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4. Implementing the UNFCCC GAP

In this chapter – consisting of five sub-chapters - the integration of gender equality into climate policy in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden will be assessed by following the structure of the UNFCCC GAP, which is arranged into the five priority areas; ‘A: Capacity-building, knowledge management and communication’, ‘B: Gender balance, participation and women’s leadership’, ‘C: Coherence’, ‘D: Gender-responsive implementation and means of implementation’ and ‘E: Monitoring and reporting.’ These five areas are assigned a sub-chapter each. While each priority area in the UNFCCC GAP is described through a range of specific activities and objectives, this review does not assess the full list of activities and objectives in detail. The activities outlined in the UNFCCC GAP under each priority area have been analysed, prioritised, and slightly adjusted to fit the national level of implementation in a Nordic context. In this process, the assessment draws partly on the inspiration from the Swedish draft strategy for gender mainstreaming the implementation of the Paris Agreement, which offers a national review and strategy of the UNFCCC GAP implementation.
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Draft strategy – considering and integrating gender equality aspects in Sweden's implementation of The Paris Agreement.
 In the following sub-chapters, the activities of the UNFCCC GAP priority areas are thus implicitly present in the form of key tasks described and assessed based on the data gathered in the reviewing process.

4.1 Priority area A: Capacity Building, knowledge management and communication

This chapter covering priority area A of the UNFCCC GAP addresses the intersection of gender equality and climate policy, focusing on data availability, the status of gender mainstreaming knowledge, and initiatives aimed at enhancing expertise and communication. It begins with "4.1.1 Data Availability and Evidence Base," discussing the importance of sex-disaggregated data and the variation in data collection practices across countries. "4.1.2 Current Status of Knowledge and Perceived Relevance" evaluates the awareness, understanding and priority of integrating gender equality in climate policy and action, reflecting on stakeholders' knowledge levels and the observed gaps. "4.1.3 Training, Guidelines, and Other Knowledge-Strengthening Initiatives" reviews existing resources and training for supporting gender mainstreaming in the climate policy area. "4.1.4 Communication on Gender Equality in Climate Work" highlights efforts to communicate on the importance of taking gender into account in climate policy and the green transition in the Nordic region, showcasing contributions from the NCM and non-governmental organisations. "4.1.5 Data Application in Gender Analyses" discusses the utilisation of gender-disaggregated data, emphasising the need for comprehensive gender analyses to inform policy-making and -implementation. The chapter concludes with a summary (4.1.6).

4.1.1 Data availability and evidence base

Disaggregating data by sex, socioeconomic status, and other factors is essential for developing gender-responsive climate policies and ensuring a just green transition, as it enables targeted strategies that address the specific needs, vulnerabilities, and capacities of different groups of the population. When conducting gender analyses to identify significant challenges and opportunities to understand the gender-specific impacts of climate change and policies, sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics are essential (read more about gender analyses in 4.1.5). Sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics not explicitly relating to climate or green transition are still vital because they illuminate societal behaviors, economic dynamics, and demographic patterns within crucial sectors like transport, energy, and consumption. These sectors are integral to the transition, and understanding the reality of for instance resources, representation, and rights within a certain sector, helps to inform the development of gender-responsive climate policies targeted this specific sector.
While all countries have access to public data from the national statistical offices, the extent to which the data is sex-disaggregated and systemically collected varies, as do the specific data areas covered. Information on the status of sex-disagg­re­gated data and gender statistics can be found, for instance, in the national-level review reports on the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), the latest from 2019, marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of the BPfA, therefore also referred to as Beijing +25 review reports.
UN Women (2019). CSW64 Preparations.
 In these reports, countries assess the progress made and outline priorities for strengthening the collection and availability of data and statistics. The following paragraphs are based on the sections on data and statistics in these reports, including questions on the priorities and the possibilities of disaggregating data, enabling a more intersectional approach in gender mainstreaming in climate policy.
Denmark has focused on reprocessing existing data to produce more disaggregated and updated gender statistics, developing a centralised web-based database on gender statistics, and engaging in capacity building to strengthen the utilisation of gender statistics. A noteworthy initiative is the dissemination of a booklet by Statistics Denmark on the historical development of conditions for women and men over the past 100 years, covering various social and demographic areas. In the period from 2019-2024, Denmark prioritises this reprocessing of existing data and conducts new surveys on specialised topics, creating knowledge products on gender statistics. In Denmark, almost all disaggregated data (geography, income, age, education, gender etc.) is routinely provided due to the Danish register-based statistical system.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (2019). Comprehensive national review report Beijing+25: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)
Finland has made progress in various areas, including conducting new surveys on specialised topics, improving administrative-based data sources to bridge gender data gaps, and developing a centralised web-based database on gender statistics. The country has conducted several important surveys, such as the Quality of Work Life Survey and the Gender Equality Barometer, which offers valuable insights into gender equality in Finland. In the period from 2019-2024, Finland is re-processing existing data to produce more disaggregated statistics, conducting new surveys, and producing knowledge products on gender statistics. Finland has also defined a national set of indicators for monitoring progress on the SDGs and begun data collection on SDG 5 indicators. Furthermore, disaggregation is feasible based on factors such as income, age, and education. However, regarding geographic location, sample sizes are typically insufficient to generate regional data.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland (2019). Comprehensive national-level review: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).
Iceland regularly compiles gender statistics to monitor compliance with the Gender Equality Act and implement gender budgeting. The Icelandic government has published a mapping of gender aspects of every department of government ministries three times since 2019, with the most recent report being from 2022.
Prime Minister's Office Ministry of Finance and Economy (2022). Mapping gender perspectives Status Report 2022
 The report provides an overview of available sex-disaggregated data for each department and thus serves as a resource for policymakers and others working on gender mainstreaming and GIA. In collaboration with Directorate of Equality and the Prime Minister´s Office Collaborations, Statistics Iceland have published the leaflet, Women and Men in Iceland,
Statistics Iceland (2019). Women and Men in Iceland 2019.
 providing statistic on gender equality in the labour market, focusing on trends, wages, and the gender pay gap.
Icelandic Government, Prime Minister’s Office (2019). Iceland’s report on Beijing +25: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).
 Statistics Iceland publishes data on various social groups including immigrants disaggregated by sex, country of origin and residence.
Norway has developed national gender equality indicators, incorporating intersectional perspectives in data and statistics. It has conducted, among other, analyses of how gender and disability affect one another. Norway's surveys disaggregate respondents by various factors, including gender, age, and income. Norway plans to carry out a new ‘time use’ survey to further understand societal trends and gender equality.
The time use survey has been carried out every 10 years since 1970 and provides information on several issues that are important for monitoring societal trends from 1970 to the present today, such as caregiving work, division of labour between women and men, gender equality and informal economy, consumption, welfare and lifestyle in different social layers and age group, the impact of technological development, leisure time.
Norwegian Ministry of Culture (2019). Beijing +25: The situation of women and girls in Norway: Development, progress and measures 2014–2019.
Sweden's efforts in gender statistics are decentralised, with significant progress in developing indicators for gender equality policy and enhancing the gender equality statistics portal on Statistics Sweden's website. The country has emphasised gender-responsive budgeting and priorities for the next five years include improving the accessibility of gender equality statistics, enhancing data and indicators for monitoring the strategy against men's violence towards women, and addressing challenges related to sample sizes in surveys for significant gender-based conclusions. Sweden has also focused on producing national indicators for the SDGs, ensuring that data collection is inclusive and respects personal privacy.
Government Offices of Sweden, Ministry of Employment, Division for Gender Equality (2019). Sweden’s report on Beijing +25.
Throughout the current review, numerous stakeholders highlighted the absence of sex-disaggregated data and knowledge of the intersection of climate and gender as barriers to gender mainstreaming. The assertion that missing data presents a barrier aligns with previous findings indicating that data on the gender impacts of climate policies are rarely clearly aggregated, analysed, and communicated.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K., et al. (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in the Nordic countries
 Although the existing sex-disaggregated data and evidence base is not exhaustive, this review finds that it is, in many cases, substantial enough to serve as a basis for initiating gender analyses, allowing the analyses to also identify specific data gaps. The existing data encompass various insights, including behaviour and attitudes towards climate change and sustainability, patterns of transport and food consumption, gender balance in sectors crucial to the green transition, as well as the gender composition in relevant ministries. This data covering the interlinkages between gender and climate policies is available on e.g. Eurostat, European Charter for Equality, as well as in recent publications gathered at the online platform Nordic Knowledge Hub, which was recently launched by the Nordic Co-operation.
The Nordic Co-operation is a comprehensive framework for collaboration among the Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, as well as the autonomous territories of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Åland;  Nordic Knowledge Hub (n.d.). A Green and Gender Equal Nordic Region -  How it works in practice.
 Concrete examples of relevant studies compiled on this platform are Climate, Gender and Consumption - A research overview of gender perspectives on sustainable lifestyles,
Sand, Jimmy (2022). Climate, Gender and Consumption: A research overview of gender perspectives on sustainable lifestyles.
 Gender equality in the Nordic energy sector,
Elamson, S. & Barnholt Klepper, K. (2021). Gender equality in the Nordic energy sector. Nordic Energy Research (NER). DOI: 10.6027/NER2021-05.
 and How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in the Nordic countries.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K., et al. (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in the Nordic countries
 The latter provides an overview of available data – and identified data gaps - related to gendered impacts of climate policies in the Nordics.
While there is substantial knowledge on the gendered impacts of climate policies, stakeholders indicate that there is a knowledge gap in understanding how climate change affects different groups (gender, body capability, age, etc.) disproportionally in the Nordic countries. This will be elaborated in chapter 4.1.2. In the focus groups for this review, a representative from the Saami Council also drew attention to the fact that the collection of sex-disaggregated data in the Nordics does not, due to legal reasons, include ethnic identities, which means that there is no data on the gendered impacts specifically on the Sámi population.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
What may be lacking is a prioritised utilisation of the data available. Prioritisation would entail allocating resources and funding for conducting data analyses that can inform the effective integration of gender perspectives into climate work at all levels. See more on this in section 4.1.4 on data application in gender analyses. One interviewee for the review expressed that:
“There is so much data and so many gender mainstreaming guidelines out there. You can even Google it and come up with, for example, what the gender issues in waste management are.” (International Coordinator and Senior Advisor at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency)
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries

The business case for gender mainstreaming climate policy?

The 2022-report by Norion on the interlinkages between gender equality and climate policy in the Nordics posits that gender equality integration holds the potential to bolster the green transition.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K., et al. (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in the Nordic countries
 This assertion, which is echoed in statements and documents from Nordic researchers and policymakers, adds weight to the argument for gender mainstreaming, suggesting that such an approach could unlock more inclusive and effective environmental solutions. However, the practical documentation of this potential – through systematic collection and communication of cases demonstrating the gains of gender mainstreaming in climate policy – remains scarce.
In both Denmark and Norway, integrating gender perspectives into climate policy is emerging as a critical yet underexplored domain. A non-governmental stakeholder in Denmark expresses that policymakers might be hesitant in terms of prioritising gender mainstreaming as they are perhaps not convinced of the direct benefits it on the effectiveness of climate policy implementation. This perspective underscores a broader challenge: the absence of gender mainstreaming in climate policy as a documented “business case” demonstrating the tangible and cost-beneficial advantages.
Interview w. Danish non-governmental stakeholder and gender expert, Nov. 2024
Norway's situation echoes this sentiment. Despite recognising the pronounced impacts of climate change on gender inequality globally, particularly in the Global South, the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment acknowledges its own lack of detailed insights into how gender considerations could enhance climate policy efficacy domestically.
Interview with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, Jan. 2024
  
Bridging this gap in the evidence base by quantitatively and qualitatively demonstrating the multifaceted benefits of gender mainstreaming in climate policy and green transition, could thus support the implementation of the UNFCCC GAP.

4.1.2 Current status of knowledge and perceived relevance

During the focus groups conducted for this review, the participants (app. 20 people) working either in relevant ministries, departments, agencies, or NGOs were asked to gauge their knowledge of and experience with gender mainstreaming. This led to the following observation, which, while not derived from a representative survey, merits reflection: 
The majority of the governmental stakeholders expressed that they have basic and/or theoretical knowledge but limited practical knowledge and experience with gender mainstreaming. Assessing their level of knowledge on a scale of zero to ten (ten being the highest level), the majority positioned themselves below five. Two participants, whose main working tasks include promoting gender equality, positioned themselves above seven. Among the non-governmental stakeholders interviewed, the self-assessment showed an even distribution both below and above the midpoint of five on the scale. The self-assessment in the focus groups and in additional interviews conducted for this review also revealed a substantial variation – and notable limitations – in the knowledge of the UNFCCC GAP and the interlinkages between climate and gender in the Nordic countries.
However, from the perspective of several contributors, specifically the NCM and the Nordic Co-operation, an increase in the understanding and dialogue regarding the interlinkages between gender and the green transition is observed, as expressed by this Senior Advisor with expertise in gender equality:
”We are experiencing a shift. We see that traditional equality questions are at stake when we talk about the green jobs and are starting to take on the vocabulary of gender equality in the energy-, climate- and labour sectors. We also see that the Nordic countries are at various stages in discussing this issue.” (Senior Advisor, The Nordic Co-operation, Nordic Council of Ministers)

A gap in gender mainstreaming of climate policies

The review identifies a notable gap in the domestic recognition and integration of the connections between gender equality and climate policies within the Nordic context. Gender equality implications in climate change and climate policy are more frequently addressed in the realm of international politics and development rather than within national borders. A perspective offered by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment sheds light on the rationale behind this approach, suggesting that:
"The consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly visible worldwide, but developing countries are particularly hard hit. Due to pervasive inequalities, where women, among others, have poorer access to resources, education, and capital, it is less likely that the issues and interests of women and girls are considered in decision-making processes about climate. Furthermore, women and girls are more likely to be negatively affected by climate changes as the aforementioned inequalities have made them less equipped to adapt to its consequences. These issues do not apply in Norway in the same way. Norway is one of the world's most gender-equal countries, and we have a progressive climate policy." (The Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment)
Interview with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, Jan. 2024
The quote illustrates how knowledge of and attention to gender issues in a climate context is problematised primarily internationally. This aligns with the finding that especially Denmark’s and Norway’s gender mainstreaming efforts in climate policies are mainly prioritised in international development policy (see section 4.4.3). In line with this, a recent academic study identifies a lack of connection between gender equality policy and climate policy in Norwegian policy documents.
Eggebø, H. et al. (2023). Gaps and Silences: Gender and Climate Policies in the Global North
 The study shows that gender equality in the context of climate policy is here primarily addressed in foreign – and international policy, particularly in international climate negotiations and international development, and that this is symptomatic of a general silence on gender in climate policy within the Global North.
Eggebø, H., et al. (2023). Gaps and Silences: Gender and Climate Policies in the Global North
When interviewed for this review, the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment argued that they do not have a knowledge base that indicates to what extent gender equality work is relevant for domestic climate policy, e.g. what interrelations gender and climate have in Norway, and thus what measures could potentially be implemented to correct unwanted disparities. As already mentioned, the ministry also expresses that they seek more information on how gender perspectives in climate policy could potentially contribute to better and more effective climate policy.
Interview with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, Jan. 2024
 Echoing Norway, the Danish Gender Equality Department states that they see no decisive gender- and equality differences between women and men regarding the consequences of climate change in the Nordic countries, emphasising that women in the Global South are particularly affected by the impacts of climate changes.
E-mail-based questionnaire with the Danish Gender Equality Department. Dec. 2023.
 This explains why the gender mainstreaming in climate policy in Norway and Denmark is more prevalent in the area of international development (see chapter 4.4.5).
It seems that because climate change has more severe impacts in the Global South, and on women in this part of the world specifically, the gendered impacts of climate change and –policies domestically are of less concern. This is despite numerous recent research and publications on the interlinkages between gender and climate policies in the Nordic region.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K., et al. (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in the Nordic countries
 The seemingly exclusive focus on gender mainstreaming in foreign affairs- and international development policy in the area of climate change, might be explained by gender equality having been an integral part of development programming for decades.
UN Women (2014). Guidance note: Gender mainstreaming in development programming
 Thus, post-2015, when a climate change perspective was integrated into development programming, it was integrated into an area that had already been gender mainstreamed.    

Fixation on the mitigation sector

Another identified knowledge gap concerns the various aspects of climate efforts – mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. In the focus groups carried out as part of this review, some participants pointed out that the topic of gender equality in climate contexts within the Nordic countries has been largely limited to the mitigation sector. A Swedish stakeholder stresses that there is little knowledge of the gendered impacts of climate change adaptation within Sweden.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
 Answers provided by especially one department consulted during this review indicate an underlying understanding of climate policy (in relation to gender) as limited to the gendered impacts of climate change.
E-mail-based questionnaire with the Danish Gender Equality Department. Dec. 2023.
According to interviewed stakeholders, there is a lack of knowledge of how the effects of climate change impact – and are expected to impact – intersectional groups of women and men differently within Nordic societies.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
 Such knowledge could be provided in studies combining projections of climate change's effects nationally/​in the Nordic region with assessments of the direct and indirect impacts on societal groups from a gendered and intersectional perspective. Concretely, this could include, for instance, geographical and sectorial studies that explore the differences in conditions for practicing agriculture in a climate-changing landscape or studies investigating what groups in society have the socio-economic opportunity for coastal protection and what groups will have the best conditions to ensure their own safety, health, wealth, etc., when extreme weather and floods become more frequent. A researcher from Norway's leading institute for climate research, CICERO, stated the following a focus group session, which sums up the identified gaps in priorities and perspectives: 
“To my impression, Norway is not really looking into gender at all when it comes to climate policy. It is seen only as relevant for foreign policy. More people seem to be also seeing it as relevant with regards to STEM, recruitment, work-life balance and all these issues. But not in terms of extreme weather, for instance – we do not have any knowledge of gendered impacts or other social differences here.”
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries

4.1.3 Training, guidelines, and other knowledge-strengthening initiatives

This section presents national initiatives to enhance knowledge and capacity for gender mainstreaming in climate policies, including available resources as well as training and guidelines offered to policymakers and stakeholders. For most of the countries, the review has identified no examples of training programs or courses specifically related to gender mainstreaming in climate policies. It has, however, encountered a number of gender mainstreaming trainings and guidelines worth mentioning, as these initiatives first of all can be applied in the climate policy area, and secondly can inform future toolkits and trainings more specifically tailored towards gender mainstreaming in climate policies.

Denmark

This review has identified no examples of gender mainstreaming training or guides relating specifically to integrating gender equality in climate policies and just transition. However, the Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality provides an official gender impact assessment (GIA) guide for all ministries and professional assistance from the department. According to KVINFO, Denmark’s knowledge centre for gender and equality, the guidelines available while comprehensive are relatively ambiguous. Consequently, KVINFO has provided recommendations for improvement.
KVINFO (2023). Equality assessment of legislative proposals
 These recommendations, presented in 2023, have not been implemented. The Danish process for GIAs is further described in chapter 4.3.1 and 4.4.2.
The Strategy for Gender Impact Assessment in the Public Sector, from 2013, has three focus areas: strengthened gender impact assessments, strengthened guidance, and focused monitoring and describes how ministries are required to relevance test all new legislation proposals to decide whether a gender impact assessment (GIA) is to be conducted.
Danish Ministry of Gender Equality and the Church (now Digital Government and Equality) (2013). Gender impact assessments of legislative proposals.
 The screening is typically done by identifying the target group for the proposal, including whether one gender is overrepresented or whether there are significant differences between women and men within the target group. The strategy highlights the relevance of proposals from public areas of social affairs, health care and transport in opposition to more technical sectors, such as construction.
Danish Ministry of Gender Equality and the Church (now Digital Government and Equality) (2013). Gender impact assessments of legislative proposals.
 The Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality supports this by systematically screening the forthcoming legislative program, as well as following up with relevant ministries.
As a direct response to the new legislation of 2024 obligating public institutions to report on gender balance in management,
Danish Business Authority (2022). Target figures and policy for the gender composition of management and for reporting on this.
 the Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality and Department of Employee and Competition (under the Ministry of Finance), along with Local Government Denmark (KL) and Danish Regions, published a catalogue with inspiration and guidance in increasing the gender balance in management.
Danish Ministry of digital government and gender equality (2023). Gender balance in management—Joint public catalogue of inspiration to promote an equal gender composition among senior management levels
 

Finland

This review has identified no examples of gender mainstreaming training or guides relating specifically to integrating gender equality in climate policies and just transition. However, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has published Gender glasses in use: A handbook to support the gender equality work of ministries
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2013). Gender Glasses in Use—A handbook to support gender equality work at Finnish ministries
 and maintains the website Promoting Gender Equality, offering guidance and a checklist for gender mainstreaming.
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (n.d.). Equality checklist for authorities
 The Ministry, along with the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare, also provides training material in gender mainstreaming through the governmental digital learning platform eOppiva.
eOppiva (n.d.). Gender equality and equality - Why and How?
 The training takes 25-30 minutes to complete and focuses on gender mainstreaming, gender equality and non-discrimination. It is targeted personnel in the central government but is publicly available online.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare provides a guide for conducting GIAs,
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (n.d.). Assessment of gender effects
 which involves three key steps: 1) Identifying the Need: At the outset, the necessity for GIA is determined by assessing whether the measures in question impact people or specific groups differently based on gender. 2) Analysing Impacts: This step involves using data and expert consultations to understand how different genders might be affected. It includes gathering statistics, consulting gender equality experts, and engaging with affected stakeholders to evaluate impacts on gender representation, opportunities, and resource distribution. 3) Informing Decision-Making: The findings are used to provide decision-makers with comprehensive insights into the gender impacts of proposed actions. This includes detailing the assessment process, key affected groups, significant gender impacts, and possible alternative approaches.
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (n.d.). Assessment of gender effects
The Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities (AFLRA) has developed a gender mainstreaming guide for regions and municipalities.
European Charter for Equality (n.d.). Manual on Gender Equality for Finnish municipalities
 The guide presents general information on gender equality in Finland, as well as the legal framework supporting it. It also provides concrete methods for gender budgeting and GIAs. AFLRA also provide information on the importance of gender equality in the work of municipals in general.
Association of Finnish Municipalities (n.d.). Gender equality and equality
 ALFRA is now implementing the Well-project, a collaborative EU-funded project with the Ministry of Justice and the Institute of Health and Welfare. The project aims at strengthening the gender mainstreaming in Finland, by offering activities such as equality training for relevant personnel in the private sector, municipalities, and regions, and in regional administrative agencies, respectively.
Association of Finnish Municipalities (n.d.). Gender equality and equality
 The project will be carried out between November 2023 and July 2024, and the first equality trainings are scheduled to take place in mid-February 2024.

Iceland

In 2019, the government launched a toolkit for gender mainstreaming, both in written format and an interactive version.
Icelandic Government (n.d.). Analytical framework for equality assessment
 The toolkit consists of a five-step analytical framework for GIA used to assess gender and equality impacts of a legislation or policy document. It is intended as a practical guide for government officials preparing equality assessment and integrating gender and equality perspectives. Furthermore, the toolkit provides information about gender mainstreaming with special emphasis on gender budgeting. It also includes case studies and practical examples to illustrate gender budgeting's impact and advocates a systematic approach to including gender perspectives in budgeting and financial management. The toolkit is intended to support policymakers and employees within government offices working on gender mainstreaming, including gender budgeting and GIA. It contains information about how gender budgeting is structured regarding the country’s fiscal structure and the roles of different government actors.
The status report of gendered aspects in all government departments and ministries (mentioned in chapter 4.1.1) provides an overview of available sex-disaggregated data for each department and thus serves as a resource for policymakers and others working on gender mainstreaming and GIA.
The report, A just and fair transition to carbon neutrality - Gender equality aspects in environmental and climate issues,
Hallgrímsdóttir, B. (2022), A just and fair transition to carbon neutrality Gender equality aspects in environmental and climate issues, Nýsköpunarsjóður námsmanna.
 was published in 2022 as a research collaboration between the Reykjavík City Office of Human Rights & Democracy, Reykjavík City Department of Environment & Planning, and the Gender Studies program at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland. The report maps research and knowledge about environmental and climate-related matters. Based on this report, the City of Reykjavík launched a Knowledge Hub on Climate Change.
Reykjavík (n.d.). Climate Change Knowledge Hub
 The Knowledge Hub offers knowledge on gendered aspects of climate change and climate policies, tools, and best practices from across the Nordics, and the purpose is to render this information accessible to local communities, government authorities, and public institutions in the policy development and planning towards just, green transition. 

