The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has initiated a groundbreaking program aimed at comprehensively addressing the impact of heat stress on women and girls throughout Asia and the Pacific.
The newly launched technical assistance program will delve into the repercussions of escalating heat threats on women, identifying specific policies, actions, and investments that governments can implement to mitigate these effects. The initiative, set to be executed in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Tajikistan, responds to the unprecedented strain placed on women in the region due to the escalating temperatures, impacting their economic productivity, role in food security, and essential infrastructure use.
ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa, speaking at the COP28, emphasized that development is inseparable from addressing climate change consequences, particularly extreme heat, with a focused lens on women. Extreme heat has been linked to significant global labor losses, disproportionately affecting women and leading to substantial socioeconomic setbacks.
In a panel discussion co-organized by ADB and the Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton underscored the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable women, applauding ADB’s initiative as a critical step toward rectifying gender imbalances. The initiative aligns with ADB’s commitment to integrate heat action planning in vulnerable regions, emphasizing women’s climate resilience and advocating for gender-responsive measures.
ADB’s broader ambition involves providing $100 billion in climate financing from 2019 to 2030, with a focus on adaptation. In 2022, ADB allocated $7.1 billion for climate finance, with a substantial portion dedicated to adaptation efforts. The bank also mobilized an additional $548 million in climate finance from the private sector last year, reflecting its commitment to fostering a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific while eradicating extreme poverty.
