Mainstreaming Mainstreaming? Gender and Climate in EU Development Policy

Climate action and gender equality are both identified as crosscutting issues that need to be mainstreamed throughout EU development policy. This paper compares climate mainstreaming and gender mainstreaming in EU development policy documents and practice. Situated within a theoretical framework drawn from policy integration and mainstreaming, the research uses a combination of feminist institutionalism and critical frame analysis to analyse each crosscutting issue’s actors, agenda status, framing, implementation and resources. It then analyses the relationship between climate mainstreaming and gender mainstreaming in EU development policy. Is climate mainstreaming still gender blind and is gender mainstreaming climate blind? The research seeks to establish whether it is possible to achieve the objectives of climate action, gender equality and international development at the same time and, if so, how. In other words, is it possible to mainstream mainstreaming? Key policy documents analysed include the new European Consensus on Development (2017), the Gender Action Plan (2020-2025) and the post-Cotonou agreement between the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (2023), the EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package (2023), the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (2021) and the Council Conclusions on Climate and Energy Diplomacy (2023).