How to deal with care and Catastrophes in communes in times of climate crisis

The climate crisis poses immense challenges to societies worldwide - not only through destructive extreme weather events but also due to its far-reaching social consequences. Care systems are particularly affected: they are indispensable for the functioning of communities, yet climate shocks threaten their stability, increase the demand for caregiving, and deepen social inequalities. Women bear a disproportionate share of this burden - both in unpaid and paid carework.

C(L)ARE brings the often overlooked connection between climate change, gender inequality, and carework into focus. Using the September 2024 floods in Lower Austria as a case study, the project investigates how climate-induced disasters disrupt care systems, weaken caregiving networks, and exacerbate social disparities. These questions remain largely unexplored in Europe, as international research has predominantly focused on the Global South.

Climate disasters severely impact already underfunded care systems: care facilities are closed, infrastructure is damaged, and family networks collapse. At the same time, the need for carework and the burden on careworkers, who are often inadequately supported, are increasing. C(L)ARE highlights these dynamics and closes existing knowledge gaps by providing crucial insights into the vulnerability of care systems and the long-term negative impacts of climate-related disasters. C(L)ARE uses a mix of qualitative case studies and quantitative impact cost estimates to assess the long-term costs of disruption to paid and unpaid care systems caused by natural disasters using the example of the floods in Lower Austria in 2024.

C(L)ARE’s goal is to develop actionable strategies for resilient and gender-equal care systems in times of extreme weather events and natural disasters related to climate change. C(L)ARE seeks to capacitate Austrian policymakers to integrate carework as a central pillar of climate adaptation and disaster management strategies. To achieve this, the project will produce specific recommendations for infrastructure improvements, disaster preparedness plans, support mechanisms for caregivers, and long-term strategies for gender-equitable care systems that can withstand climate-related challenges.

By emphasising the importance of care systems for societal and economic resilience, C(L)ARE sets a new benchmark for integrating social justice with sustainable climate policy.