Combat over definition of ‘gender’ hangs over Cop30: Requires language ‘intersectionality’ – Push ‘gender-diverse’ individuals – ‘Hardline conservative states have pushed to define gender as ‘biological sex’

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/13/row-over-definition-of-gender-hangs-over-cop30-plans-to-support-women

Advocates say conservative states’ push to define gender as ‘biological sex’ would backslide on decade-old language within the UN

By Chloé Farand

A row over the definition of the term “gender” threatens to bog down pivotal talks at the Cop30 climate summit.

Before the UN talks in Brazil, hardline conservative states have pushed to define gender as “biological sex” over their concerns trans and non-binary people could be included in a major plan to ensure climate action addresses gender inequality and empowers women.

Gender rights advocates said the move would backslide on decade-old language within the UN system.

“These are unprecedented times to negotiate on gender equality and women’s empowerment,” said Lorena Aguilar, the executive director of the US-based Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls, and Costa Rica’s former vice minister for foreign affairs.

“There are some countries that want to push us back to 30 years ago. But we will not accept anything less than what we already have.”

At Cop30, countries are due to agree on a gender action plan to mainstream the experiences of women in climate action, and make the design of climate policy more inclusive.

Many countries are now preparing to fend off attempts to narrowly define the term “gender” in the plan.

Climate change amplifies inequalities, making the most disadvantaged and marginalised people also the most vulnerable and least likely to be able to adapt. Women are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate breakdown, often because of their caring responsibilities and lack of power in society.

In the climate negotiations, gender talks aim to address men’s and women’s different experiences of climate change, and countries have interpreted the discussions based on their national laws and cultural contexts.

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In contrast, some western delegations such as those from the EU, Norway and Canada want to broaden the scope of the discussion. They have called for language on “intersectionality”, references to women and girls “in all their diversity” and “gender-diverse” people. But this is also being met with strong pushback.