Empowering women on climate change frontlines: voices from Sanjiangyuan and the world

"Last year, our local water sources began to dry up, we had to travel farther on motorcycles to fetch water. Families relying on caterpillar fungus for income faced huge losses as yields declined," 22-year-old Bayang, a girl born and raised in Sanjiangyuan region, a remote yet vital region in southern Qinghai Province, said.

Nestled in the southern part of China's Qinghai Province, Sanjiangyuan sits at an average elevation of 3,500 to 4,800 meters above sea level, forming the hinterland of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. As the source of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, it plays a critical role in supplying China's freshwater resources and sustaining the most concentrated plateau biodiversity. But the balance is fragile. Climate change is leaving its mark – drying up streams, withering pastures and eroding livelihoods.

Yet for Bayang and many young women in Sanjiangyuan, climate action is about more than just protecting their home. It's a gateway to learning, to discover their own voices on a male-dominated stage, and a taste of independence in a culture where tradition often sets the course after getting married.

Bayang's awakening

Bayang's environmental journey began when she started documenting the changes around her, tracking shifts in local wildlife, plants and weather patterns, as well as a troubling decline in water sources. 

These efforts opened her eyes to the profound environmental transformations affecting her community. "I hadn't realized just how drastic the changes were until I started recording them," she told CGTN. "Through this process, I found my true calling as a passionate advocate for climate action."

In 2021, her commitment to sustainability deepened when she joined the "Sanjiangyuan Female Environmental Protection Network." The organization promotes local women's education and advocates for zero-waste practices. Bayang joined the zero-waste initiative and her family became the first zero-waste household in Nasuoni Village. 

A ripple of change in Sanjiangyuan

Seventy-eight families in the village now adhere to zero-waste lifestyle. They no longer use plastic bags and disposable items, pursue "plastic reduction" and "zero waste," and maintain environmental diaries and water monitoring at the source of the Lancang River to protect water sources.

"The network is, at its core, an environmental protection initiative rather than a gender equality program," explained Yiyuan, a former executive of the project.

There are fewer opportunities for women to learn and fewer women to participate in environmental work, Bayang said. The network aims to promote environmental protection as a normal part of life, related to every family's daily life and education for the next generation. The participation of women gives more influence to the environmental protection work, but also helps women get more power.

For girls like Bayang, getting involved in climate action is a great chance to learn, grow and experience a sense of independence before the commitments of marriage shape their lives. In the Sanjiangyuan region, where many families live as nomads, these responsibilities often fall disproportionately on women. Among pastoral communities in Xizang, women's time is largely consumed by household chores, leaving little opportunity for public engagement – a realm traditionally dominated by men.

"Many of our girls get married when they are 18, but my parents and I hope that I can get married a few years later. Once I get married, I can't do these things anymore. I really appreciate this opportunity and want to learn more and do more things related to environmental protection," Bayang said.

Climate change: anything but 'gender neutral'

Bayang's experiences reflect an often overlooked reality: climate change disproportionately impacts women, especially in rural and resource-dependent communities.

"When local water sources dry up, it's the girls who bear the brunt of climate change at home," explained Bayang. "We shoulder significant domestic responsibilities while boys in the village leave to work."

This dynamic is not unique to Sanjiangyuan. Across the African continent, the same pattern emerges. In Ethiopia, the United Nations Development Programme reports that the most severe drought in 40 years has forced girls to leave school to handle increased household and farming chores, as men migrate to cities in search of work.

The climate crisis is anything but "gender neutral." Globally, women depend more on natural resources while having less access to them, according to UN Women. In regions where agriculture is the main livelihood, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income countries, women face greater challenges during droughts and erratic rainfall. They often work longer hours as agricultural laborers and primary caregivers to sustain their families amid increasing environmental pressures, the report said.

The integration of gender perspectives into environmental discussions is not new. As early as 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development emphasized "gender equality" as a core component of its sustainable development goals. Building on this, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change began addressing gender issues in 2001, formally incorporating a gender agenda in 2012.

A global call for action

At COP29 this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, CEO of World Animal Protection Tricia Croasdell underscored women's crucial role in climate action. "Women make up almost half of the agricultural workforce. They are the guardians of ecosystems, advocates for animal welfare and stewards of biodiversity," she said. 

Croasdell called for governments to act with urgency to empower women and transform food systems into more ambitious nationally determined contributions.

Resonating with the experiences of women in regions most impacted by climate change, including Bayang, Croasdell's upbringing in South Africa and later move to the UK profoundly shaped her perspective on amplifying women's voices at all levels.

"I grew up in South Africa, a rural area, my mother's  parents were farmers. I have seen what it takes to live off the land in that way. This experience taught me the importance of ensuring that community groups are represented and women's voices are heard," she told CGTN. "If only half the population is represented, you can never get the full picture."

Reflecting on the gender imbalance among world leaders at COP29, where men dominated the stage, Croasdell emphasized the importance of diverse representation in global decision-making. "One might question how productive such constructive conversations can be at that level, especially if there's a lack of understanding about how women in certain countries are disproportionately affected by climate change," she said.

As the first female CEO of World Animal Protection, she added, "I hope to see women's voices grow stronger and be heard more widely."