Date of Award

6-15-2024

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Geography

Organizational Unit

College of Natural Science and Mathematics, Geography and the Environment

First Advisor

Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong

Second Advisor

Erika Trigoso Rubio

Third Advisor

Singumbe Muyeba

Keywords

Gender equity, Intersectional feminist political ecology, Nature-based solutions, Tokenism

Abstract

As the climate crisis continues to deepen, there have been calls for adaptation and mitigation approaches that rely on nature-based solutions. These solutions are approaches that offer the potential to reduce and remove greenhouse gas emissions. Examples include forest restoration, coastal wetland conservation, and no-till agriculture, among other practices. In this thesis, I employ an intersectional feminist political ecology perspective to critically examine the integration of gender equity within such nature-based solutions. I make two interrelated arguments using a qualitative methodology and an intensive case study of three projects in Ghana. First, I argue that women’s participation in nature-based solutions is frequently constrained by structural inequities, entrenched gender norms, and limited access to resources. Second, I contend that meaningful participation and tokenism are critical issues that occur in the design, implementation, and adaptive governance of nature-based solutions. While organizations promoting nature-based solutions purport to take gender equity seriously, the approaches adopted are often tokenistic. Also, projects rarely move beyond the simple inclusion of women and men, and there is often no serious attempt to address intersectional dimensions of inequality along the axes of class, age, and marital status. Ultimately, I show how nature-based solutions to climate change can be implemented with gender-transformative approaches that benefit both people and nature. By uncovering structural inequities and tokenistic approaches hindering women’s participation, this thesis underscores the underutilization of women, the largest segment of the population, in efforts to combat climate change.

Copyright Date

6-2024

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Stephanie Efua Yamoah

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

141 pgs

File Size

1.7 MB

Download

Available for download on Wednesday, August 12, 2026



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