Norway

This review has identified no examples of gender mainstreaming guides relating specifically to integrating gender equality in climate policies and just transition. In accordance with the Equality and Discrimination Act of 2017, more specifically §24, the Equality and Discrimination Ombud in Norway has been offering a gender mainstreaming course for managers in public authorities since 2020.
The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud (n.d.). Strengthened obligation to equality in the public sector
 The courses provide information on the obligations of gender mainstreaming reporting and how to implement gender-responsive initiatives into administration and processes. Additionally, the Ombud offers courses for employers and workers’ representatives on how to work with equality and discrimination issues. Additionally, it can be highlighted that the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) has a webpage with guidelines for employers, including videos and a stepwise explanation on how to document and report.
In an interview with the Norwegian Ministry for Climate and Energy, it is highlighted that the ministry’s knowledge on gender dimensions in the green transition, have been strengthened by the 2021-report from Norion Consult titled How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in the Nordic countries commissioned by the NCM. The ministry states that the report has been significant in sharing knowledge on the challenges related to equality in the Nordic countries, such as the predominance of men in STEM studies and their advantage in new green jobs focused on technology and engineering, as well as differences in consumption patterns between men and women, including dietary habits and transportation choices.
Interview with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, Jan. 2024
With regards to knowledge-strengthening events, it is noteworthy that the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality co-organised an inter-departmental seminar, How Do We Work for Gender Equality in the Green Transition?, in September 2022 on behalf of NCM’s MR/ÄK-JÄM. Participants included researchers, public administration officials, business representatives, and civil society organisations, all with an interest in the intersection of climate change, sustainability, and gender equality. Notably, the seminar saw significant participation from the Climate and Environment Department as well as the Oil and Energy Department. The seminar featured presentations by gender equality professionals and included discussions on the gendered aspects of climate policies, consumption patterns, and the impact on work and nature management. The seminar was organised in collaboration between Kilden Genderresearch.no and Nordisk information för kunskap om kön (NIKK) from the NCM.
Norion Consult were invited to present the 2022 report on gender and climate interlinkages and, therefore, have knowledge of the event.
In 2023, The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) and the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) proclaimed the initiation of a project which aims at developing an online course as well as guidelines on enhanced equality work and gender mainstreaming in the Norwegian municipalities.
The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (2023). Looking for municipalities that want to develop work with equality and diversity in the municipalities.
 The Centre for Equality Hamar,
The Centre for Equality (n.d.). About us
 KUN Centre for Equality and Diversity,
The Centre for Equality (n.d). Welcome to KUN Centre for Equality and Diversity
 Centre for Gender and Equality at University of Agder,
University of Agder (n.d.). Centre for Gender and Equality
 and LDO also takes part in this.

Sweden

The Swedish Gender Equality Agency supports gender mainstreaming through the Governments development program on Gender Mainstreaming in Government Authorities (GMGA).
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (2024) Support and coordination of equality work
 The agency also provides knowledge, guides, inspiration, and best practice examples on how to gender mainstream on a general level, e.g. a guide for authorities on how to plan, organise and follow up on gender equality.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (2023). Support for planning, organizing and following up the work with equity integration
 Some of the materials are sourced from other authorities, Sweden’s innovation agency Vinnova, municipalities, regional authorities and civil society actors. These initiatives are carried out in dialogue with the specific authority and the gender mainstreaming coordinator at each agency to secure that the activities are of high relevance for the institution. The Swedish National Financial Management Authority, the Equality Ombudsman, Statistics Sweden, and the Country Administrative Boards all have supporting roles in the GMGA program.
Swedish Government (2021). Participant in the development program GMGA 2020-2025
 Between 2021 and 2025, 54 government authorities are appointed by the government to take part in GMGA, among these are for example The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Vinnova, and Formas that all carry out work related to climate mitigation and adaptation. In addition to GMGA, guidance on a more in-depth approach to gender mainstreaming is offered through the GMGA+ program.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (2021). Strengthened Equality through GMGA+
 Vinnova and Formas have participated in GMGA+ during 2021.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (2021). Strengthened Equality through GMGA+
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has recently been inviting researchers with expertise in climate, environment, gender, and democracy to facilitate lectures. The lectures have been open to other government agencies as well, and they have proved popular:
“This has been a way to bring the current research into the government agencies. And it seems to have worked. It’s been a few hundred that have attended – out of agencies with thousands of people working there, however. But it’s a start.” (Gender mainstreaming coordinator, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency)
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
The Swedish Gender Equality Agency has also organised training sessions and hosted lectures by researchers focusing on climate, environmental, and gender issues for civil servants and state officials in e.g. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Apart from advising government authorities including the Country Administrative Boards, the Swedish Gender Equality Agency also advise the higher education institutions and cooperate with the regions and municipalities on implementing the gender equality goals.
At a regional level, county administrative offices also offer education within gender mainstreaming for regional stakeholders.
County Administrative Board of Kalmar County (n.d.). Basic education Gender mainstreaming
Region Gotland (2023). Gender mainstreaming
At local level, special gender equality experts are employed by the county administrative boards. Their work involves strengthening the conditions to enable implementation of the national gender equality goals at regional level. They are supported in this by the Swedish Gender Equality Agency. County councils and administrative boards develop gender mainstreaming strategies and play a vital role in coordinating regional actions for gender equality. The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) supports and promotes gender equality at local and regional levels by adopting the European Charter for Equality of Men and Women in Local Life.
Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (2021). European Charter for Equality of Men and Women in Local Life.
 In 2019, SALAR published a guide to gender mainstreaming for employees in municipal and regional institutions.
Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (2019). Guide to gender mainstreaming

Nordic and international resources offering guides, tools and training

  • The Nordic Council of Ministers: The NCM plays a central role in terms of enhancing and disseminating knowledge on the interlinkages between gender equality and green transition (see chapter 4.1.5). During COP28, the NCM launched the new Nordic Knowledge Hub under the title A Green and Gender-Equal Nordic Region.
    Nordic Knowledge Hub (n.d.). A Green and Gender Equal Nordic Region -  How it works in practice.
     The platform offers a collection of Nordic knowledge and policy for stakeholders working with a sustainable and gender-equal green transition and offers explainers and video material on e.g. sustainable green and blue economies, gender norms and consumption, and climate policy in action.
  • The European Institute for Gender Equality: EIGE is currently conducting a project titled Collection of good practices on Gender Mainstreaming in the European Green Deal.
    EIGE (2023). Collection of good practices on Gender Mainstreaming in the European Green Deal
     The project aims to enhance the understanding and implementation of gender mainstreaming within the context of the European Green Deal. It involves revising criteria for identifying good practi­ces and selecting such practices in collaboration with EU policymakers and practitioners. The project focuses on national, regional, and local initiatives in selected EU Member States, including those funded by EU Funds.
    Additionally, the current GREENA project by EIGE is working on integrating gender equality into the policy cycle by developing tools and approaches that address both environmental and climate action concerns and gender equality issues in evaluations.
    EIGE (2022). Gender-responsive evaluation for an environmental and sustainable future for all (GREENA)
     The project seeks to advance gender-responsive policymaking and establish an integrated evaluation framework considering gender and environmental aspects. The goal is to evaluate the impact of EU efforts under the European Green Deal on gender equality and ensure that the green transition is just and inclusive. The project's outputs, including a gender-responsive evaluation toolkit, will be available on EIGE's gender mainstreaming platform in early 2024.
    The thematic focus of EIGE’s Gender Equality Index 2023 is the European Green Deal’s socially fair transition and its implications for gender equality. This report seeks to strengthen the knowledge base on the impact of the green transition towards a low carbon society from a gender and intersectional perspective. It focuses on two specific priority sectors of the European Green Deal’s socially fair transition, namely energy and transportation.
    Finally, the publication Gender in Environment and Climate Change by EIGE from 2016 offers a step-by-step introduction to systematically integrating gender equality in the policy context of environment and climate change and includes country specific examples, all outlined through the four step cycle of gender mainstreaming: 1) DEFINE, 2) PLAN, 3) ACT, and 4) CHECK.
    EIGE (2016). Gender in Environment and Climate Change.
     The publication serves as a comprehensive and guiding resource, providing policymakers and practitioners with the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively integrate gender considerations into climate and environmental policies. The following summarizes the four steps in the context of environmental and climate related policy. For a more detailed introduction to the approach suggested by EIGE, visit EIGE’s gender mainstreaming platform and resources targeted climate relevant policy areas such as ‘Environment and climate change’, ‘Energy’, ‘Transport’, ‘ Agriculture and rural development’ etc.
    EIGE (n.d.). Policy areas
  • The United Nations: The UNFCCC Gender Team provides resources addressing the intersection of gender and climate change, highlighting the disproportionate effects on women and the importance of their participation in climate-related decision-making. The UNFCCC gender webpage outlines the UNFCCC's commitment to gender-responsive climate policies and the inclusion of gender considerations in the Paris Agreement. Additionally, the UNFCCC gender team hosts events and trainings, such as the upcoming review session of the LWPG and the GAP.
    UNFCCC (n.d.) Introduction to Gender and Climate Change.
    The Secretariat for UN CC:Learn, provided by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), offers an open online course on the interlinkages between gender and environment, with tools on gender mainstreaming.
    UN CC:e-Learn (n.d.). Open Online Course on Gender and Environment
     The course takes six hours, and is self-paced, free of charge and available in English, Spanish and French. The course is developed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), and UNITAR/UN CC:Learn.
  • UN Women: has developed a series of guides to facilitate the integration of gender perspectives into environmental and climate-related policies and projects. One key resource is the Guide on gender mainstreaming: Energy and Climate Change Projects, aimed at stakeholders involved in energy and climate initiatives. For more detailed insights and access to these guides, visit UN Women's official website.
    United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). (2014). Guide on Gender Mainstreaming: Energy and Climate Change Projects.
     Furthermore, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) published a Resource Guide on Gender and Climate Change in 2009 – a comprehensive document on the integration of gender perspectives into climate change discourse and actions. It provides a detailed analysis of how gender issues intersect with climate change impacts and strategies, offering insights, case studies, and guidance for incorporating gender considerations into climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, thereby promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls in the context of global environmental challenges.

4.1.4 Communication on gender equality in climate work

Considering the UNFCCC GAP’s encouragement to effectively communicate to the public about the integration of gender equality in climate work, a range of collaborative efforts in the Nordic region can be highlighted. First, the efforts of the NCM will be described. Then, relevant non-governmental organisations disseminating the gender-climate nexus in the Nordic region will be presented. While several non-governmental organisations, institutions and representatives from the civil society could be brought into attention, three notable examples are highlighted here from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, respectively. 

The Nordic Council of Ministers

The Nordic region has embraced an approach to integrate gender equality into climate policy, strengthening both climate action and gender equality, thereby contributing to the Nordic Vision 2030 of becoming the world’s most sustainable and integrated region globally by 2030.
Nordic Council of Ministers (2019). Our vision 2030
 As described already in the introductory background chapter, the NCM are committed to enhancing gender equality and climate justice in the Nordic region by focusing on inclusive green jobs, diverse representation in climate decision-making, sustainable consumption, and systematic gender mainstreaming in climate policies, aligning with the UNFCCC GAP goals.
Nordic Council of Ministers (2022). Commitment by the Nordic Council of Ministers under Generation Equality's Action Coalition: Feminist Action for Climate Justice
 Read more on this commitment in chapter 3. In this section focus is on initiatives, events, projects, and publications communicating the knowledge on the cross-cutting theme of gender and climate and the importance of gender mainstreaming in climate policy.
The NCM has several initiatives aimed at integrating gender perspectives in the domain of climate policy and action. These efforts are centralised within the aforementioned online Nordic Knowledge Hub, serving as a repository for insights and research findings. One of several notable projects is the Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) initiative focused on sustainability, lifestyles, and consumption from a gender perspective. This project seeks to dissect and challenge the gender stereotypes influencing sustainability, underlining the significant impact of lifestyle choices on climate change. It delves into how gender, as a set of social norms, plays a crucial role in sustainability efforts, often overshadowing biological sex as a determinant. The project highlights the disparity in unpaid domestic and care work between genders, the gendered coding of technology, and the societal norms that ascribe environmental responsibility predominantly to women. It suggests that addressing these disparities is essential for fostering sustainable behaviour and reducing the climate impact.
Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) (2022). Gender norms a challenge for the green transition.
 Another example is the Nordregio NJUST project, initiated with the goal of steering the Nordic Region towards a climate-neutral future, with a focus on ensuring a socially just green transition. This project specifically targets the mitigation of negative impacts of green transition policies on vulnerable groups, employing a "policy proposal toolbox" developed from an extensive inventory of Nordic policies. The discussion paper associated with this project, Just Green Transition – key concepts and implications in the Nordic region, offers a comprehensive review of the intersection between green economy, green just transition, and social justice within a Nordic context. By proposing working definitions for these key concepts, the project aims to inform and shape policies that alleviate the transition's adverse effects across the region.
Cedergren et al. (2022) ‘Just Green Transition – key concepts and implications in the Nordic Region’
The NCM have moreover initiated and hosted several events of relevance here. In January 2022, the NCM, in collaboration with FOKUS and UN Women, organised a cross-sectoral Nordic Roundtable on Gender Equality and Climate Justice in Oslo. The roundtable was aimed at fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration across different sectors to integrate a gender perspective in climate actions and policies effectively. The outcomes from this roundtable, captured in the publication Towards a Nordic Alliance for Gender Equality and Climate Justice, highlight the necessity of cross-sectoral collaboration, clear goals for gender-responsive transitions, and the integration of gender equality in leadership and decision-making processes.
Nordic co-operation (2022). How climate transition in the Nordic Region will be made gender-equal
At the UNFCCC COP meetings, the NCM have showcased the commitment to integrating gender equality within the climate change agenda through various events hosted at the Nordic Pavilion.
At COP26, a focus was placed on gender equality in climate policy through a presentation by Norion Consult highlighting the key findings on the study on interlinkages between climate policy and gender equality in a Nordic context. The presentation was followed by a debate involving various experts discussing strategies for a gender-balanced approach to climate policies.
We Don't Have Time (2021). No climate policy is gender neutral. Here is why
 COP27 continued the theme, underscoring the link between gender equality and climate policy. Events included a collaboration with the African Union and UN Women, highlighting the importance of women and girls’ participation in climate decision-making. One session, Mind the Gap – Gender Equality, Female Entrepreneurship, and the Green Transition, showcased the impact of gender equality on climate and energy sectors, presenting stories from female entrepreneurs and projects empowering women.
Nordic co-operation (2022). COP27: Nordic Region wants a gender-equal climate transition.
 At COP28 in Dubai, the Nordic Pavilion at COP28 hosted more than 70 events, focusing on various aspects of climate change and solutions, including financing for loss and damage, the interconnectedness between climate and gender equality, and fair green transitions. During the COP28, the NCM launched the beforementioned Nordic Knowledge Hub on Gender and Climate.
These Nordic collaborative commitments, events and projects underscore the efforts of the NCM in fostering gender equality within the sphere of climate action by generating, communicating, and discussing knowledge and recommendations within the field. These activities have been highlighted by several governmental and non-governmental stakeholders contributing to this review.
In the following, non-governmental organisations communication on the importance of gender mainstreaming in climate policies is described, by highlighting – as examples – three organisations working with the agenda in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, respectively. Other organisations could be brought to attention here, including for instance the Icelandic environmental organisation Landvern, providing information and education on sustainability, occasionally with a gender-perspective.

KVINFO (DK)

In the last couple of years, KVINFO, Denmark’s knowledge centre for gender and equality, has invested themselves in gathering and communicating knowledge on the intersecting issue of gender equality and climate policy. In August 2023, KVINFO released a document titled Gender Equality and Green Transition in Denmark providing recommendations for political changes in the context of gender equality and green transition in Danish domestic politics.
KVINFO (2023) Note: Gender equality and the green transition in Denmark
 KVINFO also published the thematic site Gender and Climate and have published several opinion pieces and publications about gendered impacts of climate policies and the climate crisis.
KVINFO (n.d.) Climate and Gender. See also: Altinget (2020). KVINFO: The Climate Crisis Reveals the Unpleasant Truth About Our Habits; Altinget (2020). KVINFO: We Must Discuss Gender and Equality When Addressing the Climate Crisis; Kristeligt Dagblad (2021). KVINFO's Director: There Is a Connection Between Gender and the Climate Struggle; KVINFO (2022). Historic Agreement on Gender Equality in Climate Policy Sets an Ambitious Course – Also for Denmark
 In 2022 and 2023, KVINFO launched an informative Instagram-campaign focusing on the topic.
KVINFO (2023). Remember equality in the climate negotiations; KVINFO (2023). More equal representation of men and women in decision-making will contribute positively to the green transition; KVINFO (2023). How do we get more girls and women into green jobs? And is it even important?; KVINFO (2023). How can politicians think equality into the green transition?; KVINFO (2022). The population is committed to the green transition, but the tasks are distributed unevenly when it comes to gender.”; KVINFO (2022). It is estimated that 9 million people worldwide die each year as a result of pollution; KVINFO (2022). The more women, the greater the consumption of renewable energy
 In February 2022, KVINFO held an event called Wakeup Call on Gender and Climate, and during Folkemødet (The People’s Meeting) in 2022, they co-organized an event called Climate Struggle Is Women's Struggle, where the Minister for the Environment at the time, a young female climate activist, and a gender professional discussed gender equality and green transition.
KVINFO (2022). Climate change affects globally, but it does not affect equally

KILDEN (NO)

During the last couple of years, Kilden Gender research, Norway’s knowledge centre for gender perspectives and gender balance, has been actively promoting the integration of gender equality into climate policy and the green transition. They have collaborated with various partners, providing a platform for researchers, government authorities, and civil society to engage in discussions. Kilden Gender research argues that gender equality has not been adequately emphasized in the national policies for the green transition or in political party programs in Norway. Similarly, gender equality and the green transition have not been extensively explored in Norwegian or Nordic research, they argue.
Kilden hosted their annual conference in 2021, focusing on Gender Equality in the Green Transition. This event brought together experts to examine the interconnectedness of sustainability, climate, nature, and gender equality in a Nordic context. As described in section 5.2.3, Kilden furthermore co-organized the interdepartmental seminar in 2022 titled How Do We Work for Gender Equality in the Green Transition?
In addition to conferences and seminars, Kilden has produced policy notes on Gender Equality in the Green Workforce and The Connection Between Nature Management and Gender Equality.
Kilden Genderresearch.no (2022). Policy Brief: Gender equality and nature management; (2022) Policy Brief: Gender Equality and the Green Transition of the Labour Market.
 These policy notes draw from the annual conference and offer insights into how gender perspectives can inform and shape climate policy and sustainable practices.
The Centre for Equality Hamar, Centre for Gender and Equality at University of Agder, and Reform – Resource Centre for Men receive public funding from the Ministry of Culture and Equality to actively promote equality and provide information services.
The Centre for Equality (n.d.). About us; University of Agder (n.d.). Centre for Gender and Equality; Reform (n.d.). Reform – research center for men
 The centres for equality are tasked with developing knowledge and build expertise in, and raise awareness of, equality at national and regional level in the public and private sectors.

CONCORD (SE)

Concord Sweden, a collective of 82 Swedish civil society organizations, actively engages in promoting gender equality within the realm of climate policy and a just green transition. Their work encompasses advocating for the integration of gender perspectives in climate change decision-making, adaptation, and mitigation efforts. Through publications such as Feminist policies for climate justice, Concord Sweden critically examines the intersection of gender equality and climate policy, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in creating inclusive and equitable climate actions. This report, contributed to by various member organizations, highlights the importance of recognizing women and girls as key actors in climate justice and the need for gender-responsive climate finance, as discussed during events like the Gender Equality and Sweden's Climate Finance Meeting. Concord Sweden's advocacy is aligned with international commitments such as the UNFCCC GAP and seeks to ensure that Sweden's climate finance is effective in integrating gender equality.
Concord Sweden (n.d.) About us

4.1.5 Data application in gender analyses

“Gender analysis provides the necessary data and information to integrate a gender perspective into policies, programmes and projects.” (EIGE)
A gender analysis starts with gathering sex-disaggregated data relevant to the field of climate change and green transition and then identifying gender differences and the underlying causes of gender inequalities through an analytical process. Experts and stakeholders can be involved in this process to help build a deep and context-specific understanding of the gender dynamics at stake. Gender analyses are necessary for a solid foundation to effectively address specific gendered needs, reduce gender gaps, and leverage opportunities to ensure equitable benefits for both men and women. Gender analyses can be conducted through all stages of a policy or project cycle but can be a very helpful starting point informing gender mainstreaming measures such as gender impact assessments and gender budgeting.
As highlighted in the section on Data availability and evidence base (4.1.1), a gap in data utilisation is identified, calling for increased resource allocation towards the gathering and applying relevant data in gender analysis. 
In assessing the execution of gender analyses within the realm of climate policy and green transition, this review has identified the following examples across the Nordic countries. As, in practice, it seems to be the case that gender analyses and GIAs often overlap or are treated synonymously, it is challenging to identify clear examples of gender analyses, within the Nordic countries. It is therefore, worth noticing that additional analyses may exist but have not been highlighted during the data collection for this review. Examples of GIAs will be addressed in chapter 4.4.
In Sweden, the national draft strategy proposed by The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency in 2021 included a recommendation for conducting gender equality analyses throughout the introduction, implementation, and follow-up of climate initiatives.
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Draft strategy – considering and integrating gender equality aspects at Sweden's implementation of The Paris Agreement.
 In practice, Sweden has conducted gender analyses on climate policy documents.
The Swedish Energy Agency monitors the status of gender equality in its annual report on energy indicators. For instance, in response to a commission from the Swedish government, a gender analysis focusing on competencies for electrification has been carried out.
Email-questionnaire w. Operational Developer, Swedish Energy Agency
 Additionally, in the preparation of backing documents for the new climate action plan, the suggestions have been subject to a gender analysis.
In Iceland, all new projects in Reykjavík City are subjected to a gender analysis carried out by City staff. Reykjavík City offers instructions and video guides for Gender Budgeting as well as Gender Analysis online and The Gender Budgeting Project Managers subsequently delivers feedback.
Reykjavik City (n.d.). Gender Budgeting
Considering the intersectional perspective of indigenous women concerning the application of data, it is worth noting that the Saami Council has, in certain instances, developed its own reports and analyses, which they have communicated to relevant institutions or departments.
The Saami Council - a Saami non–governmental organization with Saami member organizations in Finland, Russia, Norway and Sweden.
 This has, in their view, been a more successful method to communicate their positions than waiting to be contacted.

