world and future.

Thank you.