Social and Climate Justice

Vulnerable groups already on the margins, such as the rural and urban poor, elderly, people with disabilities, Indigenous communities, children, immigrants, and minorities, are disproportionately affected. Women, particularly in the Global South, endure intensified hardships, with the crisis threatening their health, safety, and fundamental rights. 

Spotlight on sexual and reproductive health 

The links between climate change and women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights are clear but often overlooked. Rising air pollution and extreme heat are directly tied to maternal health risks, including premature births, stillbirths, and other complications. The cascading effects of climate disasters, such as extreme weather events, also fuel spikes in gender-based violence, leaving women and girls even more vulnerable in their communities. 

To address this, we partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to analyse the climate plans of 119 countries. The findings revealed a glaring gap: while many nations recognize the connection between climate change, women’s health, and gender-based violence, few have incorporated actionable strategies for access to contraception, safe childbirth, and protection from violence into their adaptation goals. We worked in partnership with the UNFPA to help evidence the important intersections between climate change, gender and sexual and reproductive health.  

Building on this work, regional reports were developed to help countries align their climate policies with COP commitments and centre gender justice in their climate response strategies. We worked to bring focus to the disproportionate impacts of the climate crisis on women of African descent, support young people to be informed about the impacts of climate change on their health and evidence the impact of climate change on child marriage. 

Find out more about tackling gender injustice from climate change

Queen Mary is dedicated to tackling the climate crisis while prioritising support for the most vulnerable. Find out about some more of our work below.

A focus on preterm births in rural Zimbabwe 

The question of how extreme heat impacts pregnancy outcomes drives a groundbreaking interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers in the UK and Zimbabwe. Preterm birth, the leading cause of death in children under five, may be exacerbated by rising temperatures in rural Zimbabwe. Researchers hypothesise that heat stress increases inflammation and weakens the membranes surrounding the foetus, triggering early labour. 

The project combines data collection from pregnant women, temperature monitoring in local environments, and advanced laboratory modeling to uncover the intricate links between heat stress and preterm births. Insights from this work could help design targeted interventions to protect maternal and child health as the climate crisis intensifies. 

Find out more about extreme heat and preterm birth in rural Zimbabwe

Investigating the wider global women's health crisis 

Sophie Harman's recent book, ‘Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women's Health’ delved into the many of the critical issues surrounding women's health worldwide. Professor Harman confronts the alarming reality that, despite well-documented causes of disease and significant funding from governments and philanthropists, women across the globe continue to die from preventable health issues. 

Her book sheds light on how women's health is caught in the crossfire of political conflicts, such as the repeal of abortion rights and the attacks on Ukrainian maternity hospitals, alongside less publicised issues like healthwashing and the exploitation of vulnerable patients and women health workers. 

Read more about 'Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women's Health'

Indigenous knowledge and climate justice 

We champion the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge systems in tackling the climate crisis. Through our People’s Palace Projects (PPP), we collaborate with marginalised communities, harnessing creativity to drive equality, climate justice, and better health outcomes. 

In our most recent groundbreaking cultural initiative, in collaboration with Indigenous leaders and international partners, the Wauja people of the Xingu Indigenous Territory celebrated the unveiling of a meticulously crafted replica of the Kamukuwaká Cave, a sacred site vandalized in 2018. Our Indigenous Research Methods seminars have also encouraged global conversations on equitable knowledge-sharing, with groundbreaking insights documented by the Kuikuro Cinema Collective. 

Insights on challenges for non-indigenous researchers when engaging with indigenous communities 

Justice at the heart of climate action 

Our Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice serves as a hub for tackling the legal and social dimensions of the climate crisis including extractivism and corporate criminality; colonial environmental destruction; food insecurity; climate-related migration and displacement; environmental racism; social and economic justice; and the criminalisation of environmental defenders. 

The Centre produces research and coordinates teaching programmes that explore the connections between climate change, law and justice. It also provides educational resources to support campaigns, organisations and individuals demanding climate justice. 

Find out more about the work of the Centre for Climate Crime and Climate Justice 

 

Together, we can reimagine a fairer, more resilient future. Whether through groundbreaking research, empowering partnerships, or global advocacy, Queen Mary is committed to addressing the climate crisis in ways that uplift the most vulnerable. 

 

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