4.1.6 Summary of Priority area A: Capacity Building, knowledge management and communication

The chapter provides an overview of current initiatives under priority area A in the UNFCCC GAP, related to capacity-building, knowledge management and communication. Strengthening these activities deepens the awareness of the interplay between gender equality and climate issues and serves as a prerequisite for enhancing the gender mainstreaming in climate policies.
The review suggests that there is variation in the knowledge of the UNFCCC GAP and the interlinkages between climate and gender among governmental stakeholders across the Nordic countries, as well as for regional and municipal stakeholders. For instance, Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment has expressed a need for building its understanding of how gender equality intersects with climate policy and climate change impacts, especially in a domestic context.
In addition to the stated need for more context-specific knowledge, this review identifies space for improvement in terms of exploring and utilising the existing knowledge base and available sex-disaggregated data. While not exhaustive, substantial sex-disaggregated data and recent relevant publications do exist, to an extent, that offer a reasonable foundation for performing gender analyses and impact assessments, which plays a pivotal role in gender mainstreaming. Gender analyses investigates the distribution of resources, opportunities, and power and identifies needs, vulnerabilities, capacities, conditions, etc. in diverse groups of men and women within certain context, e.g. within specific areas of climate policy in the Nordic countries. Such comprehensive analyses build an informed foundation for working towards gender-responsive climate policy, i.e. for assessing impacts of concrete policies and making targeted strategies to address the identified gendered aspects effectively. A comprehensive approach to data collection and application is thus crucial for reaching gender-responsive – or even gender transformative - climate policies.
Despite progress, the review stresses the need for prioritised resource allocation towards gathering and especially applying relevant data. In this process it is worth looking into the notable initiatives in the Nordic countries to strengthen the knowledge and skills in terms of gender mainstreaming in climate policy.
As described in this chapter, the review points out certain gaps and limitations in the gender mainstreaming of climate policy, suggesting a tendency, particularly in Denmark and Norway to treat gender mainstreaming in climate issues as primarily relevant in an international climate policy context, while considering gender mainstreaming of domestic climate policy less relevant. This perspective entails the risk of overlooking the gendered impacts of climate policies at a domestic level thus pointing to the importance of extending gender mainstreaming efforts to domestic policies. In addition, the review identifies a need for more knowledge on the gendered impacts of climate change and adaptation within a Nordic context in addition to the available information on gendered dimensions of mitigation. Furthermore, a wish for more comprehensive documentation of the benefits of gender mainstreaming in climate policy within the Nordic region is observed. Such documentation would effectively support the argument for prioritising gender mainstreaming efforts within the context of domestic climate policy.
The review identifies certain gaps in resources and training specifically tailored to gender mainstreaming in climate policy. However, knowledge-strengthening initiatives exist in different capacities in the Nordic countries. The Swedish Gender Equality Agency support gender mainstreaming through the Governments development program on gender mainstreaming in government agencies (GMGA).
The Swedish Gender Equality Agency (2024). Support and coordination of equality work
 The Swedish Gender Equality Agency provide targeted support through published guides and case studies, education on gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting and network meetings. In Iceland, the City of Reykjavík has launched a Knowledge Hub on Climate Change,
Reykjavík (n.d.). Climate Change Knowledge Hub
 which offers knowledge on gendered aspects of climate change and climate policies, tools, and best practices from across the Nordics. The Icelandic government has furthermore developed a gender mainstreaming toolkit, and produces regular status reports that contains, among other, information on analysis and data available regarding gender and climate. Finland offers a comprehensive handbook and maintains a website for gender equality efforts. In Denmark resources exist to guide ministries in testing the relevance of gender in proposed bills, to decide if a gender impact assessment is to be conducted and in Norway the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) offer training focused on gender mainstreaming and equality, and in collaboration with NCM and Kilden Gender research the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality co-hosted an inter- departmental seminar on gender equality in the green transition, including participation form the Ministry of Climate and Environment.
Despite the efforts described, this review suggests that especially Norway and Denmark have limited guiding resources and initiatives supporting gender mainstreaming of climate policy, in comparison with the other Nordic countries. In Denmark and Norway, though, the national knowledge centres for gender equality, KVINFO (DK) and KILDEN (NO), respectively, have taken action in terms of knowledge building and communication through several initiatives. On the international and regional fronts, entities such as the NCM, EIGE, the UNFCCC Gender Team, and UN CC:Learn supply additional tools, training, and resources to explore the nexus between gender and climate change. In the Nordic context, specifically, the recently launched online platform The Nordic Knowledge Hub, developed by the Nordic Co-operation stands out as a key initiative in terms of enhancing the knowledge base, by gathering existing relevant resources and recent publications supported by the NCM. As showcased in the section on communicative efforts to highlight gender equality in climate initiatives, the NCM have initiated several activities, including a series of events at the COP. The NCM is thus considered to be important for supporting gender mainstreaming of climate policy and the implementation of the UNFCCC GAP in the Nordic region.

4.2 Priority area B: Gender balance, participation, and women’s leadership

Priority area B focuses on advancing gender balance and fostering women's active participation and leadership in relation to climate policy. This priority area emphasises the need to develop and support initiatives that promote gender-equal participation and leadership in the national work with the implementation of the Paris Agreement and international climate negotiations, with a specific focus on Indigenous women, young women, and women from local communities. The chapter thus includes a focus on the gender balance in decision-making (4.2.2) and the extent of involvement of women, including local communities and Indigenous Peoples (chapter 4.2.1), in shaping climate policy and actions in the Nordic countries.
Furthermore, to contextualise this priority area in a Nordic context, this review focuses on processes of involvement and efforts towards enhancing the gender balance in the education and professions of STEM (science, technology, mathematics, engineering, and mathematics) and associated ‘green jobs’ (4.2.3). The UNFCCC GAP does not explicitly mention the integration of more women into STEM disciplines nor green jobs. However, this theme is indirectly included in the priority area, where the UNFCCC GAP underscores the importance of “fostering women’s and girls’ full participation and leadership in science, technology, research, and development.”
UNFCCC (2023). Gender Action Plan - Decision 3/CP.25 and amendments agreed in Decisions 24/CP.27 and 15/CP.28
 Given the substantial gender imbalance in STEM, prioritising gender inclusivity in these disciplines is a crucial part of gender mainstreaming the green transition in a Nordic context, as the STEM sectors are central in the green transition. The importance of ensuring gender balance in the field of STEM is furthermore highlighted in the key areas of the commitments by the NCM.
Nordic Council of Ministers (2022). Commitment by the Nordic Council of Ministers under Generation Equality's Action Coalition: Feminist Action for Climate Justice

4.2.1 Involvement of local communities and Indigenous Peoples

Priority area B emphasises the need to develop and support initiatives that empower Indigenous Peoples, especially women. The rapid changes in the climate of the Arctic region pose serious risks and challenges to the livelihoods and cultural practices of the area, including reindeer herding and salmon fishing of Sámi people.
Saami Council & Saami Parliament of Norway (2023). Climate Change in Sápmi – an overview and a Path Forward.
 Therefore, the involvement of the Sámi people in Finland, Norway and Sweden in climate policies is central to ensure a just green transition. Although the Greenlandic Inuit are also an Indigenous People in the Nordics, Greenland (along with Faroe Islands and Aaland) is not part of the scope of this review, limited to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. While Greenland is part of the Danish Realm, Greenlandic political areas relevant to climate policy such as mineral resources and mining, environmental matters, city development, and transport is governed by Greenland’s government, Naalakkersuisut, under the Greenlandic Self-governance.
Danish Prime Minister’s Office (2023). Overview of subject areas taken charge of by Greenland's home rule (I and II) respectively Greenland Self-Government (III)
 Therefore, the involvement and participation of Greenlandic Inuit in climate policies has not been assessed.
In Finland, the Sámi Parliament represents the Sámi in Finland in national and international contexts.
The Sámi Parliament (n.d). Decision making.
 In the preparation of the recent Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan in Finland, a consultation process with various stakeholders was carried out.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
 The Climate Change Policy Plan is developed in each electoral term outlining emission reduction measures for sectors, including transport, agriculture, heating, machinery, and waste. Feedback on the draft plan was delivered by stakeholders as part of a Citizens' Jury, the Climate Policy Roundtable, justice and equality-focused events, and Sámi Parliament negotiations. An online survey received 18,000 citizen responses, and the draft plan was open for feedback from December 2021 to January 2022. During the consultation, Finland sought to engage a diverse group of citizens, inviting among others youth – and/or disability organisations to comment on the climate policies.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
 Finland's new Climate Act, effective since July 1st, 2022, emphasises the importance of climate change policy planning and monitoring, sets national climate objectives and pays special attention to specific risks of climate changes to the livelihood of the Sámi people. Under this act, a Sámi Climate Change Council has been appointed by the Finnish government as an independent expert body. Its primary role is to provide input from the perspective of the Sámi people in Finland in shaping climate policy plans. The Sámi Climate Council in Finland will provide opinions on climate policy plans and contribute with knowledge that promotes Sámi culture.
Finnish Ministry of the Environment (2023). Government appointed Sámi Climate Council.
 The act also includes the Finnish Climate Change Panel, which comprises experts from various fields to inform climate policy decisions.
In Sweden, consultation with Indigenous Peoples should take place in accordance with the Swedish act (2022:66) on consultation in matters that concern the Sámi people.
Swedish Parliament (2022). Act (2022:66) on consultation in matters concerning the Sami people.
 The Swedish Energy Agency has applied this law in the preparatory stage of a national strategy for sustainable wind power extension by receiving suggestions for alterations from the Sámi parliament.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
Sweden and Finland have not ratified the ILO Convention no. 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples. However, Norway has, meaning that Norway shall appropriately consult the Sámi people on matters relevant to their community, among other things.
Norwegian Government (2018). Report on Convention no 169 concerning Indigenous and tribal peoples – 2008.
 In this review it has not been possible to identify concrete examples of Norwegian authorities involving the Sámi people in climate policy making nor strategies.
On a cross-Nordic level, the Saami Council is a Sámi NGO working across the national borders of Sápmi (Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden) with Sámi member organisations in all countries. According to representatives from The Saami Council, the organisation has not been involved or consulted in questions on climate policies at national, regional, or local level.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
 The Saami Council has published reports and analyses on climate-related issues, which have been communicated to relevant institutions or departments.
Saami Council & Saami Parliament of Norway (2023). Climate Change in Sápmi – an overview and a Path Forward
 This has, in their view, been a more successful method in communicating their knowledge, opinions and recommendations than waiting to be contacted. Furthermore, some stakeholders express that aspects of their reports are recognisable in national reports on climate change, which is positive.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
The Saami Council has also expressed that the national states tend to view the Sámi people as a unified entity with one voice, represented through the Sámi parliaments. However, these parliaments face challenges in their processes, and there are generally limitations in terms of human and financial resources. There is, according to Sámi stakeholders participating in this review, a need for greater recognition of the Sámi civil society.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries

4.2.2 Representation in decision-making

In 2021, a gender balance within the 40:60 ratio was observed across all parliaments and ministers in almost all the Nordic countries.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
 In relation to climate policies, the gender balance in international climate negotiations is monitored and reported by the advocacy organisation Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO). WEDO’s Gender Climate Tracker Platform seeks to track gender-responsive climate action globally, particularly concerning the implementation of the United Nations’ climate policy. WEDO’s online platform section titled ‘Women’s Participation Statistics in Climate Diplomacy’ tracks women’s participation in the UNFCCC processes, including gender balance among members of Party delegations, roles as Heads of Delegation, and members of constituted bodies.
Gender Climate Tracker (n.d.). Women’s participation in party delegations.
 The statistics from WEDO show the following information on the percentage of female delegates by Party at COP28 in Dubai, 2023, here compared to COP21 in 2015:
The percentage of female delegates by Party
 
COP28 in Dubai, 2023
COP21 in Paris, 2015
Denmark
49%
34%
Finland
67%
50%
Iceland
60%
59%
Norway
52%
45%
Sweden
54%
57%
As shown, most of the Nordic countries have made progress throughout the years and reached a gender equality ratio of 40:60 in the delegations.
Norway has been the pioneer in introducing a mandatory gender quota for the boards of public limited companies, requiring a minimum of 40% representation for each gender.
Kilden (2016). The secret behind Norway’s gender quota success.
 This legislation, introduced in 2002 and implemented by 2008, has been recognised for effectively achieving gender balance in boardrooms, with the enforcement of sanctions playing a key role in its success. Following Norway's lead, Iceland adopted similar legislation. With the Gender Equality Act in 2008, Iceland introduced a gender quota of 40% in politically appointed committees, councils, and boards, ensuring a minimum representation of 40% for each gender in groups larger than three.
Directorate of Equality Iceland (2020). Report of the Office for Equality on committees, councils and boards organized by the ministries in 2018-2019.
 All Icelandic ministries comply with this quota, averaging 49%.
Directorate of Equality Iceland (2020). Report of the Office for Equality on committees, councils and boards organized by the ministries in 2018-2019.
 In Iceland, while not legally binding for delegations abroad, this practice has influenced the composition of Icelandic delegations to international forums, including the UNFCCC.
UNFCCC (2012). Decision 23/CP.18 Submission of Iceland.
 At the governmental level in Iceland, mechanisms are in place to promote gender balance within decision-making bodies and in national delegations.
UNFCCC (2012). Decision 23/CP.18 Submission of Iceland.
 
In 2022, the European Union adopted a directive to promote gender balance on corporate boards, requiring listed companies to ensure at least 40% of non-executive board seats, or 33% of all executive and non-executive roles combined, are filled by women by mid-2026.
See Reuters (2022). EU sets board quotas for women by mid-2026, lawmakers say.
 In response to this, Denmark introduced a significant legislative shift in 2023, requiring a wide range of public institutions to set and report target figures for gender balance in their boards and senior management, expanding the scope from just governmental boards​​.
The paragraph is based on information provided by Danish ministries on the occasion of this review. Feb 2024.
 Thus, the Danish Act on Gender Equality (§11 and §12) lays down rules for equal representation of women on boards and other collective management bodies in institutions and companies within the state administration. This means that relevant ministers must ensure equal representation of men and women when they appoint public councils, boards, commissions, etc. E.g. The Climate Council, established to promote impartial advice on climate action to the Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, has nine members, five women and four men.
Dialogue with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. Feb. 2024.
Sweden and Finland have no legislation mandating gender quotas. Sweden's approach to addressing gender disparity in political representations involves voluntary measures rather than legal quotas. All parliamentary parties, except the Sweden Democrats (SD), have adopted regulations aimed at ensuring a more balanced gender distribution on party lists. In Finland, there is no specific legislation mandating gender quotas in corporate boards or political parties. However, Finland practices a form of gender representation through the assembly procedure, where entities recommending members to bodies must propose one woman and one man for each position. The body preparing the establishment of the committee is responsible for adhering to the quota rule. Exceptions to this gender minimum representation can only be made for special reasons, which must be justified in the decision-making process​​.
Finnish Equality Ombudsman (2013). The Directive on Gender Quota for Boards of Listed Companies (TAS 59/2013, issued on February 15, 2013).
Despite these efforts and progress made in gender equality within politics and public administration over the last two decades, challenges thus remain. In the private sector and academia, leadership roles continue to be male dominated. For instance, in large listed companies, the majority of chairpersons and CEOs are men, and similar trends are observed in management positions within industries traditionally considered male-dominated.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (2023). Sub-goal 1: even distribution of power and influence. Although the source is from a Swedish context, the same tendencies are observed in other Nordic countries, as elaborated in the following paragraph.
 
The 2022 report, Gender Equality in the Nordic Energy Sector, highlights significant disparities and progress in gender representation across the Nordic countries.
Elamson, S. & Barnholt Klepper, K. (2021). Gender equality in the Nordic energy sector.
 Iceland leads with the highest average women's leadership score, reflecting its top position in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, with Denmark at the lowest among the Nordic countries. Even though Norway and Iceland implemented gender quotas for company boards more than ten years ago, the overall representation of women in the energy companies' boards of the five Nordic countries averages 32%. In leadership roles within these companies, women's presence is notably low, holding a majority of leadership positions in only 5% of the companies surveyed. This scarcity is more pronounced at the top, with just over 90% of chairpersons and CEOs in large listed companies being men, and a similar trend in academia where only three out of ten professors are women, dropping even lower in technical fields.
Elamson, S. & Barnholt Klepper, K. (2021). Gender equality in the Nordic energy sector.
 Thus, achieving gender balance in the energy sector remains a challenge. The energy sector's gender dynamics mirror broader societal trends and are related to the gender imbalances in STEM education, a theme that will be unfolded in the following section on gender equality in green jobs.

4.2.3 Gender equality in green jobs

While the concept and definition of green jobs vary between countries, green jobs are often associated with employment in the STEM fields where solutions for the green transition are developed.
Danbolt, I. (2023) Bridging the Green Jobs Divide: Nordic gender barriers and opportunities in the spotlight
 However, the definitions by International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), respectively, are commonly used globally. The ILO defines green jobs as “decent jobs that contribute to preserve or restore the environment, be they in traditional sectors such as manufacturing and construction, or in new, emerging green sectors such as renewable energy and energy efficiency”.
ILO. (2016) What is a green job?
 The UNEP defines it as “work in agriculture, industry, services and administration that contributes to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment”.
UNEP, ILO, IOE, and ITUC (2008). Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World.
Gendered norms and patterns are at play across the domains of decision-making, employment, planning, budgeting, and production, as well as consumption and the activities of everyday life. Research shows that responses to climate change are framed in a masculinised way.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
 Men make up the majority in STEM education and consequently dominate the sectors of the new green economy – energy, transport, agriculture, and construction. This means that the new solutions, jobs, and investments demanded by the transition to a low-carbon society risk favouring men, missing out on the vital perspectives and competencies of women. Ultimately, it entails the risk of perpetuating or even increasing the gender-segregated labour market and the gender pay gap, which are key gender inequality issues in the Nordic countries.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context; Sand, Jimmy (2022). Climate, Gender and Consumption: A research overview of gender perspectives on sustainable lifestyles; Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) (2022). Gender norms a challenge for the green transition.
“For us in the Nordic countries the absolute priority to get anywhere on gender equality in just transition is to address the gender segregated sector of STEM (…) How can new solutions, innovation, new green jobs and investments demanded by transition to a low-carbon society be made to work for women and for gender equality. We can’t actually move forward without women in STEM. Then we will exacerbate the gaps as they are - and this is a huge issue for us.” (International Coordinator and Senior Advisor at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency)
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
Sectors such as energy, transport, and construction are often prioritised in climate policies with a focus on innovation- and development efforts to reduce emissions. While this is crucial given the carbon-intensive nature of these sectors, women remain significantly underrepresented in the STEM disciplines and consequently receive fewer opportunities for innovation and development. The average percentage of women in green jobs across the five Nordic countries is 30,4%.
Danbolt, I. (2023) Bridging the Green Jobs Divide: Nordic gender barriers and opportunities in the spotlight.
 This gender disparity is compounded by the existing gender imbalance in STEM education and professions worldwide. While roughly aligning with the average percentage in European Union, significantly fewer women in the Nordic countries graduate from the STEM subjects compared to men (see table).
Nordic Council of Ministers (2023). Statistics: Education ; Danbolt, I. (2023) Bridging the Green Jobs Divide: Nordic gender barriers and opportunities in the spotlight.
 Neglecting to address this underrepresentation can perpetuate the gender-segregated labour markets, hindering women’s participation and involvement in decision-making and leadership within the green transition.
Female graduates from STEM-education 2020
Women in green jobs 2023
Denmark
16%
29,3%
Finland
16,2%
29,3%
Iceland
11,7%
29%
Norway
10%
29,4%
Sweden
13,3%
34,4%
EU average
13,9%
-
OECD average
-
28,3%
In continuation of this, climate change is frequently framed as a technological challenge, demanding expertise primarily found in the male-dominated STEM fields.
Magnusdottir, G., Kronsell, A. (2023). Gender, Intersectionality and Climate Institutions in Industrialised States.
 This framing can overshadow the social dimensions of climate change and the contributions of professionals from non-STEM backgrounds, also emphasised by some of the stakeholders contributing to this review. According to a Finnish professor in consumer and society research, speaking on e.g. energy issues is challenging without a STEM background, and thus one’s perspectives can easily be discredited if one makes a mistake.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
 As a response, the researcher advocates for a balanced approach that includes non-STEM perspectives in climate discussions while actively promoting greater female engagement in STEM. Such an approach could make the sector more inclusive and accessible, fostering a diverse pool of talent and perspectives.
Traditionally, gender representation and inclusion in STEM have been the responsibility of ministries and agencies overseeing education, business, and gender equality. Ministries and agencies focused on climate and environment may not be directly engaged in these initiatives. This review, however, include examples of relevant initiatives presented in the following paragraphs.
In Denmark, several government-initiated activities have promoted women’s access to STEM education, for example by establishing a one-year optional subject in technology comprehension, and a conference on how to change the gender imbalance in STEM.
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019). Comprehensive national review report Beijing+25: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)
 On a local level, Region Midtjylland has, as part of its sustainability strategy, launched an initiative targeted at increasing the gender balance in the STEM fields.
Region Midtjylland (2021). Sustainability Strategy 2030.
 The aim of the initiative is to enhance diversity and bolster the workforce and is this not explicitly linked to securing gender equality in the green transition. However, engagement in STEM education and professional environments inherently leads to a greater number of women influencing green transition initiatives and projects. The initiative involves collaborating with educational institutions to encourage and support underrepresented genders to pursue professions within this field. The set goal is a minimum representation of 10% women.
In Finland’s national Beijing +25 review report (2019), it prioritises increasing girls’ and women’s access to skills and training in the STEM fields, as well as developing measures to address the gender-segregated labour market.
Norwegian Ministry of Culture (2019) Beijing +25: The situation of women and girls in Norway: Development, progress and measures 2014–2019.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland (2019). Comprehensive national-level review: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).
In Iceland, Reykjavik University has carried out the collaborative project Girls in STEM with the Federation of Industries and private companies. On the Girls in STEM Day, girls from elementary schools are introduced to educational opportunities within STEM, and gender stereotypes are challenged. The project received funding from the Gender Equality Fund at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Icelandic Government, Prime Minister’s Office (2019). Iceland’s report on Beijing +25: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). 
In Norway, the programme Girls and Technology promotes the technology subjects to girls in lower secondary school. The aim is to increase the proportion of girls and women in technology subjects, and in 2018 the programme toured the country with events at twelve locations. The events were also accessible through social media. Through a YouTube campaign, the programme reached 100,000 girls. In 2019, the Norwegian government funded the programme with NOK 3.5 million.
Norwegian Ministry of Culture (2019). Beijing +25: The situation of women and girls in Norway: Development, progress and measures 2014–2019.
In Sweden, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency recommends promoting equal representation within STEM and climate action plans in its draft strategy (see details in chapter 5.3.5).
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Draft strategy – considering and integrating gender equality aspects at Sweden's implementation of The Paris Agreement.
 Moreover, the Swedish Gender Equality Agency plays a proactive role in integrating gender perspectives into STEM disciplines, supporting universities and research foundations, and analysing gender stereotypes in educational choices. These efforts align with the broader objective of achieving gender equality in climate policy making. In addressing the gendered imbalances in the green sector, Swedish officials note that climate and gender equality are both highly prioritized in the Swedish research policy proposal from 2020-2024.
SwedenBIO (2020). SwedenBIO's input to the research policy proposition.
When addressing the gender imbalances of STEM and formulating goals and solutions to the gender-segregated labour markets, scholars argue that the key focus should be on creating an environment with improved conditions for both boys and girls who find themselves in non-traditional fields, challenging prevailing gender norms and misconceptions associated with specific sectors and occupations.
Sand, J. (2022). Gender perspective on green jobs in the Nordic region - A collection of results from NIKK 2020–2022
 Solely focusing on more girls or women enrolling into STEM educations will not challenge the privilege of men to be the norm.
Sand, J. (2022). Gender perspective on green jobs in the Nordic region - A collection of results from NIKK 2020–2022
 Another approach targeting the gender imbalance in STEM involves exploring how different occupations are valued and understanding the varying impacts this can have on both men and women.
Simonsson, A. (2022). Vocational education and training in the Nordic countries – Knowledge and interventions to combat gender segregation ; Måwe, I. (2019). Equal pay in the Nordic countries – the law and policy strategies. 

