Climate Change

IWWAGE’s work on climate change recognises that climate impacts are not gender-neutral. Climate stressors disproportionately affect women, girls, and socially marginalised communities, intensifying existing inequalities related to livelihoods, mobility, care responsibilities, and access to resources. IWWAGE examines these challenges through a gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) lens to ensure that climate responses are equitable, inclusive, and grounded in lived realities.

IWWAGE’s work on climate change focuses on:

Climate-induced migration and livelihoods

Analysing how climate shocks and slow-onset changes shape migration patterns, work opportunities, and vulnerabilities, particularly for women and marginalised groups.

Care burdens in a changing climate

Examining the invisible and expanding burden of unpaid care and domestic work as climate stress increases pressures on households and communities.

Women and access to clean

Assessing women’s access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy and its implications for health, livelihoods, time use, and resilience.

Gender-responsive climate policy and programmes

Reviewing the design and implementation of climate policies, adaptation strategies, and interventions to identify gaps and promote inclusive, intersectional approaches.

Strengthening agency and resilience

Advocating for climate action that meaningfully includes women and marginalised communities in decision-making and strengthens their capacity to adapt and lead.

Through this work, IWWAGE aims to inform socially just and gender-responsive climate action that addresses structural inequalities, enhances resilience, and ensures that no one is left behind.

IWWAGE-ISI-BRIEFS

Nudging Households to increase the usage of Clean Fuel

Indoor air pollution, particularly from cooking with solid fuels, poses a severe public health risk, with women disproportionately bearing the burden. This project, based in rural Madhya Pradesh, investigates how targeted health communication and information on LPG subsidies can influence a shift towards cleaner cooking practices. Villages were randomly assigned to receive different interventions: health awareness alone, health awareness with information on the LPG subsidy programme, or no intervention (control). The combined campaign resulted in a 6% annual increase in LPG refill purchases, a 14% rise in monthly consumption, and a 320% boost in self-reported induction stove usage. While the Â‘health only’ group did not show an increase in LPG use, there was improved adoption of safety measures such as smoke outlets or separate kitchens. These findings suggest that both awareness and financial accessibility are critical in enabling consistent clean fuel usage. Despite the significant expansion of LPG access under the Government of India’s Ujjwala Yojana scheme, sustained use remains limited due to low awareness about subsidy benefits and the health risks of solid fuels. This study underscores the importance of integrated communication and policy design in advancing cleaner, safer household energy use.