Researching the climate-care nexus: A regional platform for social dialogue and policy innovation in Latin America

Latin America faces a dual crisis at the intersection of climate change and care. The region is among the most vulnerable globally to extreme weather events, with millions exposed to floods, droughts and displacement, particularly in low-income and coastal areas. At the same time, care systems — largely sustained by women — remain underfunded and invisible in climate policy, despite being essential to community resilience and wellbeing.

This project responds to these intersecting challenges by investigating the relationship between climate change and care through the creation of a platform for social dialogue. This platform will bring together academic, social and governmental actors from Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Honduras to co-produce knowledge, strengthen advocacy and influence public policy, identifying innovative practices and financing mechanisms that integrate care into climate strategies. It will leverage national-level findings to inform action at the regional level, promote multi-stakeholder exchanges and build capacity for policy transformation.

Expected outcomes include the production of a robust evidence base on the care-climate relationship, increased recognition of care systems in climate planning and the establishment of a mechanism for multi-stakeholder dialogue — the Platform for Social Dialogue on Climate and Care. The project aims to influence national and regional policies, foster South-South cooperation and contribute to more just and resilient societies where care is central to climate action.

This project is one of five regional hubs supported by IDRC to advance locally grounded research addressing the intersection of care and climate change. All of these aim to inform scalable, gender-transformative solutions in low- and middle-income countries.