Care economy in the green transition

As stated in several studies and echoed by stakeholders contributing to this review, a comprehensive approach to the green transition should value both the technical and social dimensions of transitioning to low- and zero-carbon societies, because “care values and responsibility for unpaid care and domestic work are key to the green transition.”
Sand, J. (2022). Gender perspective on green jobs in the Nordic region - A collection of results from NIKK 2020–2022.
 Several contributors are raising concerns about an excessive emphasis on STEM within climate discussions, potentially side-lining the importance of broader societal changes and considerations to the care economy. Incorporating unpaid care and domestic work into climate policies is paramount. As an example, this theme was discussed in a Nordic COP27 panel hosted by the NCM on the care economy and the green shift in the labour market, with contributions from ILO, ITUC and OECD, a Danish gender activist- and policy consultant, and Danish Industry (DI).
Nordic Council of Ministers (2022). Program for the Nordic Pavilion at COP27.
In the national Beijing +25 review reports (2019), countries are required to report on their actions to recognise, reduce and/or redistribute unpaid care and domestic work, as well as promote work-family conciliation. All five Nordic countries have, according to their reports, taken steps to implement and/or strengthening parental leave policies. For instance, in Finland, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health launched the campaign ‘It’s Daddy Time’, which, in addition to focusing on parental leave, aimed to encourage male-dominated industries and sectors to create better and more inclusive work environments for fathers.
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2017). Father, take some Daddy time!
 In Iceland, an action group on men and equality was appointed by the Minister of Social Affairs and Gender Equality at the time. The group’s mandate was to formulate proposals for ways to integrate men in female dominated sectors of the labour market, as well as into higher education programmes in caregiving fields such as nursing and preschool education.
Icelandic Government Prime Minister’s Office (2019). Iceland’s report on Beijing +25: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). 
Neglecting the care aspect in the green transition and the policies guiding it can lead to unintended consequences, such as an additional burden on women due to increased unpaid work resulting from an overemphasis on individualized solutions counting on the efforts from citizens and households.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
 A gender-responsive climate policy should therefore encompass measures that address the gender-based division of labour and unpaid work, recognising the importance of both technical and social dimensions in achieving a just and inclusive green transition. Researchers argue analysing climate change and energy transitions through a lens of care holds the potential of challenging the individualism characterising the responses to climate change.
Wilson, J., & Chu, E. (2019). The embodied politics of climate change: analysing the gendered division of environmental labour in the UK; Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
 Rather, it shifts focus to relational aspects and interdependence between individuals. This paves the way for more community action and locally led solutions that can potentially challenge gendered norms and power structures creating inequalities.
For more elaborated work on gender barriers in the green sector in the Nordic, see the NCM-report Bridging the Green Jobs Divide: Nordic gender barriers and opportunities in the spotlight (2023).
Danbolt, L. I. (2023). Bridging the Green Jobs Divide: Nordic gender barriers and opportunities in the spotlight

4.2.4 Summary of Priority area B: Gender balance, participation, and women’s leadership

The chapter on priority area B of the UNFCCC GAP delves into the efforts to enhance gender balance, women's participation, and leadership within climate policy, including consultation with Indigenous Peoples, specifically women.
The chapter describes the Nordic countries' proactive measures, like gender quotas, with Norway and Iceland taking the lead by introducing gender quotas in 2002 and 2008, and Denmark recently joining up with gender quotas regulations in 2024. Such regulations might have paved the way for the Nordic countries reaching 40:60 gender balance ratio in the political administration and delegations. The gender quota of the Nordic female delegates to the COP28 ranges from 49-67%, which is an overall increase since COP21 when the Paris Agreement was signed.
The chapter outlines the significant role of green jobs, often linked with STEM fields, in the green transition and highlights the gendered norms influencing these areas. It stresses the dominance of men in STEM and consequent risks of exacerbating gender imbalances in the labour market and widening the gender pay gap. The review underscores the importance of incorporating women into STEM to ensure a gender-equal green transition, and identifies various Nordic initiatives aimed at increasing women's participation in STEM education and green jobs.
Finland, Norway, and Sweden have in various ways emphasised the importance of involvement and consultation of the Sámi people on matters concerning them. By appointing the Sámi Climate Change Council in Finland, the Finnish government has taken a step further in establishing a forum specifically dealing with the effects of climate change on Sámi people and their livelihoods and cultural practices. The Sámi Climate Change Council consists of both Sami researchers and holders of traditional Sámi knowledge, which is a step further into acknowledging the importance of including traditional knowledge, experience-based and non-STEM knowledge in the climate discussion.
In continuation of this, the chapter discusses the need to value both technical and social dimensions of the green transition, including the care economy, and the potential consequences of neglecting care aspects in climate policies. While solutions addressing the gender imbalance of the STEM field is paramount, researchers also emphasise the importance of including non-STEM perspectives into climate work, e.g. the social sector and unpaid domestic work and care. While the importance of such inclusivity has been recognised at events like COP27 and COP28, the chapter identifies a gap in concrete strategies to fully realise this approach.
Overall, the chapter emphasises the necessity of a multifaceted approach to gender mainstreaming in climate policy, advocating for a balanced representation of women in STEM fields, and recognising the importance of integrating diverse perspectives, including perspectives of Indigenous Peoples, i.e. the Sámi people in the Nordic region, as well as the domain of care work, to ensure an equitable and gender-just green transition.

4.3 Priority area C: Coherence

Priority area C of the UNFCCC GAP entails translating international policies into national governance and ensuring consistency in implementing gender mainstreaming across different offices and levels, thereby ensuring strong institutional mechanisms for gender mainstreaming. This can create synergies across policy areas, leading to greater coherence in organisational operations and effective implementation. Implementing this priority area thus involves supporting the implementation of the enhanced LWPG and the GAP, e.g. by offering policies and legislative frameworks that support gender mainstreaming in general, such as legislations or decisions regarding gender-responsive budgeting or gender impact assessments. Implementing priority area C also involves expanding the networks of climate work with gender equality expertise and ensuring that relevant personnel in public authorities have knowledge of gender-related mandates and gendered dimensions of climate issues. This can be achieved by establishing gender mainstreaming working groups or coordinators within climate-relevant ministries and agencies. Enhancing coherence also entails the facilitation of best practice sharing among administrations and the coordination between relevant international agreements. This coordination increases the potential for synergy between implementing the SDGs and the UNFCCC GAP.
This chapter will thus focus on each country’s policy and legislative frameworks relevant to gender mainstreaming and the coordinative responsibility and supportive structures, respectively. Before presenting insights in the section assigned for each country below, this chapter introduction will briefly mention two aspects of relevance.   

The UNFCCC National Gender & Climate Change Focal Points

According to the gender and climate change decision 3/CP.25, paragraph 11, Parties are encouraged "to appoint and provide support for a national gender and climate change focal point for climate negotiations, implementation and monitoring".
UNFCCC (n.d.) Decision -/CP.26. Gender and climate change. Advance unedited version.
 All parties should provide the UNFCCC secretariat with information about the national gender and climate change focal point (NGCCFP), which is then invited for capacity-building events, knowledge sharing etc. While the UNFCCC secretariat provides guidelines on the scope of work for the National Gender and Climate Change Focal Point, the implementation varies among countries. There is no defined set of tasks for the focal points, but they are responsible for following up on the implementation of the UNFCCC GAP in their respective country and acting as a point of contact between national work and the international level. All Nordic countries have appointed a UNFCCC NGCCFP at the ministry- and/or agency level.

EIGE’s review of the institutional mechanisms supporting gender mainstreaming

EIGE has reviewed the institutional mechanisms for the promotion of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the EU Members States.
EIGE (2023). The pathway to progress: strengthening effective structures for gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the EU
 Institutional mechanisms of gender mainstreaming is one of the twelve critical areas of concern of the BPfA and is measured against four indicators (H1-4), adopted by the Council of the European Union. The EIGE review scores Denmark, Finland, and Sweden against each indicator like this:
  • H1: Status of commitment to the promotion of gender equality (max. 15)
    • Denmark: 9,5                                 
    • Finland: 12,5                                     
    • Sweden 9,5
  • H2: Human resources of the national gender equality bodies (max. 4):
    • Denmark: 1                                     
    • Finland: 2                                           
    • Sweden: 3,5
  • H3: Gender mainstreaming (governmental commitment, laws, and policies) (max. 14):
    • Denmark: 7                                    
    • Finland: 6,5                                       
    • Sweden: 11
  • H4: Production and dissemination of statistics disaggregated by sex (max. 6):
    • Denmark: 3,5                                 
    • Finland: 4,5                                        
    • Sweden: 6
While the scores reflect the institutional mechanisms in place for gender mainstreaming in general, they remain relevant to the implementation of the UNFCCC GAP, considering the spill-over effect of strong institutional mechanisms into specific policy areas, such as climate. The scores from the EIGE report above mirror the overall assessment of the coherence of Denmark, Finland and Sweden identified in this review. In the following, the coherence of the countries will be assessed including Norway and Iceland.
In the following sections, the policy- and legislative framework, as well as the coordinative mechanism supporting the integration of gender equality across policy areas, including climate policy, will be presented.

4.3.1 Denmark

Policy and legislative framework

The Danish Act on Gender Equality states that “All public authorities must endeavour to promote gender equality and must incorporate gender equality in all their planning and administration.”
Official Danish online legal portal covering legislation (2000). Act on the equality of women and men
 Specifically, Section 4 of the Act obliges public authorities to actively pursue equality: “Public authorities must work for equality within their area and incorporate equality in all planning and administration.” This act thus mandates systematic gender mainstreaming, assigning responsibilities across a wide spectrum of authorities and organisations. Public authorities are thereby required to integrate gender equality into all aspects of planning and administration, both in public services and internal management.
By law, the Danish Government must present an annual National Perspective and Action Plan for Gender Equality to the Danish parliament. The action plan forms the framework for the Government’s gender equality efforts in the coming year. The current Gender Action Plan from 2023 does not comprise a specific focus or measures on gender equality in climate policies and green transition but focuses on promoting gender equality within education and family life, eliminating gender-based violence, promoting LGBTQ+ rights and promoting gender equality globally.
Danish Parliament. Committee on Equality (2023). National Perspective and Action Plan for Gender Equality 2023.
On top of this, according to §5 of the Act on Gender Equality, all Danish ministries, regions, municipalities, state institutions and companies (the last two only if they have more than 50 employees) are obliged to report an equality statement (“ligestillingsredegørelse”) to the Minister of Digital Government and Gender Equality every three years. In the equality statements, an account must be given of objectives and initiatives to promote gender equality within the professional areas and core services which concern citizens and in the personnel area. As already described in chapter 4.2.2, public institutions must set target figures for and report on the gender balance of their board and senior management.
The Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality publishes a main report based on the reported equality statements, providing a status update on the state institutions, municipalities, and regions’ work with gender equality in personnel areas and core services. The latest main report for the 2020-2023 period was published in December 2023.
Danish Ministry of digital government and gender equality (2023). Review of Equality.
 An appendix to the main report and an inspiration catalogue with selected cases from the gender equality reports are included. A keyword search in this publication shows that the inspiration catalogue does, however, not mention ‘climate’, ‘green’, ‘transition’ or ‘sustainability’ explicitly.
Danish Ministry of digital government and gender equality (2023). Review of Equality.
The document Strategy for Gender Impact Assessment in the Public Sector from 2013 is Denmark's official gender mainstreaming plan.
Danish Ministry of Gender Equality and the Church (now Digital Government and Equality) (2013). Gender impact assessments of legislative proposals.
 The strategy states that the term ”ligestillingsvurdering” (gender impact assessment) is replacing the former term “kønsmainstreaming”, which was the direct translation from “gender mainstreaming.” This indicates that gender impact assessment (“ligesetillingsvurdering”) is applied synonymously with ‘gender mainstreaming’. As gender mainstreaming and gender impact assessment are not the same, this poses a risk of overlooking other central elements of gender mainstreaming than GIA, such as gender budgeting and gender analyses. 
In compliance with the Gender Equality Act, ministries are required to carry out relevance testing of all new legislative proposals to decide whether a GIA is to be conducted.
Danish Ministry of Gender Equality and the Church (now Digital Government and Equality) (2013). Gender impact assessments of legislative proposals.
 Thus, while all legislative proposals are relevance tested, only the proposals deemed specifically relevant for gender equality undergo GIA. As mentioned in chapter 4.1.3 The Strategy for Gender Impact Assessment in the Public Sector, highlights the relevance of bills from public areas of social affairs, health care and transport in opposition to more technical sectors, such as construction.
Danish Ministry of Gender Equality and the Church (now Digital Government and Equality) (2013). Gender impact assessments of legislative proposals.

Coordinative responsibility and supportive structures

The Strategy for Gender Impact Assessment in the Public Sector also emphasises the importance of collaboration across ministries and local governments​.
Danish Ministry of Gender Equality and the Church (now Digital Government and Equality) (2013). Gender impact assessments of legislative proposals.
 Gender mainstreaming in Denmark is supported and coordinated by the Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality, particularly its Department of Gender Equality. This department facilitates and coordinates gender mainstreaming across various ministries and government departments. The ministries can receive professional assistance from the department, which also relevance test the legislative program for bills that are considered relevant to assess further in terms of gender equality (GIA). It coordinates a cross-ministerial working group that meets regularly to promote and review gender mainstreaming activities. However, when inquired for this review, the Gender Equality Department did not mention any concrete examples of assistance given to or collaboration with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities.
E-mail-based questionnaire with the Danish Gender Equality Department. Dec. 2023.
Denmark has two equal treatment bodies. The Equal Treatment Board is an independent board that handles complaints and decides in cases about discrimination within and outside the labour market. The Danish Institute for Human Rights promotes, evaluates and monitors gender equality in Denmark and fights discrimination on the basis of gender. The Institute also has a mandate to bring cases of a principal nature or cases of public interest to the Equal Treatment Board.
In this review, no gender focal points have been identified in the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, and there are no inter-ministerial gender mainstreaming coordinators or working groups. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has gender focal points in all development corporation departments within the Ministry, including in the Department of Green Diplomacy and Climate. The Danish national gender and climate change focal point (NGCCFP) is also placed in this Ministry. That the NGCCFP is positioned there, and not in the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, supports the finding presented chapter 4.1, that gender mainstreaming in climate policy is prioritised in the context of global climate development policy. While this review has found indications of limited understanding, acknowledgement or prioritization of the relevance and importance of implementing the UNFCCC GAP in the context of domestic climate policy, an interest in gender mainstreaming was observed in the Danish Ministry of Environment, from where an official participated in a focus group for this review. The official highlighted the need for, and a current priority in the ministry for, screening new regulations for their impact on the SDGs, including equality and diversity, thus pointing to the potential of including objectivities of the UNFCCC GAP into this routinised screening process.
In the context of conducting this review, Danish ministerial authorities point out that they, for over a decade, have been tracking the portion of its Official Development Assistance (ODA) dedicated to gender equality. This involves using a policy-marker system combined with a supplementary recording of funding 'weight' to assess gender equality impact. This approach is applied across all grants, enabling monitoring of gender-focused funding trends within Danish ODA, including contributions to multilateral organisations and sector-specific allocations.
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019). Comprehensive national review report Beijing+25
 Such procedure is found in the other Nordic countries as well. For a brief review of the gender mainstreaming, specifically focusing on gender budgeting, in the context of foreign affairs- and international development policy, see chapter 4.4.3.
On a local level, regions and municipalities have in response to reporting obligations developed Gender Action Plans. In 2023, the social partners,
Confederation of Danish Employers (DA), Danish Trade Union Confederation (FH), Local Government Denmark (KL), Danish Regions
 and the Department of Employee and Competition (under the Ministry of Finance) entered a partnership aimed at enhancing the gender balance in traditionally gendered educations.
Danish Employers' Association, the Main Organization of the Trade Unions, the National Association of Municipalities, Danish Regions, & the Danish Agency for Employment and Skills (2023). A better gender balance through cultural change.

4.3.2 Finland

Policy and legislative framework

The Finnish Act on Equality between Women and Men (609/1986) requires authorities to promote gender equality in all their activities.
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2016). The Finnish Act on Equality between Women and Men 2025
 This gender mainstreaming principle states that work for enhancing gender equality in all activities must be purposeful and systematic. Authorities such as municipalities and ministries are obliged to formulate gender equality plans to enhance gender mainstreaming. 
Finland's approach to gender budgeting, while not legally mandated, is demonstrated through commitments in government equality action plans and guidelines for government proposals and budgets. Instructions from the Ministry of Finance guide the inclusion of gender perspectives in budget drafts. Most ministries incorporate gender budgeting, providing summaries of expected gender equality impacts in their budget proposals. These summaries are monitored yearly, and the findings are reported to both the Ministry for Gender Equality and the Parliament during the budget process.
Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019). Comprehensive national-level review: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).
 GIAs and gender budgeting are thus applied to legislative reforms and budget proposals, albeit not legally mandated.
To promote gender mainstreaming at local and regional level, Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) are mandated by law for educational institutions and workplaces with over 30 employees. The GEP brings together concrete objectives and measures to gender mainstream core functions, as well as employees/students. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare provides guidelines for developing these plans, which involve the following steps:
1) Assessment of Gender Equality Situation: A thorough review of the organisation's current state regarding gender equality
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (n.d.). Equality planning
 (for workplaces, a salary survey is a mandatory part of this assessment).
2) Development of Measures: Concrete measures formulated to address any identified gender equality issues.
3) Regular Updates and Evaluations: The plan requires periodic reviews and updates, typically every two or three years, to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. The responsibility for developing and implementing these plans lies with managing the respective organisations, including municipalities, for public schools and day-cares. The national action plan on gender equality sets specific targets and is partly budgeted to support gender equality across all levels of government. By the end of 2023, 60% of all Finnish municipalities had developed GEPs.
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (2023). Functional equality and equality plans have been drawn up in more and more municipalities - however, they are still missing in several municipalities

Coordinative responsibility and supportive structures

The Gender Equality Unit, which operates within the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, engages in various activities, including promoting gender considerations to be integrated into the governmental decision-making process.
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (n.d.). Gender mainstreaming
 Finland also employs an inter-departmental coordination structure, with gender mainstreaming working groups in every ministry. These working groups are responsible for planning and implementing gender mainstreaming in their respective policy sectors. The groups, comprising senior management and experts, can make recommendations, monitor objectives, and focus on core ministry processes. Supported by the Gender Equality Unit, they act as a communication channel between ministries and are integral to the Government's gender mainstreaming efforts. These groups meet bi-monthly as an inter-ministerial network to discuss and develop gender mainstreaming strategies, coordinated by the Gender Equality Unit.
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (n.d.). Gender mainstreaming
The Council for Gender Equality is an equality policy actor with an advisory role in the state administration. The council promotes gender equality in society by formulating draft proposals and statements for to develop legislation, organising events and by publishing relevant research. The council can set up subcommittees and working groups of experts to support specific activities.
The Council for Gender Equality (n.d.) The Council for Gender Equality (TANE).
Since 2003, all governments in Finland have decided to draw up a national Gender Action Plan. At the time of this review, the current government’s Gender Action Plan is being prepared.
At the time of this current review, the new Action Plan has not been launched
 The plan, ‘Making Finland a global leader in gender equality - Government action plan for gender equality 2020–2023’,
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2021). Making Finland a global leader in gender equality Government action plan for gender equality 2020–2023.
 highlights climate change as one out of six priority areas where gender equality actions shall be included, which show coherence between official government priorities, the gender equality work of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the climate-relevant departments in the government, thus supporting gender mainstreaming in climate policy directly:
“Gender equality is being promoted through mainstreaming so that gender equality measures will be incorporated into actions focusing on strengthening the national economy and creating jobs in developing countries; on supporting functioning societies and democracy; and on combating climate change and ensuring sustainable use of natural resources." (Ministry of Social Affairs and Heath, 2021)
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2021). Making Finland a global leader in gender equality Government action plan for gender equality 2020–2023.
The Ombudsman for Equality and the Gender Equality Unit within the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health are central institutions that guide and monitor the efforts stated in the national gender action plan and the inter-departmental working groups in ministries ensure the planning and implementation of gender mainstreaming strategies within the respective policy areas, including climate policy. The Ombudsman for Equality furthermore monitors the Equality Act and provides guidance and information on discrimination due to gender, gender identity and gender expression, and promotion of equality.
Finnish Ombudsman for Equality (2023). Ombudsman for Equality
 The ombudsman thus supports, for instance, educational institutions, municipalities, and companies in gender equality planning.
In Finland the NGCCFP is a ministerial adviser in the Ministry of the Environment. The main responsibility of the current focal point is environment and climate finance and certain negotiation items under the UNFCCC/Paris Agreement, as well as certain OECD Working Groups. Due to a lack of resources, the current NGCCFP can do limited coordination and relies heavily on colleagues in other sector ministries.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries

4.3.3 Iceland

Policy and legislative framework

Iceland's commitment to gender mainstreaming is anchored in the Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights Irrespective of Gender (150/2020),
Icelandic Government (2021). Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights Irrespective of Gender
 which emphasizes the integration of gender and equality considerations in all policymaking, planning, and decision-making within ministries and public institutions. The Act defines gender mainstreaming as a systematic approach to policy development, ensuring gender equality perspectives are included across all societal policymaking and decisions.
Additionally, the Act on the Administration of Matters Concerning Equality was introduced in 2021 along with revisions of the Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights of Gender.
Icelandic Government (2021). Act on the Administration of Matters Concerning Equality No. 151/2020
 The Administration Act is applied to the administration of the responsibilities of the Icelandic Directorate of Equality, among others, as well as municipal GEPs. The Administration Act also covers administration of the Act on Equal Treatment Irrespective of Race or Ethnic Origin,
Icelandic Government (2020). Act No 85 of 25 June 2018 on Equal Treatment irrespective of Race and Ethnic Origin
 and the Act on Equal Treatment on the Labour Market,
Icelandic Government (2019). Act on Equal Treatment on the Labour Market, No. 86/2018
 meaning that it goes beyond the scope of gender equality. Moreover, as mentioned in chapter 4.2.2, Iceland has introduced a gender quota in politically appointed committees, councils, and boards, which is embedded in the Act of Equal Status and Equal Rights Irrespective of Gender.
Since 2009, Iceland has carried out gender budgeting in public authorities.
Icelandic Government (n.d.). Implementation of gender budgeting
 Initially, the focus in terms of promoting gender budgeting was on gathering information and developing strategies. A Steering Committee with members from all ministries was formed, and pilot projects were conducted across ministries between 2010 and 2011, contributing to increased knowledge and adjustments in work processes. Following the Public Finance Act, gender budgeting became a legal requirement from January 1st, 2016, emphasising its integration into decision-making processes and daily operations.
Icelandic Government (2015). Act No. 123/2015
 The gender budgeting efforts are structured around five-year plans.
Icelandic Government (2019). Five-year plan for gender budgeting 2019-2023
 The gender budgeting steering committee, led by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, with participation from all ministries, oversees the gender budgeting implementation and appointed gender experts/​representatives within each ministry cooperate with the inter-ministerial steering groups responsible for implementing gender budgeting.
In the preparation of the government's five-year economic strategy and annual budget, decisions are made regarding socio-economic priorities. Gender budgeting is used to consider the situations of different groups by analysing the effects of various options with a focus on gender aspects. Challenges and opportunities relating to gender equality as well as objectives and activities to address these, are integrated in the strategic planning for each expenditure area. Each ministry also accounts for the gender impact of their budget proposals. The overall gender impact of the annual budget is assessed, and the results published in the budget bill. Finally, progress towards goals and planned activities is reported in each Minister’s Annual Report.
Icelandic Government (2019). Five-year plan for gender budgeting 2019-2023
 The status report on gendered aspects of all government department and ministries (mentioned in chapter 4.1.1) is also part of Iceland’s gender budgeting effort. Thus, Iceland is pioneering regarding the implementation of gender budgeting. 

