You're listening to TED Talks Daily. I'm Elise Hugh. What does gender parity have to do with global climate change? A lot more than you might think. In today's talk from Countdown 2021, scientist and entrepreneur Rumaitha Albucidi explains how empowering women and girls around the world is a powerful way to confront carbon pollution.

We invite you to get involved with Countdown, TED's global initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis at countdown. ted.com.

When we think of solutions to global warming, we generally think in terms of technology or policy,

but other approaches are necessary, which have to do with how our societies are structured.

The most important of them is educating and empowering women and girls.

Now, don't take my word for it.

Its potential impact has been calculated by scientists,

like for instance those working on Project Drawdown who focus on greenhouse gas emissions.

They calculated that educating and empowering women and girls is one of the single most important

things that we can do to confront carbon pollution.

It may result in a total reduction of CO2 equivalent gases of over 80 billion tons,

which is not far from double the total annual global emissions.

As a marine scientist and nature adventurer,

I've witnessed firsthand how climate change impacts the world we'll live in.

These climate catastrophes have almost taken my life, like when I was nearly buried alive during an avalanche, or swept away by a cyclone.

Thankfully, I survived.

But will our grandchildren call this planet home in 2050 or 2100 if our trajectory continues?

Coming from a male-dominated society, I've been asked all sorts of intrusive questions

as to why I do what I do.

Can you even travel alone? Are you capable of

climbing mountains with your heavier figure? I mean, are you fit enough? Do you think as a woman you're

equipped to do this? And the answer has always been, yes. I want to show my fellow Arab women

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