BWAhaha: COP30 Dispute Erupts over the Legal Definition of a Woman

One of the goals of the COP30 climate conference is helping women allegedly affected by climate change.

Row over definition of ‘gender’ hangs over Cop30 plans to support women

Advocates say conservative states’ push to define gender as ‘biological sex’ would backslide on decade-old language within the UN

Chloé Farand
Fri 14 Nov 2025 02.19 AEDT

A row over the definition of the term “gender” threatens to bog down pivotal talks at the Cop30 climate summit.

Before the UN talks in Brazil, hardline conservative states have pushed to define gender as “biological sex” over their concerns trans and non-binary people could be included in a major plan to ensure climate action addresses gender inequality and empowers women...