Coordinative responsibility and supportive structures

The Directorate of Equality is a special institution under the Prime Minister’s Office handling administration of all matters regarding equality. The Directorate is monitoring the implementation of the equality acts including gender mainstreaming, handling educational and information activities in the field of equality, forwarding comments and proposals to the ministers and other authorities on actions to be taken to promote equality. The Directorate of Equality mandates that companies and institutions with 25 or more employees develop a GEP, as per the Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights Irrespective of Gender. The GEPs aim to equalise gender positions in the workplace and includes provisions for pay equality, vocational training, work-family life balance, and prevention of gender-based violence and harassment. The Government has developed a GEP, targeted the Government Offices, ensuring that ministry employees’ rights under the Equality Act are respected. Each ministry is responsible for enforcing the plan within its operations.
Icelandic Government (2021). The Government Offices Gender Equality Plan
 Furthermore, municipalities are required to develop GEPs that include gender equality efforts, including objectives and actions to promote equality and equal treatment in the allocation of funds, in the municipal services and in employee matters.
The Gender Equality Action Plan for 2020-2023, approved by the Icelandic Parliament at the end of 2019, comprises 29 actions divided into six categories. Each action is the responsibility of specific ministries. The actions span various areas, including administrative governance, labour market equality, implementation of the Istanbul Convention, gender equality in education, safety, and international efforts towards gender equality. This initiative underscores Iceland's commitment to gender mainstream different sectors and ministries to ensure equal opportunities and address disparities in participation and benefits between genders.
Icelandic Government (2019). The Gender Equality Action Plan 2020–2023.
 In the Proposal for Parliament Resolution on Gender Equality Action Programme for the period of 2020-223, gender equality integration in climate and environmental policy and projects is explicitly addressed, e.g.; “An emphasis will also be placed on making the voices of women heard with regard to climate issues and for provisions regarding gender mainstreaming to be included in international agreements on trade, environment and climate.”
Icelandic Government (2019). The Prime Minister’s Proposal for a Parliamentary Resolution on the Gender Equality Action Programme 2020-2023.
 Such statements support the priority of gender mainstreaming in climate policy and by that supports the implementation of the UNFCCC GAP.
To facilitate gender mainstreaming, Iceland has established gender equality officers in all ministries under Article 27 on the Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights Irrespective of Gender. These representatives are tasked with overseeing gender equality activities within their respective ministry's scope and ensuring gender mainstreaming in policymaking and decision-making. The tasks also include guiding gender equality assessments (GIAs) of government bills and shaping comprehensive plans for gender mainstreaming. Furthermore, all new governments in Iceland appoint a Gender Equality Council consisting of eleven representatives from women’s organisations, the social partners, and the association of local authorities.
Icelandic Government (2019). Iceland’s report on Beijing +25.
In Iceland, the current NGCCFP is placed in the Department of Land and Natural Heritage, at the Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources, which fosters coherence in the coordination between gender equality work and climate policy. However, it has not been possible to identify the concrete role, tasks and resources provided for the Icelandic NGCCFP within this review.

4.3.4 Norway

Policy and legislative framework

Norway's commitment to gender mainstreaming is enshrined in the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act, which was adopted in 2017. This Act, while replacing previous Equality Acts, highlights equality mainstreaming across all policy areas as a central strategy at national, regional, and local levels. The Act mandates public authorities to actively engage in activities and report on the status of equality.
NorwegianEquality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud (n.d.). The activity- and reporting obligation
 The equality reports are publicly available. This means that public institutions have a specific responsibility for ensuring gender equality within their own sphere of influence.
Nowegian Ministry of Culture and Equality (2023). Gender equality
 The Act further obliges all employers to make active, targeted, and systematic efforts to promote equality and prevent discrimination of all kinds. All public employers, regardless of size, and all private employers that employ more than 50 employees are obliged to follow a four-step-method. This method entails annually investigating risks of discrimination or barriers to equality analysing the causes of identified risks, implementing measures, and evaluating the results of their efforts. They must also review pay conditions pertaining to gender and the use of involuntarily part-time work every two years. The same applies to private employers with between 20 to 50 employees, if requested by the employees or their representatives. Employers subject to this legal authority must also report on their work annually in the annual report or another document available to the public.
Law data (2022). Chapter 4. Active equality efforts
 Furthermore, as mentioned in chapter 4.2.2, Norway was the first country in the Nordic region to introduce mandatory gender quota for the boards of public limited companies. 
Gender budgeting is not legally mandated in Norway. In the Norwegian national review report for Beijing +25, it is noted that gender equality initiatives are funded by various ministries, not just the Ministry of Culture, which supports gender equality grants, regional equality centres, the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud, and the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal. The Ministry of Culture also sponsors the CORE research centre, focusing on gender equality in several domains. However, climate or green transition is, according to a search on their webpage, not a theme they focus explicitly on.
Centre for Research on Gender Equality (CORE). Our Research.
 The Ministry of Finance mandates ministries to incorporate gender equality considerations into budget planning, as per the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act, emphasizing an inclusive approach to gender equality across different sectors.
Norwegian Ministry of Culture (2019). The situation of women and girls in Norway: Development, progress and measures 2014–2019 Beijing +25:

Coordinative responsibility and supportive structures

The Ministry of Culture and Equality in Norway is responsible for coordinating equality policies in Norway. Each ministry is charged with the task of actively and systematically working to promote equality and prevent discrimination in all areas of society. The Norwegian government is currently working on a governmental Gender Action Plan, which will be published in 2024. The government also presents an annual policy report for the Parliament on the status of the work to promote equality and diversity in all sectors.
The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud (LDO) oversees the duty to actively promote equality and the duty to provide information on the status of gender equality, as mandated by the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act. Additionally, it is responsible for ensuring compliance with the duty to report on equality and non-discrimination. The Anti-Discrimination Tribunal enforces reporting obligations for employers and public authorities and deals with complaints of discrimination and harassment submitted to the body and has the authority to impose penalties.
The Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir) serves as a national specialist agency for gender equality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender issues and disability. Bufdir carries out knowledge development and documentation, promotion and guidance activities, administration of grants to gender equality policy organisations and implementation of measures in national action plans. Bufdir has also developed indicators for gender equality, organised in a publicly available web-based database.
The Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (n.d.). Activity- and reporting obligations for public authorities
Prior to decisions regarding state measures with effects beyond internal operations, such as reforms, rule changes and investments, policy makers are required to consider e.g. what effects the decisions have on certain groups of people. The requirements are formulated in Instruction for Official Studies of Central Governmental Measures.
Norwegian Government (n.d.). The investigation instruction
 The minimum requirements for the contents of a study/​assessment include the following: Which fundamental questions are raised by the measures? What are the positive and negative effects of the measures, how permanent are these, and who will be affected? These questions encompass a study of the effects related to equality and discrimination issues.
In this review, no coordinators or inter-ministerial working groups assigned with gender mainstreaming responsibilities within the climate-relevant ministries have been identified. However, the role of the UNFCCC NGCCFP is currently ascribed to an advisor in the Ministry of Climate and Environment. The tasks of the Norwegian focal point on gender and climate change involve
a) Leading negotiations on gender and climate change under the UNFCCC on behalf of Norway and working on highlighting women's rights and meaningful participation in all areas under UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, where relevant.
b) Coordinating work related to gender and climate change nationally and internationally, e.g. attending meetings, coordinate and preparing meetings for ministers, formulating text in national strategies and reports (e.g. the Norwegian action plan on women, peace, and security) and spread awareness on the interlinkages between gender and climate change in the Ministry of Climate and Environment.
Based on information provided by the UNFCCC NGCCFP

4.3.5 Sweden

Policy and legislative framework

Sweden’s gender equality policy has the overall objective that women and men must have the same power to shape society and their own lives.
Government Offices of Sweden (n.d.) Gender equality policy in Sweden – a Government for Gender Equality.
 Since 1994, gender mainstreaming has been the Swedish Government’s overarching strategy to implement the national objectives on gender equality. This approach is combined with measures designed to specifically target gender inequalities in different policy areas (i.e. in the form of extra funding, extra focus, action plans, etc.).
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (n.d.) Gender Equality Policy in Sweden.
 The Swedish gender equality policy has sub-goals, and all gender mainstreaming actions are guided by the objectives set out in the policy, as well as of policy specific objectives that have been formulated based on the gender needs assessment of each Ministry.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (n.d.) Gender Equality Policy in Sweden; EIGE (2022). Sweden: legislative framework.
 As an example, the Government decision, Jämställdhetsintegrering i Regeringskansliet 2021-2025,
Government Offices of Sweden (2021). Gender mainstreaming in the governtment offices of sweden 2021-2025
 outlines how the Government Offices should integrate a gender perspective into its operations from 2021 to 2025. This decision identifies four central processes: the central government budget, legislation, governance, and EU-matters. In addition, the decision stipulates that statistics should be disaggregated by sex, and gender patterns should be commented upon.
In Sweden, all committees of inquiry are required to analyse their proposals from a gender perspective, as stipulated by the Committees Ordinance.
Since the 2000s, the Swedish government has been implementing gender budgeting. Following the government's commitment to gender-responsive budgeting, incorporating a gender equality perspective into the entire budget bill process is thus mandatory. This approach ensures that gender equality considerations are integral to the evaluation and decision-making for new reforms and initiatives right from their inception. Additionally, gender equality analyses are required for presenting outcomes and introducing new policy directions, supported by specific guidelines on integrating gender perspectives into budget-related work.
Government Offices of Sweden, Ministry of Employment, Division for Gender Equality (2019). Sweden’s report on Beijing +25.
 The government has introduced a five-step-tool for gender budgeting called BUDGe, which is readily available for policymakers and public agencies.
Government Offices of Sweden (n.d.). BUDGe for Gender Equality – a Swedish tool for gender budgeting
 The instructions for gender budgeting in the government offices align with the government decision guiding gender mainstreaming in government offices for the period 2021-2025.
According to the Swedish report on Beijing +25 (2019),
Government Offices of Sweden, Ministry of Employment, Division for Gender Equality (2019). Sweden’s report on Beijing +25.
 the national budget includes a specific allocation for gender equality initiatives, ranging from SEK 200–480 million annually, based on government proposals and parliamentary decisions.
In the period of 2015-2019, more than 90% of this funding focused on addressing men’s violence against women. Additional funds were allocated across other policy areas for gender equality efforts, such as improving women's health and enhancing staffing in healthcare and elderly care sectors.
 Sweden also practices gender-responsive budgeting in its international development cooperation, with a significant portion of its ODA being gender mainstreamed or targeted towards gender equality efforts, supported by a global strategy for gender equality with substantial funding.
Government Offices of Sweden, Ministry of Employment, Division for Gender Equality (2019). Sweden’s report on Beijing +25.

Coordinative responsibilities and supportive structures

The Division for Gender Equality, which is part of the Ministry of Employment, is responsible for overseeing gender equality policy, conducting gender-sensitive analyses, and coordinating gender mainstreaming processes, including gender budgeting. The Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life, also situated within the Ministry of Employment, oversees the overall gender equality efforts.
Each ministry has a gender mainstreaming coordinator and develops an action plan for implementing the government decision on gender mainstreaming and mechanisms. These plans include mechanisms such as government assignments to agencies to further support gender mainstreaming, e.g. assignments to develop sector-specific gender mainstreaming strategy proposals. The Government’s latest development programme for gender mainstreaming in government agencies 2020-2025 aims to strengthen agencies’ gender mainstreaming efforts to ensure that their activities contribute even more effectively to the achievement of the national gender equality policy objectives.
The Swedish Gender Equality Agency, established in 2018 under the Ministry of Employment, oversees two development programs focused on gender mainstreaming in government agencies and Swedish higher education, respectively.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency. (n.d.). Goverment agencies and higher education institutions.
 The agency is mandated to support gender mainstreaming implementation, enhance coordination, monitor progress, and report on the Swedish gender equality policy goals. The agency collaborates with governmental agencies, Swedish higher education institutions, municipalities, businesses, and industry. One aspect of the programs involves providing training, facilitating knowledge sharing and disseminating best practices among relevant agencies and institutions. In 2020, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency became part of the Government’s development programme for Gender Mainstreaming in Government Agencies’ (GMGA) network, which focuses on mainstreaming gender considerations in all agency operations. As a partner in GMGA, the agency commits to assessing impacts disaggregated by gender, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to gender mainstreaming in climate policies.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
An evaluation of the GMGA from 2019 shows that the programme has prompted a greater number of government agencies to gender mainstream their operational approaches.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (2020.) Gender mainstreaming in government agencies.
 A new model (GMGA+) is focusing on advancing the gender mainstreaming in government agencies, with a specific emphasis on developing and implementing a model for systematic knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices in relation to gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting in the public sector.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (2020.) Gender mainstreaming in government agencies.
 To achieve this, the agency is collaborating with National Financial Management Authority, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish Research Council.
By 2022, 58 government agencies were actively engaged in forming strategic action plans for gender mainstreaming.
Swedish Gender Equality Agency (n.d.). Government agencies and higher education institutions.
 The most recent cohort of government agencies to be involved in GMGA+ are agencies that work in environment, just transition and climate change, as pointed out by an International Coordinator and Senior Advisor at the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, which demonstrate notable efforts in terms of gender mainstreaming in climate policy and by that implementing the UNFCCC GAP.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, each host a UNFCCC NGCCFPs exemplifying Sweden's commitment to integrate gender in climate policies and actions. These focal points facilitate national and international coordination on the implementation of the UNFCCC GAP. The Gender Equality Focal Point at Gender Equality Agency also represents the agency in the Oversight committee of Sweden’s Just Transition Fund (EU-financing mechanism) and in the EU Advisory Committee on Gender Equality.
Additionally, inter-ministerial coordinators within each ministry ensure the integration of gender and climate considerations into budget propositions, promoting coherence in policy and action. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency holds a Gender Mainstreaming Coordinator, coordinating cooperation with other agencies while also proactively engaging in initiatives to further this agenda.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries

National draft strategy for implementing the UNFCCC GAP

The Swedish government has shown support for implementing the UNFCCC GAP, by commissioning the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency to formulate a strategy for the national implementation. The strategy is developed in cooperation with the Swedish Gender Equality Agency and offers a translation of the UNFCCC GAP priority areas into a Swedish national governance context.
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Draft strategy – considering and integrating gender equality aspects at Sweden's implementation of The Paris Agreement.
 The strategy includes a status of the current realisation of the UNFCCC GAP priority areas and associated objectivities and suggests recommendations for further improvement, such as:
  • Clarifying mandates, organisation, and responsibilities for gender mainstreaming in national climate policies, implementation, and follow-up.
  • Ensuring that gender equality aspects are considered and that gender equality analyses are conducted during the introduction, implementation, and follow-up of climate control agents.
  • Promoting funding for research linked to both gender equality and climate change.
  • Strengthening coordination among academia, agencies, civil society, and the private sector to integrate gender equality more effectively within the climate area.
  • Developing the production and availability of sex-disaggregated climate statistics related to emission reduction, climate effects, and climate adaptation.
The draft strategy for instance outlines the national implementation of priority area C on ‘Coherence’ as follows:
“Nationally, coherence is promoted at the Government Offices, where gender equality and climate coordinators are present in each department to ensure that the issues are integrated into the work and the budget process. Gender equality is to be integrated into all budget areas, and climate is a cross-cutting area that is analysed and integrated into all budget appropriations. The government is running a development program for gender mainstreaming in agencies, where the goal is for each participating agency to continue to develop its core activities so that they contribute to gender equality policy.”
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Draft strategy – considering and integrating gender equality aspects at Sweden's implementation of The Paris Agreement.
Sweden's gender mainstreaming, including initiatives such as the GMGA, the formulation of gender action plans within ministries and agencies, inter-ministerial working groups, designated gender mainstreaming coordinators, and cooperation with gender experts, alongside gender budgeting and impact assessments, demonstrates a robust framework and political will to perform gender mainstreaming across policy areas, including in the area of climate policy. This approach of Sweden fosters more effective gender mainstreaming, by creating synergies and is supported by the alignment with international policies of both the UNFCCC GAP and the SDGs.

4.3.6 Summary of Priority area C: Gender balance, participation, and women’s leadership

Priority area C in the UNFCCC GAP focuses on translating international policies into national governance, emphasising coherent gender mainstreaming across various offices and levels, particularly regarding the UNFCCC GAP objectives. This coherence relies on political will and is crucial for effective gender mainstreaming. Efforts under priority area C include supporting the UNFCCC GAP implementation through policies and legislative frameworks facilitating gender mainstreaming, such as systematic gender budgeting and impact assessments.
This review finds that the Nordic countries exhibit diverse approaches to gender mainstreaming within their national policy and legislative frameworks. Denmark’s Gender Equality Act mandates public authorities to promote gender equality systematically across planning and administration, yet the current Gender Action Plans lack specific measures on gender equality in relation to climate policies. Gender impact assessments of new bills are supported by Danish legislation, which means that all bill proposals must be relevance tested to decide if a gender impact assessment is to be conducted. However, the strategy document guiding this procedure of GIAs, including the first step of the relevance test, indicates that GIAs are mostly relevant in policy areas outside the technical domains of, for instance, construction, which could be argued to weaken the political will and support for gender mainstreaming in climate policy, including crucial sectors such as construction and other STEM-related fields, with a high emphasis on technical matters. In Finland, the Act on Equality between Women and Men requires authorities to promote gender equality actively, leading to the inclusion of gender perspectives in budget drafts and legislative reforms. Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) are mandated for educational institutions and workplaces, enhancing gender mainstreaming at local and regional levels. Regarding Finland, it is worth highlighting that the recent gender action plan (2020-2023) formulated by the former government includes climate change as one of six priority areas where gender equality shall be included, demonstrating political will and support for gender mainstreaming in climate policy. Iceland emphasises gender mainstreaming in policymaking through its Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights Irrespective of Gender. Since 2009, gender budgeting has been a mandatory practice, integrated into decision-making processes and daily operations, structured around five-year plans to ensure gender considerations in strategic planning and budget proposals. In the resolution of the recent Gender Equality Plan (2020-2023) of Iceland, gender mainstreaming in climate and environmental policy and projects is highlighted, which – like in Finland – indicates political will and support in terms of integrating gender equality in climate policy. Norway’s Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act mandates public authorities to engage actively in the promotion and reporting of equality. Despite the lack of legal requirements for gender budgeting, it is reported that various ministries fund gender equality initiatives with efforts to incorporate gender equality considerations into budget planning. Sweden’s gender equality policy, based on the Discrimination Act, adopts gender mainstreaming as its longstanding central strategy, requiring committees of inquiry to analyse proposals from a gender perspective. The Division for Gender Equality coordinates gender-sensitive analysis and mainstreaming processes, including gender budgeting, which is mandatory. Ministries and agencies are encouraged to develop their own strategic gender action plans for gender mainstreaming, supported by the government programme GMGA(+), resulting in gender action plans from 58 government agencies by 2022, including climate-relevant agencies. In addition, The Swedish government tasked the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, in collaboration with the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, to create a strategy for integrating the UNFCCC GAP into Sweden's national context, resulting in a national strategy document (2021), demonstrating commitment and action towards gender mainstreaming the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Finland, Iceland, and Sweden showcase collaborative measures across ministries and institutions, such as inter-departmental working groups, experts and/or coordinators focusing on gender mainstreaming within the area of climate policy. In Sweden, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, for instance, hosts both a UNFCCC National Gender and Climate Change Focal Point and a Gender Mainstreaming Coordinator and demonstrates continuous collaboration with the Gender Equality Agency. In Iceland, appointed gender experts within each ministry and inter-ministerial steering groups are responsible for the implementation of gender budgeting – a process that is overseen by a gender budgeting steering committee led by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, with participation from all ministries. Finland also applies a coordinated approach to gender mainstreaming across its government through working groups within every ministry. These groups, made up of senior management and experts, are tasked with the planning and execution of gender mainstreaming initiatives in their specific areas of policy and have mandate to make recommendations, monitor progress, etc. The Gender Equality Unit supports these groups, facilitating communication among ministries, e.g. by gathering the groups every two months to discuss and advance gender mainstreaming strategies.
In Norway, the UNFCCC National Gender and Climate Change Focal Point is placed in the Ministry of Climate and Environment. The review has not identified coordinated efforts focusing on implementing the UNFCCC GAP in the national, and specifically domestic context, of Denmark, where the role of the National Gender and Climate Change Focal Point is assigned to an advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The chapter thus highlights diverse approaches to gender mainstreaming in the Nordic countries, with Finland, Iceland, and Sweden demonstrating strong political will and collaborative efforts in integrating gender equality into climate policies through coordinated actions across ministries and institutions, while Denmark and Norway show varying degrees of commitment and practical application in gender mainstreaming initiatives in climate-relevant policies. The review thus shows a need for expanding awareness and gender expertise in climate-relevant ministries and agencies.

4.4 Priority area D: Gender-responsive implementation and means of implementation

Priority area D focuses on the gender-responsive implementation of climate policies and the key elements and tools of gender mainstreaming to achieve this objective. The priority area entails the involvement of gender experts in formulating climate policies and conducting GIAs as well as gender budgeting initiatives. Moreover, the chapter investigates how gender-responsive central climate policy documents are.
The first section, ‘4.4.1 Involvement of gender experts’, presents examples of involvement of relevant organisations and institutions with expertise in gender equality - a central component of gender mainstreaming. The chapter then goes on to outline identified climate-relevant cases of gender impact assessments and gender budgeting, in the section ‘4.4.2 Gender impact assessments and gender budgeting’ as both measures are central aspects of gender mainstreaming. While this review focuses primarily on the Nordic countries' domestic climate policies and includes cases on a regional and local level, another recent report evaluates the Nordic countries’ (except Iceland) efforts to integrate gender considerations in climate finance and development policies. Findings from this study are presented in ‘4.4.3 Gender responsiveness in foreign- and international development policy’ in relation to climate change, which includes a screening of all five countries’ recent Biennial Reports submitted to the UNFCCC. In the following section ‘4.4.4. Implementation of the BPfA’, the recent national review reports (2019) on implementing the Beijing Declaration's priority areas of concern are screened, as these documents offer insights into member states' achievements and challenges in gender equality and climate action.
In ‘4.4.5. Gender-responsiveness in selected key climate policy documents’ the review goes into more depth in screening two selected climate policy documents – available in all five countries. The documents examined for gender responsiveness are recent national climate action plans from each country and the Long-term low-emission strategies submitted to the UNFCCC. These documents outline strategies for achieving climate mitigation targets, transitioning to renewable energy, and ensuring a just transition to net zero emissions by mid-century. The country-specific section will also include additional documents that add to the data and insights of this review. These documents have not been systematically collected and may not be available in all countries.

4.4.1 Involvement of gender experts

As described in chapter 4.3 on Coherence, both Sweden, Iceland and Finland have coordinated efforts and structures supporting the collaboration between the inter-governmental gender equality departments or -units and the climate-relevant ministries and agencies. In addition, concerning Sweden, it was mentioned in chapter 4.1, that the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has invited researchers with expertise in climate, environment, gender, and democracy to facilitate lectures for the agency’s offices as part of an initiative for capacity-building and knowledge strengthening. Such a proactive approach to involve non-governmental experts in gender equality or gender just green transition, have not been identified in domestic climate work in Norway and Denmark.
When inquired about inclusion of assisting competences for gender mainstreaming in green transition policies, the Norwegian Ministry for Climate and Energy replied that knowledge in these areas is primarily gathered through engagements with experts, organisations, businesses, and others with expertise on the subject, without specifying aside from highlighting the NCM and the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Gender Equality as the most important collaboration partners.
Interview with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, Jan. 2024
In the case of Denmark, a response from the Gender Equality Department in the Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality, no examples of collaboration with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities were mentioned.
E-mail-based questionnaire with the Danish Gender Equality Department. Dec. 2023.
 In a joint comment from various Danish ministry, however, it is noted that the Danish Institute for Human Rights (Institut for Menneskerettigheder) promotes, evaluates, and monitors gender equality in Denmark and fights discrimination based on gender. The Institute is also mandated to bring cases of a principal nature or cases of public interest to the Equal Treatment Board in Denmark.
In an interview conducted as part of this review a political advisor from Denmark’s Knowledge Centre for Gender and Equality, KVINFO, describes how the centre, in 2022, initiated a meeting with the former Minister of Environment to discuss gender equality in the environmental sector.
Interview w. Danish non-governmental stakeholder and gender expert, Nov. 2023
 As a result of this meeting, KVINFO was invited to a meeting with the legal team of the Ministry of Environment, where they gave a presentation on their analysis of GIAs of legislative proposals and engaged in a dialogue with the staff on how they could strengthen their work in this field.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
 (See 4.4.2 for details on KVINFOs analytical review of GIAs). In addition to communicating with the Minister of Environment, KVINFO has also contacted the Minister for Development and Global Climate Cooperation. Their meeting request has been accepted, but at the time of the interview in November 2023, it had not yet been scheduled. 
Before formulating a new climate and energy policy, Finland conducted an open public consultation on the interlinkage between gender and climate policies, inviting input from all interested stakeholders.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
 The consultation took the form of a workshop discussing how various policies might be gendered, which informed the subsequent GIA. The national Climate and Energy Strategy was assessed for its gender impact, in accordance with the Government Action Plan for Gender Equality. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment carried out the assessment in connection with the strategy update and commissioned the task to a research group consisting of Oxford Research, Equality Research Helsinki, and Gaia Consulting. However, although Finland is a leading example in terms of consultation in the Nordic countries (see also section 4.2.1), Finnish experts taking part in this review study express a wish for more proactive stakeholder involvement to ensure even more meaningful impact on the policy content. Despite the thoroughness of the GIA conducted for national Climate and Energy Strategy, the non-governmental stakeholders argue that there was no open dialogue regarding how to utilise the information. In that sense, the involvement process could be improved in the future. However, another challenge, one expert states, is that the current Government is drawing up a new Energy and Climate Policy without any planned process of involvement.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
In Iceland several academic experts have been consulted by governmental authorities on the issues of ensuring a gender-just green transition, both on national, regional, or municipal level. The University of Iceland has an agreement with the Government Offices of Iceland (national authority) and the City of Reykjavík (local authority) regarding student projects related to gender mainstreaming, including gender budgeting. These projects may take the form of final theses or as a project in the course Applied Gender Studies. As part of this collaboration, the national and local authorities have suggested that the students assess or evaluate policies and initiatives from a gender+ perspective, i.e. an intersectional approach. An expert on gender budgeting at the Ministry of Finances and Economic Affairs is the contact person for Government Offices, but all ministries participate including the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate. For the City of Reykjavík, an expert on gender budgeting at the Human Rights and Democracy Office is the contact person.
E-mail-based questionnaire with adjunct lecturer at the University of Iceland. Nov. 2023.

