This briefing paper argues that gender inequality is one of the most widespread and persistent barriers to social justice and that climate change amplifies the risks faced by people who are already poor and marginalised, with widespread negative consequences primarily for women and girls, and for society as a whole. It argues that social inequality and climate change not only reinforce each other, but have common roots – in various forms of domination by powerful elites and in a development model which can put human rights and the environment second and economic growth first. It argues that 2015 is a key moment for governments to change course towards more equitable sustainable government as they seek to agree three major international policy frameworks with long-term implications reaching at least into 2030. These include the post-2015 sustainable development framework, a future UN climate change agreement, and the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction.