The gendered aspects of climate change are often discussed by international organizations, policy makers and researchers and yet there is a clear chasm between recognizing the disproportionate effect climate change has on women and girls versus implementing and seeing through policies or actions which would help to close this gap.

2022 was a busy year for the climate movement with peaks and troughs throughout. We saw economic volatility and war in Europe change our reliance on fossil fuels. We saw successful and unsuccessful summits, talks and conferences, bringing us 'loss and damage finance', fossil fuel lobbyists and commitments to protect biodiversity. We saw seriously questionable behaviour by governments and big business as greenwashing spreads and green commitments fall by the wayside. Importantly, we also experienced moments of sheer joy through positive developments in areas ranging from technology to rewilding, to seeing a gradual shift in public awareness of the climate crisis. As the festive season drew to a close and we stepped into a new year once again full of hope for what could be achieved it is important that we take a moment to look back and remind ourselves of those moments which have shaped sustainable finance moving into 2023.

As we rapidly head towards Christmas, communities around the world are putting up decorations, wrapping presents, purchasing huge quantities of food and drink, and traveling varying distances to spend the holiday season with family and friends. Though it's important that we all enjoy this opportunity to take a break from the stresses and anxieties that loom over everyday life and to treat ourselves to a minced pie or box of chocolates it is important that we continue to be mindful of the lifestyle choices we make and how they impact upon the planet.

As the global population tops eight billion we are facing challenges few of us would have envisioned even ten years ago. Food and water insecurity are already prevalent in "hunger hotspots" across the globe with famine threatening people from the Horn of Africa to Afghanistan. The impacts of war and violence are bleeding across national borders and migration is on the rise. The cost-of-living crisis is forcing families to choose between heating or eating and in some cases not being able to do either, instead being forced to rely on the charitable donations of others. Accessing basic resources is rapidly becoming a battle ground as affordability slips through the fingers of the general public, whilst political infighting leaves national economies in tatters. Meanwhile, climate change lingers over us exacerbating every crisis yet further leading to increased gender-based violence, displacement and malnutrition amongst children and adults alike. Yet, we continue our current path, patting ourselves on the back for making compromises at Cop27, or remembering to take the recycling out and all the while either forgetting about or failing to appreciate the bigger picture.

Change. There is nothing more intrinsic to the existence of humanity and the planet we live on as change. Yet, such a short word conveys not only that strange and unsettling mixture of emotions one feels when hearing it but is also used to translate into language the way time interacts with human society and the natural world. Today, we face change on an unprecedented scale, but this change is not one we can afford to be fearful of, nor can we afford ourselves the time to become accustomed to such rapid changes. Instead, we must be bold, we must take action and we must embrace changes in every facet of our lives, from the food on our plates, to the way that we travel, and to the items we pick off the shelves. In governance and policy, the changes will need to be yet more extensive with restructuring required at every level and in every sector to ensure that our planet has a future.