Out of the circle? Expanding the network of experts consulted

On the involvement of experts in formulating gender-responsive climate policies and ensuring a gender-just green transition, a non-governmental expert taking part in a focus group stated the following:
”I can see now that we [TEK - Academic Engineers & Architects in Finland] probably could have been more active [in getting involved in the process of gender impact assessing climate policy], but then again, you need to know where the places are - where you can impact. If you are out of the circle, so to speak, it is difficult to impact the circle. So, how do we make sure that we have the relevant stakeholders involved in these gender impact assessments?” (Research Manager at TEK (Academic Engineers & Architects in Finland)
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
These reflections point to a broader issue within the realm of gender-responsive policymaking, as some non-governmental experts of relevance, might not consider themselves just that because of various reasons, e.g. the technical framing of climate change and policy, suggesting that knowledge on gender equality is not relevant (as indicated in the strategy for gender impact assessments in Denmark from 2013). Secondly, the statement above highlights the importance of awareness and knowledge of the entry points for influence as a prerequisite to get involved. This suggests a need for greater transparency and communication from those orchestrating policy development processes about how and where stakeholders can contribute, particularly in areas as crucial as gender equality and just green transition. Moreover, the metaphor of being "out of the circle" vividly illustrates the exclusivity that can characterise policymaking circles and refer to findings presented in section 4.2.3 on the tendency to apply a narrow technical lens when scrutinising climate change and green transition. This framing and exclusivity risks preventing experts in gender equality from contributing with their insights and expertise, thereby limiting the scope and effectiveness of gender mainstreaming in climate policies. The rhetorical question in the quote above, about ensuring the involvement of relevant stakeholders in gender impact assessments further highlights the need for deliberate and strategic efforts to bridge this gap. It suggests that a proactive approach to stakeholder engagement is required, one that actively seeks out and incorporates gender experts into the conversation. This involves creating mechanisms for participation that are accessible and inviting to those outside traditional policy-making networks.

4.4.2 Gender impact assessments (GIA) and gender budgeting

In the following, we present the examples of GIA and gender budgeting that have been identified in this review. Information on the legislative framework and coordinating mechanisms supporting GIAs and gender budgeting, as well as monitoring, can be found in chapter 4.3 and chapter 4.5, respectively.  

Denmark

100% (153 of 153) of all legislative proposals presented in the 2022/2023 parliamentary session was relevance tested which is the initial step before conducting a gender impact assessment (see chapter 4.3.1). Of the 153 legislative proposals, 23 subsequently underwent a GIA.
Danish Ministry of Digital Government and Gender Equality (2023) Notification to the Danish Parliament's Gender Equality Committee regarding the gender equality assessment of legislative proposal 2022/23
 Of these 23 proposals, one proposal was put forward by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, relating to climate. It proposes the establishment of a hydrogen infrastructure in Denmark, intended to support the green transition and the development of PtX (Power-to-X), as well as a consolidation of the system responsibility for gas and electricity into one company.
Danish Parliament (2022). L 8 Proposal for legislation on a law amendment of the Gas Supply Act, the Energinet Act, and the Electricity Supply Act; Dialogue with the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. Feb. 2024.
The Danish Climate Law,
Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities (2000). Notice of the Climate Act.
 which sets the goal of reducing CO2 emission by 70% in 2030 compared to 1990 levels, however, underwent a relevance test to determine whether a GIA should be performed. This assessment concluded that the law had no gender impact, thus a comprehensive GIA was not conducted.
Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities (2020). Climate Action plan 2020.
In 2023, KVINFO carried out a review of the relevance testing and GIAs carried out across all ministries in Denmark. It shows that from 2005/2006 to 2021/2022, 303 legislative proposals across all Danish ministries were relevance tested. However, only about one in ten legislative proposals underwent a GIA.
KVINFO (2023). Equality assessment of legislative proposals
 It also showed that in the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities specifically, all 63 legislative proposals put forward in that period were relevance tested. However, of the relevance-tested proposals, only 2% of the bills presented by the Ministry underwent GIA. The review by KVINFO also shows that the Ministry of Employment conducts the most GIAs, followed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing. Conversely, several ministries, including the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Environment, have not performed any GIAs since 2016/2017.
According to Danish governmental authorities, “ligestillingsvurdering” translates into “gender impact assessment”

Finland 

In Finland, most ministries incorporate gender budgeting, providing summaries of expected gender equality impacts in their budget proposals. These summaries are monitored yearly, and the findings are reported to both the Ministry for Gender Equality and the Parliament during the budget process. However, in this review it has not been possible to bring forward examples of gender budgeting in the realm of climate policy.
Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019). Comprehensive national-level review: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).
Gender impact assessment of the Climate and Energy Strategy
In accordance with the Government Action Plan for Gender Equality 2020-2023,
Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2021). Making Finland a global leader in gender equality: Government action plan for gender equality 2020–2023
 the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment commissioned a GIA of the Finnish Climate and Energy Strategy in 2021.
Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (2022). Carbon Neutral Finland 2035 – National Climate and Energy Strategy; Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (2021). Gender Impact Assessment of the Finnish Climate and Energy Strategy
The GIA examined 101 policy measures proposed for the (at the time forthcoming) National Climate and Energy Strategy and their gender impacts within the following sectors: energy production, construction and buildings, transport, industry, the service sector, and agriculture. The results of the GIA are visible in the strategy, but also published as the separate document, Gender Impact Assessment of the Finnish Climate and Energy Strategy.
Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (2021). Gender Impact Assessment of the Finnish Climate and Energy Strategy
 According to the GIA, the proposed policy measures will directly impact economic activity and employment in the following male-dominated sectors: energy production, construction, transport, industrial production, and forestry. Whilst some male-dominated jobs, especially those related to fossil fuels, will be lost, the overall impact of policy measures in these sectors will be positive. However, the proposed policy measures will have a negative impact on female-dominated fields within the services sector, such as consumer services, tourism, and restaurant services. Also, the proposed policy measures place more emphasis on the involvement of men in climate policy, as the measures focus mainly on male-dominated sectors, target men’s consumption habits and include technical solutions that are statistically more appealing to men than women.
Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (2021). Gender Impact Assessment of the Finnish Climate and Energy Strategy
As mentioned earlier, the GIA was conducted by an external group of consultants who were guided by a working group chaired by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, including representatives from other relevant ministries. Although the Government’s Action Plan for Gender Equality 2020–2023 is formulated by the previous government, and thus does not apply to the current Government, it still pertains to the Climate and Energy Strategy until a new strategy is formulated. As noted already, the current Government is drawing up a new Energy and Climate Strategy by the time of writing this review.

Iceland

As gender budgeting is mandatory on governmental level, including all Icelandic ministries and agencies, it is presumed that the Icelandic gender budgeting practice is applied by the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate. This is supported by the fact that the governments’ recent 5-year plan on gender budgeting, which mentions the relevance of performing gender budgeting specifically in relation to environmental affairs, transportation, and rural development among other fields.
Icelandic Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (2019). Five-year plan for gender budgeting 2019-2023
”How the government's budget is allocated has significant gender effects, as gender gaps exist in all areas of society. Decisions in the fields of transportation, rural development, education, welfare, law enforcement, environmental, and foreign affairs have an impact on the status of genders, and the effects are even more pronounced when considering individuals who face multiple forms of discrimination.”
Icelandic Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (2019). Five-year plan for gender budgeting 2019-2023
Gender budgeting in the City of Reykjavík
Reykjavík City has implemented gender budgeting across all departments. Gender budgeting and all gender mainstreaming work is facilitated by a Gender Budgeting Project Manager. Written instructions and video guides for gender budgeting and gender analysis are available online.
Reykjavik City (n.d.). Gender Budgeting
 All new projects under Reykjavík City are subjected to a gender analysis carried out by City staff. The Gender Budgeting Project Managers subsequently delivers feedback. Reykjavik City has carried out gender budgeting analyses of nearly sixty service elements, and within the Department of Environment and Planning, the following have been subjected to gender budgeting: Reykjavík parking service; Department of Nature and Gardens, and environment and outdoor activities; city land district depot, transportation and urban design; waste matters, garbage collection and disposal; the school of work; botanic garden and geospatial information; building commissioner, cycling plan and urban planning.
Reykjavík city (n.d.). GB analysis of city services.
 Furthermore, the city’s 2021 Climate strategy was subjected to a gender equality assessment (GIA). 
Gender Impact Assessment of the Climate Action Plan
In June 2022, the GIA of the current Icelandic Climate Action Plan (2020) named The Impact of Climate Action Measures – Cost-Benefit Analysis was published.
University of Iceland (2022), C22:01 Impact of climate action Cost and benefit assessment.
 The document includes impact assessments of various actions taken as part of climate initiatives, evaluating their financial costs and benefits and their broader impacts on society and the environment. The document includes a section on ‘Social Impact of Climate Actions’, where gender-related impacts are considered, particularly regarding mobility. The assessment notes that walking paths and bike lanes, which are promoted as part of the climate action plan, show differential usage patterns between men and women. Specifically, it states that bike paths tend to be utilised more by men, particularly those with higher incomes. In contrast, walking paths are more frequently used by women, especially those with lower incomes. This distinction highlights how different segments of the population, divided by gender and economic status, may experience climate-related initiatives differently. The assessment suggests that while bike paths might benefit high-income men more, low-income women are likely to gain the most from the development of walking paths. The impact assessment also focuses on the broader usage of different modes of transportation by gender. It shows that in Iceland, a higher proportion of men cycle compared to women (7% of men compared to 3% of women), whereas the use of public transport, like buses, does not show significant gender disparities. These insights indicate that gender considerations are an essential aspect of assessing the social impact of climate policies, as men and women, due to historically shaped structures and norms in society, have different preferences, needs and conditions concerning transportation, which is a key element in climate action strategies. (To learn more about these interlinkages see for instance, the report from 2021 by Norion on behalf of the NCM.)
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
Gender Impact Assessment of previous Climate Action Plan
In 2014, the report Climate Issues and Their Gender Impacts was published, containing a gender equality analysis of the government's previous climate action plan (2012-2015).
Icelandic Ministry of the Environment and Natural resources (2014). Climate issues and their gender implications.
 This GIA stated that climate actions mostly create jobs within masculine fields related to agriculture, mechanical- and technical work, which is due to the gender-segregated labour market. The assessment further concluded that women tend to have a lower carbon footprint than men due to different consumption patterns; women tend to eat less meat, use more public transportation, and carry out more environmentally friendly behaviour (which seems to be a general picture for the Nordic countries).
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
 The GIA thus concluded that special attention should be paid to consumption and lifestyle if the carbon footprint of women and men are to be the same.
Icelandic Ministry of the Environment and Natural resources (2014). Climate issues and their gender implications.
 The assessment report was the final report of Iceland's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources’ project on gender-responsive budgeting and fiscal planning initiated in 2011, covering the project's final phase and its main findings for the 2015 budget proposal.
Icelandic Ministry of the Environment and Natural resources (2014). Climate issues and their gender implications.
 The project aimed to incorporate gender perspectives into climate change policy, decision-making, and related actions. A significant focus of the project's final phase was on cultivating utility forests, with a particular emphasis on employment opportunities for women in this sector. The 2014-assessment report thus emphasis the necessity for systemic changes to address gender imbalances in climate-related policies and actions and underscore the importance of gender mainstreaming every stage of climate policy planning and implementation.
Gender equality assessment of environmental issues
In the 2022 status report mapping gendered aspects of every Icelandic department of government ministries, the relation between environmental and equality issues is highly emphasised, and it is stated that positive outcomes in one category benefit the other.
Icelandic Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Finance and Economy (2022). Mapping gender perspectives Status Report 2022
 It is argued that the main challenge in assessing the gender impacts in environmental issues is that the direct effects of actions and decision-making in a specific category (energy, forestry etc.) on individuals are often unclear. The report shows that in the government agreement, emphasis is placed on ensuring fair allocations and funding for all segments of society as a guiding principle in the green transition, e.g. ensuring inclusive access to financial resources for climate projects and ensuring that the funds reach the most diverse groups possible. 
Project: Gender and textile consumption
In 2020-2023, the Icelandic Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resource launched a project focusing on circular economy and textile waste, highlighting the gendered impacts of consumerism in fashion and textiles. The project aimed at raising awareness of the social and sustainable responsibility in textile production and consuming, and to improve conditions for women, both as manufacturers and as consumers. By integrating gender perspectives into waste prevention measures, the project also sought to promote green employment opportunities, address wage inequality, and enhance working conditions in the textile industry. The project was a collaboration between the Ministry, the Environment Agency of Iceland, the Consumer Agency, the Red Cross, the company Aftur, and Iceland University of the Arts focusing on gender and textile consumption.
Icelandic Prime Minister’s Office (2019). Proposal for Parliamentary Resolution on a Gender Equality Action Programme for the period of 2020–2023
 

Norway

This review has not found any concrete examples of GIAs in domestic climate policies in Norway. The Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment points out that the responsibility of working with GIAs lies with the department responsible for the relevant policies (e.g., the Ministry of Finance for taxes and duties and the Ministry of Transport for transport policy).
Interview with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, Jan. 2024
The Ministry of Climate and Environment is in the initial phase of launching an investigation aimed at enhancing the understanding of the distributional effects of climate policy, including its impact on gender. In the White Paper 26 (2022-2023) Climate in Change – Together for a Climate-Resilient Society, the Norwegian government states its intention to acquire more knowledge on how climate changes and climate adaptation can affect gender equality across various sectors in Norway. This will be done, among other things, in connection with the work on a national climate vulnerability analysis, where the gender equality perspective is one of several cross-cutting themes that will be explored.
Interview with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, Jan. 2024
When consulted concerning this review, the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment stated that gender perspectives are integrated into the international collaboration in the field of climate and environment. In financing climate activities through international developing programmes, the Ministry furthermore states that it prioritises gender, focusing on the distinct impacts of climate change on men and women, including supporting indigenous communities with projects targeting gender as a primary objective, e.g. by championing sexual and reproductive health rights.
Interview with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, Jan. 2024
 (See more on gender mainstreaming efforts in foreign- and international development policy in relation to climate change in 4.4.3.)
Gender impact assessment in Oslo Municipality
On a local level, Oslo Municipality carried out a GIA as part of their bicycle strategy process.
Oslo Municipality (2014). Oslo bicycle strategy 2015 – 2025: How Oslo becomes a better bicycle city
 A key finding was that there are considerable differences in bicycle use between different groups of the population and districts of Oslo. Notably, sex-disaggregated data showed that only one out of three cyclists are women. The strategy of the municipality especially highlights safety as a factor that will secure a more balanced cycling distribution across Oslo, with multiple benefits for equality, environment, land use, and climate. As a result of the GIA, gender dimensions are integrated into Oslo Municipality’s Oslo bicycle strategy 2015-2025. The strategy focuses on increasing the populations’ cycling to promote less space-demanding and more climate-friendly transport in the city. 

Sweden

The Swedish draft strategy for gender mainstreaming the implementation of the Paris Agreement, states that gender equality should be integrated into all budget areas, and that climate is a cross-cutting area that is analysed and integrated into all budget appropriations. Each department in the Government Offices has gender equality- and climate coordinators that ensure that these issues are integrated into the work and the budget process.
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Draft strategy – considering and integrating gender equality aspects in Sweden's implementation of The Paris Agreement.
 However, in this review it has not been possible to collect examples of how gender budgeting have been applied in the realm of climate policy. In the process of this review, some stakeholders have noted that the degree to which gender budgeting is implemented can vary across different government departments and agencies.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
Sweden requires all ministries and committees of inquiry to analyse proposals from a gender perspective, as stipulated by the Committees Ordinance.
The Swedish Institute (SI) & The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) (2019). Guide to Gender Mainstreaming
 However, in this review it has not been possible to access concrete examples of such analyses within climate policy and green transition.
At a municipal and regional level GIAs and gender analyses are conducted in specific sectors. A recent study finds that in their Regional Action Plan for Climate Adaptation, especially Norbotten and Västra Götaland emphasises social equality, including questions on gender in addition to class, income, Indigeneity, and age.
Arora-Jonsson, S. & Wahlström, N. (2022) ‘Unraveling the production of ignorance in climate policymaking: The imperative of a decolonial feminist intervention for transformation.’
 Additionally, Umeå municipality includes gender equality as one of the goals in their Climate Contract,
Umeá Municipal (2022), Climate contract 2030 Between the municipality of Umeå and the authorities The Energy Agency, Vinnova, Formas, the Agency for Growth, the Swedish Transport Agency, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and Viable Cities
 developed as part of the Viable Cities Network.
Viable Cities (2024). Together for climate-neutral cities
 The Viable Cities network is a national platform and innovation initiative for climate-neutral and sustainable cities. In their climate contract, the municipality states that Umeå should be a center for gender equal city planning.

4.4.3 Gender responsiveness in foreign- and international development policy

While this review focuses primarily on the domestic climate policy of the Nordic countries, another recent report, Climate Finance and Gender: Lessons from Nordic Efforts to integrate gender equality in Climate-related development finance (in the following, Climate Finance and Gender report) offers an evaluation of gender mainstreaming in climate projects and climate-related development policies. The scope of the report includes Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in the period from 2012 to 2021. It describes how gender considerations have been incorporated into climate finance and provides recommendations for enhancing gender mainstreaming in this area. The report is based on an analysis of key climate policy documents and strategies from the Nordic countries (except Iceland), focusing on their commitment to gender equality in the context of climate finance in development policy and projects. Assessing the policies and projects, the researchers apply the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Gender Equality Markers.
The Climate Finance and Gender report assesses several national UNFCCC submissions from the respective countries, including the Biennial Reports (BRs). The following is a summary of the analyses of BRs from the Climate Finance and Gender report. Since Iceland is not included in the Climate Finance and Gender report, a brief screening of Iceland’s BRs has been added as part of this review in-hand.

Biennial Reports

As part of the UNFCCC's transparency framework, Parties are required to submit biennial reports (BRs) to the UNFCCC every second year. The BRs are comprehensive reports prepared by annex II Parties (developed country Parties), hence the five Nordic countries. The purpose of the BRs is to monitor and report on progress in emission reduction efforts, as well as the provision of financial, technological, and capacity-building assistance to developing countries (non-annex I Parties), which are especially vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.
UNFCCC (n.d.). Parties & Observers ; “Annex II Parties consist of the OECD members of Annex I, but not the EIT Parties. They are required to provide financial resources to enable developing countries to undertake emissions reduction activities under the Convention and to help them adapt to adverse effects of climate change.” (https://unfccc.int/parties-observers)
 The assessment of both the 4th BR (submitted in 2020) and the 5th BR (submitted in 2022), as presented in the Climate Finance and Gender report and as assessed in this review (Iceland), leads to the following conclusions.
Inka Consult (2023). Climate Finance and Gender: Lessons from Nordic efforts to integrate gender equality in Climate-related development finance
In the fourth BR (BR4), Denmark mentions that SDG5 for Gender Equality is one of the priority SDGs targeted by the development cooperation strategy The World 2030. Denmark’s fifth BR (BR5) includes project overviews, a few of which include mentions of gender equality. In its BR4 and BR5, Finland states that gender equality is promoted through the country's development policy alongside climate resilience and low-emission development. In both the BR4 and BR5, Sweden stresses the significance of gender justice in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and commits to integrating gender equality in climate development policy. Sweden reports on the level of gender-responsive measures in its climate finance information, and states that the reason for this is to be able to track purposes, encourage further gender mainstreaming, and inspire other actors to do likewise.
Inka Consult (2023). Climate Finance and Gender: Lessons from Nordic efforts to integrate gender equality in Climate-related development finance
 Norway does not mention gender equality considerations in its climate finance reporting in BR4 or BR5.
Inka Consult (2023). Climate Finance and Gender: Lessons from Nordic efforts to integrate gender equality in Climate-related development finance
 In Iceland’s BR5, the disproportionate impact of climate change on women is emphasised, and Iceland's role in promoting gender aspects in international climate discussions is highlighted.
The BR5 from Iceland, which is combined with its Eight National Communication (another UNFCCC submission), has been screened as part in this current review.
 Gender is mentioned in relation to collaborations with organisations like UN Women and WEDO, and specific projects, as well as two specific programmes: The GRO Centre's training programs, including the GRO Gender Equality Studies and Training Program and the GEST Program focusing on educating and training on gender and climate change, aiming to enhance local capacity for gender-responsive climate strategies in countries like Uganda and Malawi.
UNFCCC (2023). Iceland. National Communication (NC). NC 8. Biennial Reports (BR). BR5.
Based on the conclusions drawn in the Climate Finance and Gender report, the following insights into the gender mainstreaming efforts in foreign – and international development policy in the area of climate can be summarised:
Sweden's adoption of the world's first feminist foreign policy in 2014 has catalysed a comprehensive integration of gender considerations within its foreign- and international development policy in relation to climate action, establishing a precedent for gender-responsive climate finance. According to the study, Sweden showed a high level of gender mainstreaming in its climate finance, although there has been a recent decline. Finland's policies and strategies consistently emphasise capacity building, knowledge dissemination, and promoting women's participation and leadership in climate-related activities. This approach demonstrates Finland's dedication to addressing the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change and underscores the importance of gender considerations in enhancing the effectiveness of climate action. Denmark's foreign- and international development climate policy is grounded in a legislative framework mandating the integration of gender considerations across all government planning and administration. However, despite this Denmark's explicit gender mainstreaming in foreign- and international development policy in relation to climate change, particularly within strategies such as A Green and Sustainable World, has been somewhat limited. While acknowledging potential synergies between green transitions, climate adaptation, and gender equality, Denmark's strategies lack detailed plans for operationalising these principles in the context of foreign climate finance, indicating room for enhanced integration of gender considerations. Norway's strategic documents reflect a clear commitment to gender mainstreaming in its foreign- and international development climate policy, emphasising the importance of gender equality in climate action. According to the study, however, Norway reported the lowest levels of gender integration among the four Nordic countries.
Inka Consult (2023). Climate Finance and Gender: Lessons from Nordic efforts to integrate gender equality in Climate-related development finance
 In Norway’s recently launched Action Plan for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Foreign and Development Policy (2023–2030),
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2023), A just world is an equal world. Action plan for women's rights and gender equality in Norway's foreign and development policy (2023-2030)
 the need for gender mainstreaming in climate policy is emphasised, recognising that climate change impacts people differently based on gender. The Action Plan highlights the urgency of gender mainstreaming in climate policies and financing mechanisms and the priority to ensure women’s participation in climate-related negotiations and decision-making processes. Although this reflects a proactive attitude toward embedding gender considerations in climate policy in foreign- and international development, non-governmental stakeholders highlight a concerning lack of emphasis and concrete actions regarding the integration of gender aspects into Norway’s domestic climate policy initiatives.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
 As described in chapter 4.4.3, studies indicate that there is also space for improvement is also identified in terms of gender mainstreaming foreign – and international development policy. Iceland collaborates with international women’s organisations on international training programmes, focusing on capacity building for gender-responsive climate strategies in development countries as mentioned in the above.
One of the primary insights from the study behind the Climate Finance and Gender report is the observation that while there is a general commitment in these Nordic countries to address climate change and gender as cross-cutting issues, the approach often lacks depth. Gender mainstreaming in climate projects frequently appears to be a 'box-ticking' exercise, where gender considerations are mentioned or briefly included but not integrated. The study notes that about 60% of Nordic climate finance in recent years does not prioritise gender as a significant policy objective. One of the researchers behind the report participated in the focus group informing this review and argued that the climate projects and climate-related development policies of the Nordic countries were not aiming for a truly transformative or intersectional approaches in gender mainstreaming.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries
The Climate Finance and Gender report concludes that there are significant inconsistencies in the application of gender mainstreaming across climate finance.
Inka Consult (2023). Climate Finance and Gender: Lessons from Nordic efforts to integrate gender equality in Climate-related development finance
 For example, while gender equality is a stated fundamental value, the actual implementation in climate-related activities often fails to address the root causes of systemic gender biases and unequal power relations effectively. The gender mainstreaming in climate policies often lacks clarity and commitment to specific gender-related goals or initiatives within climate action.
Moreover, the report emphasises the need for enhanced transparency in reporting on gender mainstreaming and recommends adopting systematic approaches to ensure that gender mainstreaming becomes an integral and effective part of climate finance strategies.
Inka Consult (2023). Climate Finance and Gender: Lessons from Nordic efforts to integrate gender equality in Climate-related development finance
 Finally, the report concludes that there is a need for more consistent gender mainstreaming across all types of climate finance and projects, with a focus on viewing women not just as victims of climate change but as agents of change, and by that aligning with priority area A in the UNFCCC GAP, which encourages an understanding of “the role of women as agents of change and on opportunities for women”.
UNFCCC Gender Action Plan (n.d.)
 The conclusions in the Climate Finance and Gender-report calls for a shift from the current practice of merely acknowledging gender issues to actively incorporating gender transformative strategies in climate projects.
Inka Consult (2023). Climate Finance and Gender: Lessons from Nordic efforts to integrate gender equality in Climate-related development finance

