Brussels, 19/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - For the first time, European indicators have been devised for the area of women and climate change. The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) formulated them in a report which will form the basis of conclusions to be adopted at the next Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) in Luxembourg on 21 June. “Women and the Environment” is the area chosen by the Danish Presidency in the follow-up to the 12 critical areas of concern defined at the UN Platform for Action, adopted in Beijing in 1995. Each of the rotating presidencies deals with it, but this is the first time that the issue of gender and climate change will be discussed at the Council. The conclusions that are to be adopted will focus on the under-representation of women in key posts in the area of climate change. The report reveals that, in Europe, women hold only about a quarter of climate-related decision-making positions in the public sector of the EU member states. Among member states, numbers vary from 8% of women in high-level decision-making positions on climate change policies in Italy to 50% in Sweden and Finland. Nor does the Commission set the best example: in DG Environment, women hold only 25% of high-level positions while in DG Mobility and Transport, this figure falls to 13%. The conclusions will also look at the differences in the proportion of women and men graduates in scientific and technological fields. In 2009, women represented only 28% of the graduates in technological fields but, in life sciences, women represented 62% of graduates. The EIGE report notes that educational choices of women and men are known to be influenced by gender stereotypes. Yet, as EIGE director Virginija Langbakk says: “Women and men cause climate change and contribute to the mitigation of the effects in different ways, which means that climate change policies can only deal with climate change effectively, if they systematically consider and respond to the needs and choices of both women and men.” (MD/transl.rt)