PARIS, France (Dec. 6, 2015) – Outside of the negotiations, WEDO joined GGCA partners at the Gender Pavilion of the 3^rd annual Global Landscapes Forum, for sessions on gender-responsive climate change mitigation and adaptation. GGCA colleagues prepared 9 issue briefs, including Gender Equality in The Climate Agreement by WEDO. These gender sessions and briefs were in the broader context of the GLF’s space and purpose to share knowledge and exchange ideas on ways a landscape approach can help achieve climate and development goals.

In the “The Big Picture – Linking lessons learned to global climate policy”, the last of 4 gender sessions on Sunday, December 6, Eleanor Blomstrom of WEDO brought a taste of the negotiations to the off-site GLF – updating an intimate crowd on the progress of gender equality language at the mid-way point of the conference. The experts, academics, donors and practitioners focusing on land and forest welcomed the view from the “Blue Zone”, peppering the 4^th session with questions about process and content.

Earlier sessions included “Indigenous Women on the Front Lines of Climate Change” and “Transforming Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation – Sharing lessons and best practices from gender integration, and adaptation and mitigation”, with speakers and conveners from Global Green Grants Fund, IUCN, CIFOR, UN Women, CARE, Climate Wise Women, Rainforest Foundation Norway.

The GLF outcome document synthesized results, and several recommendations on gender were highlighted, in large part from the Gender Pavilion events.

• The achievement of the [sustainable development] goals themselves should also support and reinforce the development of more diversified and inclusive landscapes, through capacity building (Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning), equal opportunities (Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls), and smarter infrastructure (Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation).
• Gender needs to be taken into account across all scales, from local-level grassroots initiatives to global policy processes and climate agreements.
• Transforming land-use patterns can lead to shifts in power relations and gender dynamics, and planning must take into account the risk of unforeseen effects.
• In recommendations to policy makers: Social data are also essential to meeting climate goals. Quantitative and qualitative evidence on co-benefits and trade-offs is needed as well as data on how gender relations influence climate change (mitigation and adaptation) and how climate change affects gender relations.

About the GLF: The GLF was launched by a cross-sectoral consortium of international organizations and led by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). In 2015 it saw more than 3,200 stakeholders from forestry, agriculture, water, energy, law and finance to exchange ideas through Discussion Forums, Thematic Pavilions, a Launchpad featuring 12 new initiatives and knowledge products, and a Landscapes Laboratory introducing the newest technology for understanding land use.