4.4.4 Implementation of the BPfA

The national ‘Beijing +25’ review reports are part of global efforts to evaluate progress toward the goals set by the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), adopted in 1995. These reports, submitted by member states in 2019, are relevant when reviewing UN member states' efforts in implementing the UNFCCC GAP as the reports provide a comprehensive overview of progress and challenges in gender equality and women's empowerment, including in the context of climate action.
UN Women (n.d.). CSW64 preparations.
In Section One of the UN Women's questionnaire guiding the national review report, countries must outline their top five priorities for accelerating progress for women and girls over the next five years regarding laws, policies, and programmes. Out of a list of 17 priorities that the countries can choose, two focus on gender equality in climate policies and green transition, namely “Strengthening women’s participation in ensuring environmental sustainability” and “Gender-responsive disaster risk prevention, reduction and resilience building”. None of the five Nordic countries have selected these options among their top five priorities. Rather, common proposed priorities across the Nordic countries in 2020-2025 comprise central gender equality issues such as eliminating gender-based violence, eliminating the gender pay gap, and promoting equality and non-discrimination.
UN Women (n.d.). Expert Group Meeting: Beijing +25: Current context, emerging issues and prospects for gender equality and women’s rights.
 This shows that the Nordic countries have many important priorities in accelerating progress for women and girls. Furthermore, while gender equality in environmental sustainability does not in itself constitute a top priority selected above predominant gender equality issues in the Nordic, it cannot thereby be concluded that gender mainstreaming of environmental sustainability is not prioritised.
In Section Two, countries are asked to detail their progress in integrating gender perspectives into environmental conservation, disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and mitigation policies. Specifically, the countries are asked the two following questions “What actions has your country taken in the last five years to integrate gender perspectives and concerns into environmental policies? and “what actions has your country taken in the last five years to integrate gender perspectives into policies and programmes for disaster risk reduction, climate resilience and mitigation?” By examining the answers to such questions in the national review reports, focusing on certain sections, information on how gender perspectives have been integrated into climate policies and actions can be identified. In the following, the content of the national reports dealing with climate-relevant questions is summarised.

Denmark

In Denmark's approach to integrating gender perspectives into environmental policies, there has been a focus on "Strengthened evidence and/or raised awareness about gender-specific environmental and health hazards." According to the Danish review report, this prioritisation includes no climate-related initiatives. In integrating gender perspectives into disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and mitigation policies, the focus has been on supporting women's participation and leadership, particularly those affected by disasters, and on strengthening the evidence base and awareness about the unique vulnerabilities of women and girls to environmental impacts. These prioritised areas aim to enhance the resilience and mitigation efforts through inclusive policies and programs, addressing the specific needs and challenges faced by women and girls in disaster situations.
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019). Comprehensive national review report Beijing+25: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)

Finland

Finland's actions to integrate gender perspectives into environmental policies and programs have focused on supporting women's participation in environmental management, raising awareness about gender-specific environmental hazards, promoting education in STEM fields related to the environment, ensuring women's equal opportunities in the green economy, and monitoring the impact of environmental policies on women and girls. The Ministry of the Environment's equality plan (2018-2021) and Finland's participation in the Equal by 30 campaigns exemplify these efforts, aiming to enhance gender equality in the energy sector and incorporate equality assessments in law drafting and strategic planning. Incorporating gender perspectives into climate policy and disaster risk management, Finland has focused on promoting women's leadership in these areas and strengthening gender-responsive legislation. Alongside assessing the equality impact of its 2030 Climate Policy Plan, Finland has highlighted its commitment to enhancing women's roles in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience, as well as implementing laws that address the vulnerability of women in disasters.
Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019). Comprehensive national-level review: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).


Iceland

Iceland’s approach includes gender-responsive budgeting, promoting women's participation in environmental governance, and ensuring gender considerations in disaster management. The report emphasises Iceland's policies and legislative frameworks supporting gender equality, alongside its efforts in international cooperation and national implementation of gender-focused actions. Climate is not directly mentioned within the report aside from a section on the Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development and in the list of ‘Civil Society Initiatives’ including several climate-related projects. In the section “Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development” it is noted that Iceland contributes to global SDG efforts, particularly in gender equality, sustainable energy, and environmental conservation.
Icelandic Government, Prime Minister’s Office (2019). Iceland’s report on Beijing +25: Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).

Norway

Norway highlights its active role in promoting gender concerns in international climate negotiations, especially in adaptation to climate change. Emphasis is placed on the importance of involving women in climate action due to their vulnerability to climate impacts. Additionally, initiatives to promote equality in farming are detailed, with specific measures to support women farmers and those involved in reindeer herding.
Norwegian Ministry of Culture (2019). Beijing +25: The situation of women and girls in Norway: Development, progress and measures 2014–2019.

Sweden

Sweden demonstrates in the report that it has taken multiple steps to incorporate gender perspectives into its environmental and climate policies. Activities include ensuring that Formas, a government research council, integrates gender equality in its research funding and operations. Such efforts are part of Sweden's broader commitment to mainstreaming gender in government agencies' operations. In the realm of international climate negotiations, Sweden has emphasised the inclusion of gender concerns, notably through its support for the Gender Action Plan at COP23 and promoting women's influence in climate change decisions at COP24. Furthermore, Sweden has sought to integrate gender equality in climate and environmental work on an international scale, evidenced by its influence during its chairmanship of the Nordic Environment Finance Cooperation (NEFCO) and its support for the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). Through these initiatives, Sweden aims to address the disproportionate impact of environmental degradation and climate change on women and children, enhancing their decision-making roles and improving their health and living conditions.
Government Offices of Sweden, Ministry of Employment, Division for Gender Equality (2019). Sweden’s report on Beijing +25.
Overall, the national review reports reveal varying degrees of commitment and specific strategies for integrating gender perspectives into environmental and climate policies. Denmark appears to have a narrower focus, emphasising awareness of gender-specific environmental hazards without direct initiatives for climate change. Finland showcases a comprehensive approach by supporting women's participation in environmental management and emphasising gender equality in the green economy and climate policies. Iceland, while promoting gender-responsive budgeting and participation in environmental governance, lacks direct mention of climate action in its report. Norway highlights its role in international climate negotiations and points to an awareness of women's vulnerabilities to climate impacts. Sweden demonstrates a proactive stance in incorporating gender equality into environmental and climate policies through research funding and international negotiations. It could be contended that the Beijing +25 review reports from all five countries tend to categorise women predominantly as a vulnerable group, leaving out initiatives and reflections that recognise women's roles as agents of change. This perspective contrasts sharply with one of the goals outlined in the UNFCCC GAP, which emphasises the necessity to enhance our understanding of the critical role women play as agents of change and the opportunities available to them (as stated in A.4 of the UNFCCC GAP).
UNFCCC (2020). Enhanced Lima work programme on gender and its gender action plan. Decision 3/CP.25.

4.4.5 Gender-responsiveness in selected key climate policy documents

In the following section, selected climate policy documents from each country are screened for gender-responsive measures. The selected climate policy documents include:
  • National climate action plans: The climate action plans are official government documents outlining each Nordic country's strategy and roadmap to achieve their respective climate mitigation targets. These plans serve as comprehensive policy documents that provide detailed information on how the nations intend to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, transition to renewable energy sources, and address various aspects of climate change. While the specific format and content may vary from country to country, these climate action plans typically include measures, policies, and sector-specific strategies to combat climate change, making them vital tools for guiding and tracking progress toward environmental sustainability and climate neutrality goals. The assessment of the climate action plans is based on the findings presented in the 2020-report by Norion, “How Climate How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in the Nordic countries”.
    Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
  • Long-term low-emission strategies (UNFCCC submission): In accordance with Article 4 of the Paris Agreement, all the Nordic countries have submitted long-term low-emission strategies to the UNFCCC in the recent period from 2020-2021. Following Article 4, paragraph 19, these strategies should aim for “just transitions to net zero emissions by mid-century”.
    UNFCCC (n.d.) Long-term Strategies Portal
In addition to these two types of climate policy documents, the country-specific sections in some cases also include other supplementing climate-relevant documents and/or regional or municipal cases identified or highlighted by contributors during this review. These additional documents have not been collected systematically across the five countries but have been suggested by contributors to the review.

4.4.6 Denmark

The Climate Action Plan (2020)

Gender is not explicitly addressed in the current Danish climate action plan.
Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities (2020). Climate Action plan 2020.
 The climate action plan does, however, refer to a principle within the climate law stipulating that decarbonisation measures should not compromise the strength of the welfare state or social stability. It emphasises the importance of maintaining “social balance”, which encompasses ensuring social coherence, including equal opportunities for citizens living in urban and rural areas during the green transition. It aims to safeguard livelihoods for those working in the oil and gas sector, prevent an increase in inequality due to the green transition, and mitigate carbon leakage. No indicators related to social balance and gender equality are proposed for monitoring the climate policies and action plans. As the climate action plan is not a legislative bill, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities has no direct obligation to conduct a GIA. Any bill proposals in the sector action plans will, however, be subject to relevancy testing, as described in Chapter 4.3.1. Since social balance does not seem to refer to gender equality, among other considerations, and no gender impact assessment has been performed on the plan, it is considered gender blind.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context

Long-term low-emission strategy (2020)

Denmark’s long-term low-emission strategy (2020) does, on the other hand, make an explicit connection between climate adaptation and gender equality.
Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities (2020). Climate Programme 2020, Denmark’s Mid-century, Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy
 It acknowledges that efforts towards a green transition and climate adaptation can align well with achieving other SDGs, particularly SDG 5, focusing on gender equality. The strategy further suggests that investments in areas crucial for women's empowerment, such as education, sexual and reproductive health, and rights, not only contribute to gender equality but also support broader climate and environmental goals. For instance, educating women and girls can lead to more informed and active participation in political and economic life; however, there is no elaboration on why and how this is essential for the green transition. The strategy emphasises the importance of the green transition not leading to job losses or increased inequality by creating new job opportunities, particularly in green sectors, and distributing the benefits of this transition more evenly across society, i.e. avoiding “unequal redistribution”. The strategy also emphasises a “socially just green transition” but lacks more specific measures indicating gender mainstreaming initiatives. However, this review finds the strategy to be gender-responsive since it explicitly highlights the potential benefits of taking gender equality into account in climate policy making.     

4.4.7 Finland 

The Climate Action Plan (2017)

As mentioned in 4.4.2 the Finnish Climate Action Plan, Government Report on Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan for 2030: Towards Climate-Smart Day-to-Day Living, Ministry of Environment (2017) included a GIA to ensure that climate decisions and measures promote gender equality and avoid discrimination.
Finnish Ministry of the Environment (2017). Government Report on Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan for 2030 Towards Climate-Smart Day-to-Day Living
 The document acknowledges that the Finnish labour market is highly gender-segregated and that climate objectives and measures might have a different impact on male- and female-dominated sectors. It further indicates that political participation, consumption patterns and attitudes toward climate change might be gendered. The GIA shows that gendered differences appear in climate-relevant areas such as mobility practices, eating habits, and how information campaigns are received. These gendered differences should ideally be considered when designing and implementing climate policies.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context; Ministry of the Environment (2017). Government Report on Medium-term Climate Change Policy Plan for 2030- To-wards Climate-Smart Day-to-Day Living
 All in all, the Climate Action Plan is considered gender responsive.

The long-term low-emission strategy (2020)

Finland's long-term low-emission strategy (2020) does not explicitly include gender aspects.
Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (2020). Finland’s long-term low greenhouse gas
emission development strategy
 It prioritises minimising emission reduction costs nationwide without a clear focus on regional justice, social justice, or gender equality. The strategy highlights the government's obligation to align climate action with human rights obligations and efforts to reduce inequality. However, this is more of a general statement rather than pointing to specific actions or policies geared towards gender equality or gender mainstreaming. Thus, the strategy document is not considered gender responsive, but comes across as gender blind.

4.4.8 Iceland 

The Climate Action Plan (2020)

The Icelandic Climate Action Plan acknowledges that climate change and climate actions will have a significant impact on the Icelandic society that may vary across societal groups such as gender, income, sector, inabilities etc.
Icelandic Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources (2020). Climate Action Plan
 The plan strives for equality, and all climate actions must be socially just and be aligned with the SDGs. Iceland has further initiated welfare monitoring to supplement economic growth measures to capture social and environmental development.
Icelandic Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources (2020). Climate Action Plan; Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
 In the climate action plan, it is stated that Iceland is working towards gender mainstreaming the plan, with reference to a paragraph in the plan that does not mention gender equality explicitly but states that the plan will be “assessed in terms of its impact on different income groups and analysed in terms of costs and benefits, including the macroeconomic impacts of actions. It is important to ensure that climate action supports efforts to increase equality and equal rights”.
Icelandic Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources (2020). Climate Action Plan
 In June 2022, the GIA of the Climate Action Plan was published. The result from this GIA is presented in 4.4.2. It reveals differing impacts of climate initiatives on men and women, particularly in mobility, and underlines the importance of integrating gender considerations into climate policies to ensure equitable benefits, as transportation preferences and needs vary significantly between genders due to societal norms and structures. Thus, the climate action plan can now be considered gender responsive as it explicitly addresses gender and gender mainstreaming intentions and has been gender impact assessed since.

Long-term low-emission strategy (2021)

Iceland's long-term low-emission strategy (2021) lacks specific expressions of gender aspects. It emphasises the impact of climate action on different income groups and the importance of a just transition but does not explicitly address gender equality or gender mainstreaming. It states that the National Climate Action Plan will be assessed regarding its impact on different income groups, as referred to in the above section.
Icelandic Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources (2021). On the Path to Climate Neutrality - Iceland’s Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy
 However, the strategy cannot be considered rather gender responsive.  

4.4.9 Norway

The Climate Action Plan (2020)

Norway’s climate action plan includes the SDGs, including SDG5.
Norwegian Government (2020). Climate Action Plan 2021-2030
  How climate actions impact gender is, however, not further discussed. It is stated that any climate action must be balanced with the other SDGs, and climate action must not negatively affect low-income or vulnerable groups or negatively affect employment.
Lander Svendsen, N., Weber, K. et al (2022). How climate policies impact gender and vice versa in a Nordic context
 Studies reviewing policy documents conclude that Norwegian climate policies are gender-blind, and the link between gender and climate is absent in Norwegian policymaking.
Eggebø, H. et al. (2023). Gaps and Silences: Gender and Climate Policies in the Global North’
 The Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment points out that the lack of actions taken to carry out gender mainstreaming of the climate action plan is due to the lack of knowledge about how climate impacts and challenges gender equality.

White paper on energy

Gender dimensions are briefly mentioned in the white paper on energy, Energi til arbeid (2020-2021), in relation to the transition of the oil workforce.
Norwegian Ministry of Energy (2021) Energy for work - long-term value creation from Norwegian energy resources.
 This workforce is highly educated and in demand, and it is in this context that women are mentioned. For example, the oil company Equinor, partly owned by the Norwegian state, is ambitious to have 1/3 of apprentices be women. Gender is not mentioned in relation to other sectors financially dependent on the oil sector nor in the white paper in general. The white paper mentions SDG 8 and SDG 9, focusing on sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth and innovation, respectively. However, inclusion is not mentioned. Rather, the energy sector contributes to society through employment and economic growth.
Referring to The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), a Norwegian climate researcher points out the following;
“Most relevant governance institutions - in the context of climate and energy policy – do not really work with gender except gender equality plans for recruitment and for retaining staff – which everyone has because it’s compulsory. But that doesn't mean they see gender as relevant in everything else they do, which is paramount in other sectors in Norway. I would assume you would find the same in other countries.” (Researcher, CICERO)
On a local level, in the strategy of the county municipality Viken, The road to a sustainable Viken – regional planning strategy 2020-2024, Viken has formulated six priority areas for sustainability that, to various extents, integrate an equality perspective – or vice versa. Priority 1 and 2, ‘Life quality, welfare, and equal opportunities’ and ‘Sustainable and just economic system’ integrate a focus on green transition and are both linked to SDG 5 and 16, promoting gender equality and inclusive societies, respectively. Priority 4, 5 and 6 on ‘Reducing climate emissions and energy transition’, ‘Integrated urban and community development’ and ‘Environment, ecosystem and biodiversity’, respectively, focus on SDG 16.
OECD (2020). A territorial approach to the Sustainable Development Goals in Viken, Norway.

Long-term low-emission strategy (2020)

Norway’s long-term low-emission strategy (2020) does not specifically include gender aspects. While it recognises the importance of a just and equitable low-emission development pathway through the Paris Agreement, there is no direct inclusion of or detailed strategy for integrating gender considerations.
Norwegian Government (2020). Norway’s long-term low-emission strategy for 2050
 This leaves us with the conclusion that the strategy is rather gender blind.
In Norway’s Eighth National Communication to the UNFCCC for 2022 on national circumstances, policies and measures related to climate change, gender is mentioned once in relation to the global SDG process.
Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment (2023). Norway’s Eighth National Communication Under the Framework Convention on Climate Change
 Gender is here mentioned as part of the reporting on ‘Just Transition’ and refers to the abovementioned Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act adopted in 2017.
UNFCCC (2022). Update of Norway's nationally determined contribution
 What is understood by ‘just transition’ and how this should be ensured is elaborated in a report by the Norwegian Climate Committee for 2050. One of the committee's recommendations is, among other things, the following: "Measures for equitable distribution and for limiting economic inequality are primarily taken care of by other policy areas, but that the distribution effects of climate measures are nevertheless assessed more systematically in political processes and the choice of instruments".
Norwegian Ministry of Climate and the Environment (2023). Climate Committee 2050: Transition to low emissions - Choice of path for climate policy towards 2050

4.4.10 Sweden 

The Climate Action Plan (2019 and 2023)

The Climate Action Plan (2019) refer to the SDGs, stating that Sweden will take a leading position in the sustainable transition and that this transition, of which the climate neutrality objective is part, must be based on broad societal participation.
Swedish Government (2019). (2019). A unified policy for the climate - climate policy action plan.
 Climate actions must not take place at the expense of the other SDG’s. Rather, the SDGs demonstrate how the different areas are interlinked, and the Swedish government aims at coherence. The transition strives to be controlled, high societal costs are to be avoided, and differences across income groups and urban/rural areas are considered. In the draft strategy of gender mainstreaming the implementation of the Paris Agreement, recommendations to the government to promote equal representation in climate action plans are included.
In the Government’s new climate action plan adopted in December 2023, it is stated that gender equality and climate efforts reinforce each other and that climate efforts should strengthen gender equality and vice versa.
Swedish Government (2023). The government's climate action plan – all the way to net zero
 It is stated that it is difficult to foresee the cumulative aspects of the climate action plan on gender equality, but themes that are included in which gender equality is seen as specifically important include public transport, the labour market, and STEM. The strategy clearly states that a gender equality perspective should be included in the implementation of the action plan and that Sweden should continue to work for gender equality in the implementation and negotiations of the Paris Agreement. In preparing backing documents for the new climate action plan, the suggestions were subject to a gender analysis.
Online cross-Nordic focus group (15.12.2023). Gender Mainstreaming the Green Transition in the Nordic Countries.

Sweden’s Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (2020)

Sweden’s Integrated Energy and Climate Plan submitted to the EU has been subject to an academic analysis.
Hultman, M., Anshelm, J., & Kall, A. S. (2021). To ask the question - to dare change: Birgitta Hambraeus and Birgitta Dahl in Swedish energy and environmental policy 1971-1991; Rönnblom, M. (2002). A room of one's own? Women's organizing meets established politics.
 The plan contains a separate section on gender mainstreaming in the document and reflects Sweden’s long-standing adherence to principles of gender equality.
Swedish Ministry of Infrastructure (2020). Sweden’s Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan
 The document recognises the underrepresentation of women in climate policy; however, it does not propose corrective measures. As pointed out by the researchers, the document employs language that portrays women as vulnerable entities and custodians of local knowledge, neglecting underlying power imbalances and perpetuating a historical trend of using women as placeholders in a patriarchal structure.
Michael, K. & Hultman, M. (2023). Sweden's Integrated Energy and Climate Plan: An analysis
 The analysis concludes that there is an overt focus on positioning Sweden as a forerunner of gender inequality internationally, but the Integrated Energy and Climate Plan fails to focus on the intra-country gender dynamics. As feminist scholars have indicated, the impression that gender equality is an objective that has already been achieved undermines the need to pursue gender politics in Sweden.
Hultman, M., Anshelm, J., & Kall, A. S. (2021). To ask the question - to dare change: Birgitta Hambraeus and Birgitta Dahl in Swedish energy and environmental policy 1971-1991; Rönnblom, M. (2002). A room of one's own? Women's organizing meets established politics.
 While the plan can be considered gender-responsive in terms of dedicating a section to gender equality, this critique raised by Swedish scholars reflects that Sweden is far ahead in advancing gender mainstreaming with increased vigilance from non-governmental stakeholders and experts, calling out the gaps in the performance of gender mainstreaming by policymakers. This is advantageous for further advancing gender mainstreaming and achieving not just gender responsiveness but gender transformative policies that challenge problematic gendered norms, structures, and perceptions, such as the widespread and one-sided framing of women as vulnerable entities. The risk of citing this representation of women – instead of challenging it - is observed across all Nordic countries, as stated in section 4.4.4, where the Biennial Reports are screened.

Long-term low-emission strategy (2020)

The Swedish long-term low-emission strategy (2020) includes a specific section on gender equality and climate change, demonstrating a more proactive approach to gender mainstreaming. It is stated in the section that the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has submitted a proposal for further gender mainstreaming in implementing the Paris Agreement, referring to the gender mainstreaming strategy mentioned in previous chapters. The long-term low-emission strategy acknowledges the importance of considering distributional and regional effects and points explicitly to increasing gender equality. It also suggests that fostering gender equality is not only an end goal in itself but also a means to facilitate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The strategy draws attention to the “distributional effects" - how the costs and benefits of the green transition are distributed among different groups in society – and points to the need to consider how different households across various regions might be affected differently by transitioning to a low-emission society. The document thus indicates an underlying understanding that green transition initiatives and climate policies that consider gender differences and aim to promote social cohesion are more likely to be effective.
Swedish Ministry of the Environment (2020). Sweden’s long-term strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
 Thus, the strategy can be considered gender responsive.

