Earlier this week, Ed Miliband’s delivered his inaugural statement on the state of the climate and nature, based on new Met Office data, alongside three government reports – addressing climate change and biodiversity loss.
But something vital was missing: a gendered, intersectional lens. Here, Nnenna Onwuka – shares her analysis of the state of the climate address and what was missing and what needs to be included.
STATE OF THE CLIMATE ADDRESS
On Monday, 14 July 2025, Ed Miliband delivered a major parliamentary statement: his first annual “State of the Climate” address as the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. In it, he warned of escalating climate threats based on new Met Office data and condemned opponents of Net Zero as “anti‑science” and a danger to future generations. He announced that this address will become a yearly fixture and outlined Labour’s climate initiatives, including home energy upgrades and support for community energy. Miliband also called for cross‑party unity to confront the climate crisis beyond political divisions.
On the same day, the government published three key reports to underpin its climate and nature commitments:
- Environmental Improvement Plan 2024–2025 Annual Progress Report (DEFRA), detailing actions on air and water quality, waste reduction and nature restoration.
- Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework (DEFRA), which sets out targets and measures progress in conserving national parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and other designated sites.
- Unlocking Benefits for People, Nature and Climate (UK Government Special Representative for Nature), showcasing joined‑up solutions to meet global climate and biodiversity commitments.
We welcome the introduction of an annual “State of the Climate” address, as it recognises the urgency of the climate crisis. It’s encouraging that the government provides the British public with a clear assessment of the climate and nature emergencies we face and of the steps being taken in response.
However, an intersectional feminist analysis of these publications reveals a critical blind‑spot: there is virtually no recognition of how climate and nature crises disproportionately affect women, especially those from marginalised and racialised communities.
The climate crisis, heatwaves, and floods hit hardest where inequality already exists. Although climate change impacts everyone, it is women, particularly racialised and marginalised women, who experience the most acute effects. Women shoulder disproportionate care burdens, livelihood losses and safety risks in a warming world. Any climate policy that ignores their lived realities is incomplete and unjust.
POLICY ANALYSIS TO THE STATE OF CLIMATE ADDRESS AND LINKED GOVERNMENT REPORTS
Below, we assess each of Wen’s key areas of focus, across the three reports, indicating where they offer coverage and where a gendered or intersectional perspective is absent.
Green Caring Economy
The Environmental Improvement Plan champions green finance initiatives, including a £13 million fund for Protected Site Strategies to restore priority habitats that also support economic growth. The Unlocking Benefits report highlights clean‑energy job creation and the mobilisation of private green investment. The Protected Landscapes Framework, however, makes no economic commitments.
The recognition that nature benefits economic growth, does not take into account who gets to benefit from these green‑economy measures.
At Wen, we’re calling for a Feminist Green New Deal – bold public investment that slashes emissions while redistributing power and resources. It means well-paid green jobs, universal care, community-owned energy and decision-making where women, particularly those from racialised and marginalised communities, lead the agenda for a green, caring economy that works for people and the planet.
Feminist Toxic‑Free Future
The Improvement Plan’s Goal 4 details pesticide‑use reduction under the UK Pesticides National Action Plan and promotes sustainable pesticide use to minimise environmental and health impacts. Neither the Protected Landscapes Framework nor the Unlocking Benefits report addresses chemicals at all. No document links toxin management to women’s reproductive health and fertility, menstrual or baby products, and household exposures.
Feminist Food Justice
The Unlocking Benefits report outlines sustainable farming and food‑security co‑benefits, and the Improvement Plan commits to weekly food‑waste collections under Goal 4. The Protected Landscapes Framework does not mention food systems at all. None of the reports discuss food justice, or healthy, organic and culturally appropriate food.
Feminist Climate Leadership
All three publications reference expert consultations and governance bodies (e.g. CCC, JNCC and national park teams) but none provide demographic breakdowns of these experts or explicitly include women climate-leaders.
Women’s voices are still too often excluded from decision-making spaces, despite being among the most affected by the climate crisis. True climate justice cannot be achieved without gender justice. We need policies and platforms that centre the expertise, leadership and lived experience of women in all their diversity.
Miliband spoke of helping communities take climate and nature action in their own areas, but the support on offer remains vague. Real change is already happening at the community level. Food co-ops, gardens, kitchens and mutual aid groups are building fairer, more sustainable food systems from the ground up. These models need to be supported, funded and recognised as essential parts of a just transition, which address structural inequalities.
While the reports reference work with local groups, they do not prioritise community‑led action. Goal 7 of the Environmental Improvement Plan mentions collaboration with local authorities, but clearer support for grassroots leadership is missing.
A Net Zero Public Participation Strategy will be published later in the year and will lay out the objectives for engaging with the public.
Nature for Health
Access to green space is not equal. Many women, especially racialised and minoritised women, face barriers to safe, welcoming outdoor spaces. We are pleased that all three reports include interventions that increase access to green space, which we know can improve mental wellbeing, reduce stress and boost physical health.
The Improvement Plan sets a target that “everyone should live within 15 minutes’ walk of a green or blue space,” evaluates green social prescribing to make it more accessible and funds the Generation Green programme for disadvantaged young people to “experience the benefits of the great outdoors, including improvement in physical and mental health, and a greater sense of connection to the natural world.” The Protected Landscapes Framework includes “Access for All” case studies and the Unlocking Benefits report notes general wellbeing gains from nature‑based interventions. Yet none address women’s specific needs such as safe, welcoming spaces for marginalised women, trauma‑recovery gardens or gender‑tailored health interventions.
While these reports offer an overview of integrated climate–nature action – particularly under Nature for Health and the Toxic‑Free Future goals – they speak only in broad terms of “people” and fail to recognise different impacts by gender, race, class or other axes of inequality. By treating everyone as if they are affected equally, the government risks leaving the most vulnerable people behind.
Ed Miliband himself noted that “action on emissions is not enough on its own and we must protect the British people from the impacts we already see and, sadly, the greater impacts we are likely to see in the future.” A truly intersectional climate strategy would embed gender‑ and race‑disaggregated impact assessments, target resources towards those at greatest risk and champion women’s leadership and expertise at every stage.
Wen stands ready to take action to ensure these measures are embedded in policy and practice. Read our statement.
NNENNA ONWUKA, FEMINIST CLIMATE JUSTICE POLICY CAMPAIGNER
