Counting the invisible: why gendered data must lead the climate and health agenda at COP30

This piece argues that although the Lancet Countdown on Climate Change and Health exposes the vast human and economic costs of climate inaction, gendered impacts remain largely invisible due to the absence of sex-disaggregated data. LSE MSc student Rupsa Chakraborty and Assistant Professor Miqdad Asaria highlight that women, especially those from marginalised communities in low- and middle-income countries, are most affected yet underrepresented in policymaking. As COP30 unfolds in Belém, Brazil, this article calls for gender-based data collection to be a central feature of the new Gender Action Plan to ensure equitable climate action.