Women and sustainable development

Throughout history, women have made fundamental contributions to human development in various fields: Marie Curie in physics and chemistry, Ada Lovelace in mathematics, Frida Kahlo in the visual arts, Sally Ride in space exploration, and Gro Harlem Brundtland in shaping the concept of sustainable development. These women are emblematic of a legacy that predates formal definitions (Schiebinger, 2003).

Women who forged the pillars of sustainable development

Before the formalization of the concept of sustainable development, several women established significant precedents in ecological and environmental thinking, whose principles later became the cornerstone of sustainability:

Eunice Newton Foote (1819–1888): Trailblazing scientist in Climate Change studies

In 1856, this American scientist became the first to document carbon dioxide’s role as a greenhouse gas, demonstrating its capacity to absorb heat. This discovery preceded, by three years, the more extensive work on atmospheric gases by John Tyndall, who has traditionally received greater recognition for these findings. Her publication, Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun's Rays (1856), constitutes one of the earliest scientific studies related to climate change, although it remained virtually unknown for over a century (Sorenson, 2011).

Ellen Swallow Richards (1842–1911): Pioneer of Environmental Science

The first woman admitted to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Richards was a pioneer in environmental science. Her research on water quality, air, and nutrition laid the groundwork for public health and environmental policies in the United States. Her concept of "domestic ecology" applied scientific principles to optimize household resources, a precursor to sustainable management. Her interdisciplinary approach, which integrated environment, health, and equity, laid the foundation for sustainable development decades before its formal definition (Clarke, 1973).

Lady Eve Balfour (1898–1990): Pioneer of sustainable agriculture

A British farmer and scientist, Balfour developed the principles of organic agriculture [1] in the 1940s through her Haughley experiment—the first long-term comparative scientific study between organic and conventional farming methods. Her work, The Living Soil (1943), argued that the health of soil, plants, animals, and humans should be understood as an interconnected system, anticipating the systemic thinking [2] characteristic of sustainable development (Conford, 2001).

Rachel Carson (1907–1964): Revolutionizing ecological awareness

A marine biologist and writer, Carson revolutionized ecological awareness with Silent Spring (1962). Through rigorous research—based on approximately a thousand scientific studies—she exposed the adverse effects of pesticides on ecosystems and human health (Carson, R., 1962). Her legacy inspired the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. in 1970, a key institution for regulating pollutants (EPA, 1972). Carson not only warned of environmental crises but also demonstrated that rigorously and clearly communicated science can drive structural change.

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (Book coverf, USFWS, Public Domain, https://www.fws.gov/media/silent-spring-rachel-carson-book-coverf)

Donella Meadows (1941–2001): Modeling Planetary Limits

An environmental scientist and systems analyst, Meadows led the team that produced the influential report The Limits to Growth (1972), commissioned by the Club of Rome. This document, based on computer simulations from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), was the first to model the long-term consequences of unlimited economic and population growth on a planet with finite resources. Meadows’ systemic approach [3] provided a methodological basis for analyzing sustainability as a dynamic balance between economic, social, and environmental factors (Meadows et al., 1972).

The Mother of sustainable development

Gro Harlem Brundtland (b. 1939), a trained physician and Norwegian politician (the first female prime minister of her country), stands out as one of the most influential figures in defining and promoting sustainable development. In 1983, the United Nations General Assembly established the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), which Brundtland chaired, culminating in the publication of Our Common Future in 1987. This document defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (WCED, 1987).

Brundtland Commission: Margarita Marino (Colombia), Gro Harlem Brundtland (commission president) and Wangari Maathai (Kenya, Nobel Peace Prize 2004) (Botero s.d.)

In addition to her work on the commission, Brundtland implemented pioneering environmental policies in Norway, including the early ban on CFC aerosols, laying the groundwork for international agreements such as the Montreal Protocol. Later, her work at the World Health Organization (WHO) strengthened the conceptual and practical link between environmental sustainability and public health, establishing her as an international reference in integrated policies of health, environment, and sustainable development (Norwegian Ministry of Environment, 1981; OECD, 1995; Brundtland, 2002).

