I stand by it: Dia Mirza reiterates ‘patriarchy causes climate change’ claim
Dia Mirza has explained her comments linking patriarchy to climate change following online backlash. He said his comments were about unequal power structures that are driving mining and environmental damage.
Actor and environment advocate Dia Mirza has responded to criticism over her recent remarks linking patriarchy to climate change, saying that her comments were misunderstood and she stands by them. In a video shared on Instagram, Mirza clarified that she was referring to patriarchal power structures and the systems they have created, and not blaming individual men.
Addressing the response, Mirza wrote, “Since so many of you are debating this, it’s time to explain it as simply as possible. I stand by my statement ‘Patriarchy caused the climate crisis.’ Climate change is often talked about as an environmental crisis. But this is also a crisis of inequality. For centuries, patriarchal systems have concentrated power, prioritized extraction over care, and treated both nature and vulnerable communities as resources to be exploited rather than preserved.”
She drew an analogy between the exploitation of nature and the treatment of women in patriarchal societies.
Mirza said, “Forests, rivers, oceans and ecosystems have been viewed as objects. Just as women often are. The consequences of this thinking are now impossible to ignore.”
Watch the video here:
The controversy started when Mirza appeared on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, where she said, “Patriarchy is the cause of climate change. It is men in this world. Yes, it is men who have driven climate change, and they are completely responsible for the chaos that is in our world today and the suffering that is happening to people everywhere. I mean, not just the global South, but now also the global North, okay?”
His comment immediately sparked debate on social media with a section of users criticizing his comments.
Dia Mirza doubled her claim
The actor further revealed that he and environmental journalist Aarti Kumar-Rao had discussed the issue in an episode all about him. According to Mirza, he talked about how “this highly exploitative, neglectful and dominating system controlled entirely by men has given rise to economic structures that contribute to climate change.”
She added, “It is this system of extractive dominance that is also working overtime to discredit the voices speaking out for nature conservation and women’s rights.”
Mirza also argued that women and girls, especially women from vulnerable communities, are often the first to suffer the consequences of climate change through water scarcity, food insecurity, displacement and loss of livelihoods, while being under-represented in environmental decision-making.
Calling for a broader understanding of climate action, he said it should also focus on justice and challenge systems that reward endless extraction and consumption while undervaluing care, collaboration and stewardship.
Watch the viral video here:
He said, “The climate crisis is not just about carbon. It is about how we choose to connect with each other and the natural world. Building a sustainable future requires us to move away from systems of domination toward systems rooted in equality, compassion and respect for all life.”
Despite continued online criticism, Mirza said that her original comments were intended to highlight the role of patriarchal systems in exacerbating environmental degradation, and reiterated that she stood by her statement.
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