Capitalism to blame for the climate crisis
When we refer to climate change as a natural disaster, we steer the conversation away from those responsible for the crisis. Multinational corporations putting profits over humanity and not being accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis is a true case of capitalism and patriarchy fuelled by colonialist tendencies. Over the years, Africa has suffered disasters such as poverty, famine, floods, cyclones hurricanes and bushfire as a result of a change in weather and climate. When these disasters occur, they disproportionately affect mostly women and girls, who struggle to adapt to the multiple challenges. But why are these disasters really not natural? The climate crisis is located in a continuum of systems of oppression and inequalities and this is why it disproportionately affects the people of the Global South, particularly Africa. Over the years, we have experienced changes in climate, which has, in turn, affected our environment. The increase and shifts in temperatures and weather patterns may be natural; however, since the 1800s, human activity has been the main driver of the climate crisis. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports show the dominant driver of climate change is human activity. Further, the United Nations asserts that activities such as burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas generates greenhouse gases, which trap the sun's heat, causing global warming and climate change. Thomas Reuters Foundation asserts that multinational companies account for nearly a fifth of the global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. But despite these shocking reports, the corporate accountability for climate justice has been weak with neo-liberal capitalism influencing climate action. As Nairobi virtually hosts the 66th Commission on Status of Women (CSW66), a first-of-its-kind event in Africa that will run from March 14-25, the world is aware that the continent contributes the least to the climate crisis and is the most vulnerable. We also are tired of hearing the Global North terming these disasters as "natural"; they are not. As we look at the CSW66 theme, "Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster", we should demand that the Global North act fast to address the climate crisis. That can be done by developing nature-based adaptation strategies that have gender-differentiated impacts and also ensuring that climate finance is designed to enable, instead of hinder, women and girls impacted negatively by climate change. This is how taking responsibility for one's actions looks like. The world must come up with solutions to the climate crisis that are aligned to the lived realities of women and girls in Africa.