Women leading the implementation of sustainable development

The evolution of sustainable development since its inception has been marked by the leadership of women in various fields, who have been fundamental in implementing sustainable development policies:

Wangari Maathai (1940–2011), a Kenyan biologist and political activist dubbed "the Tree Woman", founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977. Through this initiative, she promoted the planting of more than 30 million trees in Africa to simultaneously advance sustainable development, democracy, human rights, and women’s empowerment. In 2004, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her contribution to the environment, leaving a legacy encapsulated in her famous statement: "When we plant trees we plant the seeds of peace and hope".

Wangari Maathai receiving the Nobel Peace Prize 2004 (Nobel Prize s.d.)

Christiana Figueres (b. 1956), hailing from a family with a deep political legacy—as the daughter of former Costa Rican President José Figueres—has established herself as a central figure in the fight against climate change. As the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2010 to 2016, she transformed a stalled negotiation process into an unprecedented collaborative effort. She led the Conference of the Parties (COP21), which culminated in the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, committing 195 nations to limit global warming to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and establishing mitigation, adaptation, and climate financing mechanisms with differentiated but shared responsibilities (Figueres & Rivett-Carnac, 2016; UNFCCC, 2015).

Christiana Figueres, COP21 (2020 Yale University s.d.) – Paula Caballero receiving the award for sustainability in Germany (German Council for Sustainable Development 2019)

Paula Caballero (b. 1963), a Colombian historian and diplomat known as "the mother of the SDGs", played a decisive role in the design of the 2030 Agenda. During the negotiation process for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Caballero was instrumental in developing an inclusive framework that transcended the traditional division between developed and developing countries. Her integrative approach enabled the formulation of universal goals that systematically address interconnected issues such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation (Caballero, 2016; Dodds et al., 2017).

Women in the Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) give a special place to women through SDG 5: “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. The purpose of this goal is to ensure that women around the world enjoy the same freedoms, rights, and opportunities for progress in the economic, social, and environmental spheres (UN Women, 2018). This goal is defined by nine specific targets:

• Target 5.1 – Eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls.

• Target 5.2 – Eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (including trafficking, sexual exploitation, and domestic violence).

• Target 5.3 – Eliminate harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.

• Target 5.4 – Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work, promoting shared responsibility.

• Target 5.5 – Ensure full participation of women in political, economic, and public leadership.

• Target 5.6 – Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

• Target 5.a – Achieve equal rights to economic resources, including ownership of land and other forms of property.

• Target 5.b – Promote the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to empower women.

• Target 5.c – Implement policies and laws that promote gender equality.

SDG 5 inside has 9 goals

Conclusion

Beyond SDG 5, a gender perspective is fundamental to achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 1 (No Poverty): Women constitute the majority of people in extreme poverty due to their limited access to productive resources and formal employment. Programs targeted at women, such as cash transfers, have significantly improved nutrition, education, and family health indicators (Duflo, 2012).

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Maternal and reproductive health is crucial for the well-being of women, their children, and communities. Women’s education is directly correlated with lower infant mortality rates and better nutritional status of populations (WHO, 2009).

• SDG 4 (Quality Education): Education for girls and women has an intergenerational impact on health, nutrition, and income. Each additional year of secondary education for girls reduces adolescent fertility by 5% and increases their future earnings by 10% to 20% (UNESCO, 2014).

• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Female labor force participation is 26% lower than that of males globally. Bridging this gap could increase global GDP by 28 trillion dollars by 2025, equivalent to the combined economies of the United States and China (McKinsey Global Institute, 2015).

The integration of gender perspectives across all SDGs underscores a global consensus: gender equality is both an ethical imperative and a prerequisite for achieving ecologically balanced, equitable societies (Razavi, 2016).

“The science that ignores half of humanity is doomed to repeat its mistakes…”– Londa Schiebinger (historian)

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Notes

[1] Today, organic farming methods are defined as those that use purely natural production techniques. These methods restrict the use of chemical additives or any substances containing synthetic materials, such as pesticides, herbicides, and/or artificial fertilizers.

[2] [3] Systems thinking is an approach that analyzes problems by considering the interconnections between their parts within a system, understanding that changes in one element can affect the whole.

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Javier Trespalacios – JT

Suforall – Sustainability for All

08 May 2022, Basel (Switzerland)

https://www.suforall.org/

info@suforall.org

Women and Sustainable Development