This report equates the green economy with a sustainable economy, which in turn includes both a socially and ecologically sustainable economy. This means equality between women and men.  A green or sustainable economy is a system which preserves the ecosystem’s productive capacity while creating a society where the basic human needs of all are met.

The imbalance between women and men in decision-making in politics and the economy is great. A gender imbalance undermines the legitimacy of political decision-making as democracy is based on elected officials representing a cross-section of the population.

Equal participation in politics and the green economy is essential to ensure women’s interests are considered in the same way as men’s interests are currently considered. To address this imbalance, countries should take all appropriate measures, including quotas, to achieve a gender balance in politics and the green economy.