4.4.11 Summary of Priority area D: Gender balance, participation, and women’s leadership

This chapter has assessed how the Nordic countries have implemented gender-responsiveness in climate policies, in accordance with the goals of priority area D of the UNFCCC GAP. The chapter thus looked at how the countries have gender mainstreamed their climate policy frameworks, specifically highlighting the involvement of gender experts, the application of GIAs, and the practice of gender budgeting. In order to do so, selected policy documents were examined, including national climate action plans, long-term low-emission strategies, and other climate policy documents that were brought to the attention of the reviewers.
Given the comprehensive nature of this chapter, which encompasses a wide array of data and findings, the summary is correspondingly detailed and extensive, aiming to provide a thorough overview of the gender-responsive implementation of climate policies in the Nordic countries.
In ’4.4.1 Involvement of gender experts’, the varying degrees of gender expert involvement in climate policy across the Nordic countries are assessed. Sweden, Iceland, and Finland have shown coordinated and systematic efforts to support collaboration between gender equality departments and climate-relevant ministries while also demonstrating varying degrees of proactiveness in terms of consulting experts. Iceland, for instance, has a strong collaboration with researchers from the University of Iceland and integrates academic projects on gender mainstreaming and budgeting into policy assessment. Finland exemplifies proactive stakeholder consultation in climate policy, inviting public input on gender and climate interlinkages, which informed its GIA for the National Climate and Energy Strategy. Despite this, Finnish non-governmental experts desire more proactive and consistent stakeholder involvement. In addition, challenges in engaging relevant experts in gender mainstreaming in climate policy have been raised by a non-governmental stakeholder, emphasising the need for greater communication, transparency, and a proactive approach - from both policymakers and stakeholders – to ensure inclusiveness and effectiveness of gender mainstreaming in climate policies.
The rest of this summary encompasses individual country reviews with the outcomes from reviews specific to each country regarding GIAs, gender budgeting practices, and document screenings.
In Denmark, in accordance with the legislation, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities have carried out relevance testing of all 63 legislative proposals put forward in the period 2005/2006 to 2021/2022. Only 2% of the bills proposed by the ministry were considered to have gender impacts to be further assessed in a GIA. Notably, the Danish Climate Law was considered to have no gender impact and a GIA was therefore not conducted. One proposal from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities – concerning the establishment of a hydrogen infrastructure in Denmark – was subject to a GIA. Several ministries, including the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Environment, have not performed any GIAs since 2016/2017.
Screening the national climate action plan and the long-term low-emission strategy submitted to the UNFCCC, the review finds the following results. The Danish Climate Action Plan of 2020, which has not been subject to a GIA, does not directly address gender issues but focuses on ensuring social balance during the green transition, aiming to protect livelihoods and prevent increased inequality, without including specific indicators for gender equality. Thus, the Climate Action Plan come across as rather gender-blind.
Conversely, Denmark's 2020 long-term low-emission strategy explicitly links climate adaptation to gender equality, recognising that efforts toward a green transition can support achieving gender equality (SDG 5). It advocates for investments in women's empowerment, such as education and health, as beneficial for broader climate goals. While the strategy lacks detailed gender mainstreaming measures it can be considered rather gender-responsive.
In terms of international development policy, Denmark's efforts emphasise gender equality, particularly through its development cooperation strategy, "The World 2030," targeting SDG5. However, detailed plans for integrating gender into foreign climate finance appear limited. In the recent the Biennial Reports (BRs) Denmark mentions gender equality projects but lack comprehensive integration strategies.
Finland incorporates gender budgeting across most ministries, with an emphasis on reporting expected gender equality impacts. A notable GIA was conducted on the Finnish Climate and Energy Strategy in 2021, revealing that proposed policy measures would impact male-dominated sectors positively but negatively affect female-dominated fields within the services sector. This GIA was conducted to align with the Government Action Plan for Gender Equality 2020-2023.
Screening the national climate action plan and the long-term low-emission strategy submitted to the UNFCCC, the review finds the following results. Finland's Climate Action Plan of 2017 integrates results from a GIA. Recognising the gender-segregated labour market, the plan acknowledges the potential varying impacts of climate measures on different sectors and highlights gender differences in political participation, consumption patterns, and responses to climate change, such as mobility practices and eating habits. The plan emphasises the importance of considering these gendered differences in climate policy design and implementation, which makes the plan gender-responsive.
Conversely, Finland's 2020 long-term low-emission strategy does not explicitly address gender aspects, focusing instead on minimising emissions reduction costs without a specific emphasis on gender equality. Although it mentions the government's responsibility to align climate action with human rights and efforts to reduce inequality, it lacks detailed actions or policies targeting gender equality or mainstreaming. Therefore, this strategy cannot be considered gender responsive.
Moving to Finland's international climate policies, the country showcases a strong commitment to gender equality in climate policies, focusing on women's participation in environmental management and the green economy. Its national strategies stress capacity building and knowledge dissemination to address the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change. Finland's BRs reflect this dedication through the promotion of gender equality in development policies and climate resilience planning.
Iceland mandates gender budgeting at the governmental level, applying it across all ministries and agencies. In the government's five-year plan on gender budgeting, the importance of integrating gender perspectives in environmental, transportation, and rural development policies is specifically mentioned. The City of Reykjavík has implemented gender budgeting across all departments, and a GIA was conducted on the city’s 2021 Climate Strategy. At the national level, at GIA was conducted on Iceland's Climate Action Plan from 2021, analysing the gendered impacts of climate measures, particularly in mobility, revealing differences in how men and women use bike lanes and walking paths, influenced by income levels. The Climate Action Plan emphasises the importance of ensuring that climate change actions are socially just and aligned with the SDGs, with a specific focus on equality across various societal groups, including gender, income, and sector. The mention of gender equality is indirect, referring instead to an assessment of impacts on different income groups and the overall goal of supporting equality and equal rights. Previously, in 2014, a GIA of Iceland's previous climate action plan highlighted the gendered aspects of job creation in the green transition and differing carbon footprints between men and women. Furthermore, the Icelandic government's reports on gender aspects across ministries emphasise the interlinkages between issues of climate and gender equality, advocating for inclusive and fair practices in the green transition. A notable project by the Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources focuses on the gendered impacts of textile consumption, aiming to promote sustainability and social responsibility in the fashion industry. The 2021 long-term low-emission strategy in Iceland does not specifically articulate gender aspects, focusing more on the impacts of climate action on different income groups and the need for a just transition. It lacks explicit mentions of gender equality or gender mainstreaming, making it less clear in terms of gender responsiveness.
In the context of international climate policy, Iceland focuses on gender-responsive budgeting and international cooperation for gender-responsive climate strategies. Its recent BR emphasise the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and the country's role in promoting gender aspects in international discussions. Iceland collaborates with organisations like UN Women and WEDO and runs training programs aimed at enhancing gender-responsive climate strategies in developing countries.
In reviewing Norway's efforts, no concrete examples of GIAs in domestic climate policies were found. However, the Ministry of Climate and Environment is exploring the distributional effects of climate policy, including gender impacts. At the local level, Oslo Municipality conducted a GIA as part of its bicycle strategy, finding significant differences in bicycle use between genders.
Screening the national climate action plan and the long-term low-emission strategy submitted to the UNFCCC, the review finds the following results. Norway's climate action plan of 2020 addresses the SDGs, including SDG 5 on gender equality, but does not delve into specifics about how climate actions impact gender. It emphasises that climate action should be balanced with other SDGs and not negatively affect low-income or vulnerable groups or employment. The 2020-2021 white paper on energy briefly mentions gender in the context of the oil workforce transition, highlighting Equinor's goal for female apprenticeship, but does not extend gender considerations to other sectors or the wider energy policy.
Norway's long-term low-emission strategy of 2020 does not specifically include gender aspects. A detailed review of Norwegian policy documents conducted by academic researchers in 2023 suggests that Norwegian climate policies, in general, do not explicitly address the link between gender and climate change, with a noted absence of gender mainstreaming in climate policymaking.
Norway’s Eighth National Communication to the UNFCCC for 2022 does mention gender once in relation to "just transition" under the global SDG process. This suggests an acknowledgement of gendered differences in this context, however, concrete examples of gender integration in climate action are lacking. A focus on gender perspectives appears more pronounced in local strategies than in national policies. Viken county's regional planning strategy for 2020-2024 includes sustainability priorities that integrate an equality perspective, with specific links to SDG 5 on gender equality.
Moving the foreign- and international development policy in the area of climate in Norway, its strategic documents and BRs highlight a commitment to gender mainstreaming in foreign- and international development policy in relation to climate, emphasising women’s vulnerability to climate impacts and the importance of involving women to enhance gender equality in climate action. Despite this, the level of gender mainstreaming in climate finance reporting is considered the lowest among the reviewed Nordic countries.
Sweden's draft strategy for gender mainstreaming of the Paris Agreement emphasises integrating gender equality into all budget areas, including climate. However, this review has not been able to identify concrete examples of gender budgeting in climate policy. Efforts, particularly in Norbotten, Västra Götaland, and Umeå municipality, show a pronounced focus on incorporating gender equality into climate adaptation plans and urban planning, e.g. by conducting GIAs and gender analyses with a focus on social equality.
Screening the national climate action plan and the long-term low-emission strategy submitted to the UNFCCC, the review finds the following results. Sweden's Climate Action Plans of 2019 and 2023 emphasise the country's commitment to ensuring that the efforts towards climate neutrality do not compromise other SDGs. The plans highlight the interconnectedness of various areas and aim for a coherent approach that avoids high societal costs and considers differences across income groups and urban/rural divides. The 2023 plan notably integrates gender equality into climate efforts, and notably acknowledge the mutual reinforcement between gender equality and climate action. It specifies the importance of a gender equality perspective in areas such as public transport, the labor market, and STEM fields, and underscores Sweden's ongoing commitment to gender equality in the context of the Paris Agreement. The plan was prepared with a gender analysis, reflecting comprehensive gender mainstreaming efforts and rendering the plan as gender responsive.
The Swedish long-term low-emission strategy of 2020 is more explicit in its approach to gender mainstreaming, including a specific section on gender equality and climate change. It outlines proposals for integrating gender equality into the implementation of the Paris Agreement and acknowledges the importance of considering distributional and regional effects of the green transition on gender equality. The strategy suggests that promoting gender equality is both an end goal and a means to facilitate greenhouse gas emission reduction, highlighting the need to consider how the transition impacts different households across regions. This approach indicates an understanding that climate policies and initiatives that incorporate gender differences and aim for social cohesion are more likely to succeed, marking the strategy as gender responsive.
Sweden's Integrated Energy and Climate Plan, submitted to the EU in 2020, includes a dedicated section on gender mainstreaming, reflecting the country's long-standing commitment to gender equality. However, an academic analysis of the plan criticises it for portraying women primarily as vulnerable and as custodians of local knowledge, thereby perpetuating patriarchal structures without addressing power imbalances or intra-country gender dynamics. While the plan in itself could be considered gender-responsive in terms of section dedicated to gender equality, this critique raised indicates that gender mainstreaming in Sweden has increased vigilance from non-governmental stakeholders and experts, calling out the gaps in the performance of gender mainstreaming by policymakers, thus reflecting the comprehensive level of gender mainstreaming. With that said, the critique should be taken into account by policymakers as it can serve as a foundation for improving the implementation of the UNFCCC GAP goals.
Regarding the foreign- and international development climate policy of Sweden, the country is known for adopting the world's first feminist foreign policy in 2014 and taking the lead in integrating gender considerations within its international climate policy.
Expert Group for Aid Studies (2023). More Than a Label, Less Than a Revolution: Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy.
 The country's climate finance shows a high level of gender mainstreaming, with efforts to track and encourage further gender mainstreaming, although there has been a noted decline in recent years. Sweden's BRs also testify to the conviction that a gender-just transition is crucial for achieving the Paris Agreement goals.

4.5 Priority area E: Monitoring and reporting

Priority area E of the UNFCCC GAP focuses on the monitoring and reporting mechanisms for gender mainstreaming in climate-related efforts. Clear routines for data collection, analysis, and monitoring are essential to strengthen accountability and meet national and international reporting requirements. Reporting mechanisms also foster the possibility of sharing knowledge and experiences among countries. Ultimately, this priority area aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in gender-responsive climate policies and actions.
In line with this, this section provides examples of relevant monitoring and reporting mechanisms internationally and examples of national monitoring- and reporting activities related to the UNFCCC GAP.
The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) reviews the implementation of the BPfA every fifth year.
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (n.d). Monitoring and reviews.
 The United Nations Regional Commissions, in cooperation with UN Women, coordinate the review process, and for this the Parties must submit national review reports. The most recent reports from 2019 marked the 25th anniversary of the BPfA (Beijing+25), during which member states were invited to review their progress and submit national review reports.
UN WOMEN (2020). CSW64 preparations
 The review reports (2019) consist of 40 questions through which the countries must report on their progress towards gender equality. Among other things, the countries must report on their priorities, achievements, and challenges for the prior five years, as well as the five coming years. This monitoring- and reporting mechanism encourages the countries to develop and maintain national data collection and analysis structures, thus enhancing accountability. As elaborated in chapter 4.4, two questions relate directly to environmental- and climate policies, namely what actions the countries have taken in the last five years to integrate gender perspectives and concerns into environmental policies and programmes for disaster risk reduction, climate resilience and mitigation. The countries must also report on their actions in the past five years to “recognize, reduce and/or redistribute unpaid care and domestic work and promote work-family conciliation” – an aspect assessed in chapter 4.2 on gender equality in ‘the green sector’. The UNFCCC GAP and its priority areas and activities are not explicitly referred to in the 40 questions on which the Parties must report. Nonetheless, the national review reports can be considered one example of an international monitoring- and reporting mechanism of gender mainstreaming in climate policies.
In the national review reports, the countries also report on whether they have defined indicators for monitoring the progress of the SDGs. Reporting on the SDGs implementation is otherwise a voluntary reporting process, i.e. The Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), which is part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development review mechanisms, where countries are encouraged to conduct regular reviews of their progress towards the SDGs.
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2022). Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform: Voluntary National Reviews.
The VNRs are integral to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, designed for countries to conduct self-assessments of their progress towards achieving the SDGs. These reviews are encouraged to be inclusive, covering progress at both national and sub-national levels, and are meant to be country-led and country-driven. The VNRs involve multiple stakeholders and focus on sharing successes, challenges, and lessons learned to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
United Nations (UN) (n.d.). High-Level Political Forumon Sustainable Development. Voluntary National Reviews.
 They also aim to strengthen government policies and institutions and foster support and partnerships across various stakeholders. The High-level Political Forum (HLPF) under the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) serves as the platform where these reviews are presented, facilitating a global exchange of insights and best practices.
According to the country profiles drawn from the Sustainable Development Report from 2023, Denmark has 197 indicators, Finland has 42, Sweden has 65, and Norway has no indicators but rather online reporting on SDG indicators. The report also shows that Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden carried out VNRs in 2016/17 and 2020/2021. The report provides no information on Icelandic indicators or VNR.
Sustainable Development Report (2023). Country Profiles; Sachs, J.D. et. Al. (2023). Implementing the SDG Stimulus. Sustainable Development Report 2023.
  
This review has not identified any recent cross-Nordic evaluation or review on gender mainstreaming in Nordic countries in general. In 2014, the NCM commissioned reviews of the equality assessment work carried out in the Nordics at state and municipal levels, respectively.
Oxford Research (2014). Mapping of good practice and effects in the public authorities' work with equality assessment in selected service areas - at municipal level; Oxford Research (2014). Mapping of good practice and effects in the public authorities' work with equality assessment in selected service areas - at state level.
 The state-level review shows that Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have integrated gender-responsive measures and efforts into overarching policy frameworks across various sectors. Denmark's approach tends to be more practice-oriented and sector-specific, dispersed across departments rather than forming part of a comprehensive policy framework. Although the review originates from 2014, its conclusion remains consistent with the findings in chapter 4.3 regarding Priority area C on coherence. Based on the 2014 review, it is recommended that the countries establish requirements for the collection of sex-disaggregated data to be used in reporting on results, carry out gender analyses, and disseminate results and impact of gender mainstreaming to ensure political support for gender equality efforts.
Nordic Co-operation (2015). Equality assessment in the work of state authorities – Results and recommendations from a cross-Nordic survey.
The Nordic countries have adopted various approaches to monitor and evaluate gender mainstreaming, aside from the UNFCCC reporting mechanisms, which commit all Parties to report on the implementation of the UNFCCC GAP in the spring of 2024.

Denmark

The Ministry of Digital Government and Equality monitors the public gender equality efforts. Furthermore, the Danish Institute for Human Rights evaluates and monitors gender equality in Denmark and has a mandate to bring cases of a principal nature or cases of public interest to the Equal Treatment Board.
In alignment with the Act on Gender Equality, public institutions must report on their gender equality efforts every third year. The reports are published online on the webpage Gender Equality in Denmark, where the overall results are compiled for the state, the regions, and the municipalities, respectively.
Danish Ministry of digital government and gender equality (2023). Review of Equality.
 The institutions must report on personnel and public core services. The most recent gender equality reports from 2023 show that in the state, 33% of institutions have set goals for gender equality in their core services, and 58% have incorporated a gender equality perspective and sex-disaggregated data when preparing analyses, evaluations, user surveys etc.
Danish Ministry of digital government and gender equality (2023). Equality in the state
 60% of the regions have set goals for gender equality in their core services, and 100% of the regions have incorporated a gender equality perspective and utilised sex-disaggregated data when preparing analyses, evaluations, user surveys etc.
Danish Ministry of digital government and gender equality (2023). Equality in the regions
 For municipalities, the numbers are 54% and 60%, respectively.
Danish Ministry of digital government and gender equality (2023). Equality in the municipalities
Ministry of Digital Government and Equality also monitors how many legislative proposals have been screened for gender impact, and further gender impact is assessed at the end of a parliamentary year. This is reported back to the Gender Equality Committee in the Danish Parliament (Folketinget). The Danish NGO KVINFO undertakes an unofficial monitoring role and regular checks up on this process, including a recent assessment of the implementation of the obligation to screen for gender relevance (and, if considered relevant, conduct GIAs).
KVINFO (2023). Equality assessment of legislative proposal.

Finland

The mandatory Gender Equality Plans (GEPs), supported by guidelines from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, require periodic reviews to assess their efficacy. The Gender Equality Unit and the Ombudsman for Equality provide essential support and oversight for these gender mainstreaming endeavours across government entities. Finland's new Climate Act, effective since July 1, 2022, emphasises the importance of climate change policy planning and monitoring. Finland thus displays a relatively structured framework for monitoring.

Iceland

As the only Nordic country, Iceland has mandatory gender budgeting underpinned by five-year plans and overseen by the Directorate of Equality. This centralised monitoring, combined with the involvement of a steering committee led by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and the task of gender equality representatives in all ministries to oversee the gender mainstreaming activities, demonstrate a relatively strong framework of monitoring. The requirement for ministries to account for the gender impact of budget proposals and annual progress reports on gender equality goals adds layers of transparency and accountability. Iceland has furthermore initiated welfare monitoring to capture social and environmental development, indicating a move towards considering gender aspects in climate work.

Norway

This review has not identified processes of monitoring, reporting, and accounting aside from the UNFCCC submissions. Norway's Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act delineates responsibilities for both public and private employers to conduct regular assessments and reports on equality efforts. The Ministry of Culture and Equality, along with the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud and the Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs, facilitates guidance, monitoring, and the formulation of national action plans to support these activities.

Sweden

Sweden has established a broad set of bodies and mechanisms dedicated to overseeing gender mainstreaming efforts across various sectors, including climate policy. The Swedish Gender Equality Agency is pivotal in the implementation, coordination, and evaluation of gender mainstreaming practices. This agency, along with the Gender Mainstreaming in Government Agencies (GMGA) network, plays a significant role in advancing gender equality within governmental operations. However, the gender mainstreaming strategy by the Environmental Protection Agency put emphasis on the need for robust controlling and follow-up mechanisms to monitor and evaluate gender mainstreaming efforts effectively:
“Routines combined with statistics form the basis for reliable and quality-assured monitoring and reporting on gender mainstreaming in climate work. Clear routines for collection, analysis, and monitoring strengthen Sweden's ability to meet national and international reporting requirements and can also be shared with other countries to enhance knowledge dissemination and experience exchange. Sweden regularly reports its efforts to limit climate changes and for climate adaptation according to internationally agreed reporting guidelines under the Climate Convention, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement. At the EU level, Sweden, along with other member countries, contributes to the EU's reporting under the Climate Convention (EU 2018/1999), where gender equality is included at a general level (Euro-Lex, 2020).”
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Draft strategy – considering and integrating gender equality aspects at Sweden's implementation of The Paris Agreement.
In Sweden, this review has identified a wide range of academic studies critically evaluating Sweden's gender mainstreaming efforts, employing feminist approaches to highlight the complexities and challenges in integrating gender into climate policymaking. These studies underscore the importance of a decolonial feminist intervention to transform climate policy by addressing the production of ignorance and the inclusion of intersectionality.
Arora-Jonsson, S. & Wahlström, N. (2022). ‘Unraveling the production of ignorance in climate policymaking: The imperative of a decolonial feminist intervention for transformation.’ ; Singleton, B. et al. (2022). Intersectionality and climate policy-making: The inclusion of social difference by three Swedish government agencies

4.5.1 Summary on Priority area E: Gender balance, participation, and women’s leadership

Priority area E is dedicated to enhancing the mechanisms for monitoring and reporting on gender mainstreaming within climate-related initiatives. It emphasises the development of clear procedures for data collection, analysis, and monitoring to improve accountability and fulfil both national and international reporting obligations. This approach is also seen as a way to facilitate knowledge and experience exchange among countries, aiming to increase transparency, accountability, and the effectiveness of gender-responsive climate policies.
A 2014 review commissioned by the NCM examined gender mainstreaming practices in the Nordic countries, revealing varied approaches to applying gender-responsive measures into policy frameworks. Denmark, for example, focuses on a more practice-oriented, sector-specific approach, whereas other countries incorporate gender-responsive efforts into overarching policy frameworks. Recommendations from this 2014 review include establishing requirements for sex-disaggregated data collection, conducting gender analyses, and disseminating the results to support gender equality efforts.
The Nordic countries have implemented diverse strategies for monitoring and evaluating gender mainstreaming in addition to adhering to the UNFCCC reporting requirements set for 2024. Denmark employs the Act on Gender Equality to mandate public authorities to integrate gender equality into their operations, including legislative assessments and setting gender balance targets with a three-year reporting cycle. Challenges exist in the process of identifying the relevance of performing GIAs on bill proposals – a process tracked by KVINFO. The lack of specific gender mainstreaming targets and gender equality indicators for climate policies suggests a need for further integration. Public institutions report their gender equality efforts every third year, with recent reports indicating varying degrees of goal setting and incorporating a gender equality perspective in their operations. Finland has mandatory GEPs that require periodic evaluations, supported by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. The Gender Equality Unit and the Ombudsman for Equality oversee these efforts. The new Climate Act highlights the significance of climate policy monitoring, suggesting a structured approach to gender mainstreaming monitoring. Iceland stands out with mandatory gender budgeting, supervised by the Directorate of Equality and involving a comprehensive monitoring framework. This approach includes annual progress reports on gender equality goals and integrates gender considerations into climate work. Norway lacks specific processes for monitoring, reporting, and accounting beyond UNFCCC submissions. The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act outlines responsibilities for conducting regular equality assessments, with support from various governmental bodies. Sweden has established a comprehensive network for gender mainstreaming oversight across sectors, including climate policy. The Swedish Gender Equality Agency and the GMGA network are central to these efforts. The Environmental Protection Agency’s strategy highlights the need for more effective monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
Having charted the course of integrating gender equality into climate policy across the Nordic countries through the lens of the UNFCCC GAP’s priority areas, the following chapter (5) outlines the gaps and barriers that persist in the process of implementing the UNFCCC GAP. Chapter 5, thus, sets the stage for a deeper understanding of the obstacles that must be overcome to realise the full potential of gender-responsive climate policy and action.
Nordic Council of Ministers I www.norden.org/publications I pub@norden.org