Happy Nice Mall

Tell us more about the link between climate change and patriarchy.

The cause of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions. But the question to me is why do we have so many of these emissions and why has it been so hard to contain them? And when we start asking these questions, we find ourselves confronted with a system focused largely on hierarchy, control, exploitation, and frankly, settled decision making with a relatively narrow group of people. And certainly, women were nowhere near the table in shaping the status quo we are in. The same goes for people of color. The same goes for Indigenous peoples..

How is gender linked to climate solutions?

We talk a lot in the climate about solutions at the scale we need. We need renewable agriculture all over the world. We need a 100 percent clean electrical system, we need mobility vehicles that don’t rely on fossil fuels. Of course we need all of these. But sometimes I think we overlook the values. Because we’re not just trying to build a zero-emissions future, are we? We are trying to build a future where we can develop together.

And to me, patriarchy is basically based on the development of some people at the expense of other people. And of course, the same goes for white supremacy. Addressing these two things is at the heart of climate work.

In your book, you describe the need for climate leadership that is more “characteristically feminine.” Tell me more about this.

Sherri MitchellAn Indigenous lawyer, activist, and author from Penobscot Nation, she describes heart-centered wisdom from the feminine and the masculine as action in the world.

This will require a fundamental reorientation as we consider what needs to be done to address the climate crisis and build a truly life-giving future. Regardless of gender identity, it will take collaboration, connection, compassion, creativity, all those things that go into this feminine realm.

Can you give an example of an area where you would like to see this reorientation manifest?

When we look at climate philanthropy, there are still really significant imbalances along race and gender lines. Most of the money invested in the climate movement will go to business run by white men. And we want them on the team. They just can’t be the whole team.