Using energy justice as a search light for gender and energy policy research:A systematic review

This paper develops and tests a policy framework for gender and energy justice through building on the key concepts in gender and energy policy literature. Based on the historical development of the gender and energy policy nexus, three major discourses are discerned: empowerment, gender mainstreaming and gender transformation. All these discourses identify engendering a policy as process, and have a common goal, which is to develop a policy that acknowledges the gendered difference of needs and interests. Two gender-analytical frameworks are instrumental to understand the gender-energy nexus from an energy systems approach; the needs-based approach and the rights-based approach. Both approaches address social justice in energy policy, by creating awareness on the different energy needs of men and women and the rights that entitle them to equal access to energy services. The search for a just energy policy is central in the energy justice discourse. Energy justice is used as a concept, an analytical tool and a decision-making framework, based on three principles: distributional, recognition and procedural justice. Through juxtaposing the gender analytical frameworks of energy policy and the energy justice principles, a gender and energy just policy framework has been developed. This framework identifies the three engendering processes on one axis of the matrix and the three principles of energy justice on the other. This paper is the first attempt to test this framework by applying it in a systematic review of the scholarly literature on gender and energy justice. The concepts of the framework are recognized in the existing scholarly literature. However, the applicability of the framework as an analytical tool needs further analysis and evidence-based testing to be developed as a decision-making instrument for policy design

Humanising the Energy Transition:Towards a National Policy on Energy Poverty in the Netherlands

Energy poverty is emerging as a national agenda in the Netherlands. Local authority leadership and action on this agenda, and European Union reporting requirements around the energy transition have aligned to create an opportunity to establish a national agenda on this issue. Early action on energy poverty by local authorities stemmed from their recognition of the value of addressing environmental, health, social welfare and poverty goals through measures to address the problem. In contrast, the experiences of vulnerable energy consumers have limited recognition in national policy. Meanwhile EU requirements for climate reporting include a specification for measuring and monitoring energy poverty. This growing momentum has resulted in an emerging interest in energy poverty as a means to achieve a just transition at a national level, as reflected in the Dutch National Climate and Energy Plan. In this paper, we profile the case of the Netherlands, and outline the opportunity we see for the development of an energy poverty agenda in national energy transition policy, as part of a multi-level energy governance effort. We report on a national stakeholder workshop that we led, linking the lived experience of energy poverty in the Netherlands with policy solutions. Following the clear call for a national policy in this workshop, we also outline a strategy for engagement with energy poverty in the Netherlands, published recently in a white paper on this topic.</p

Energy justice as a search light for gender-energy nexus: Towards a conceptual framework

Differences between women and men in their access to and use of energy services constitutes the core of gender-energy nexus research. In early 2010s, the concept of energy justice has emerged as a response to the need to address justice issues in energy access, use and policy making. However, the gender-energy nexus research lacks the conceptual basis to analyse energy policies from a justice perspective. This paper aims to bridge this scientific and policy knowledge gap by developing and applying a conceptual framework by juxtaposing the three tenets of energy justice (distributive, recognitional and procedural justice) and the three engendering policy discourses (women empowerment, gender mainstreaming and social inclusion). To develop the framework, we conducted a conceptual review of 56 scientific publications by identifying, examining and synthesising the key ideas and debates in energy justice and engendering energy policy. Then we applied the framework to the current body of scientific knowledge on gender and energy justice and identified future research directions. Given the limited scientific literature on gender and energy justice, the framework contributes to conceptualising energy justice for researchers analysing energy systems in their social, cultural, economic and political contexts. This paper makes a first attempt in doing so, and invites further elaboration and operationalisation of the framework. A comprehensive application of the framework requires further empirical evidence and the development of indicators to assess energy policies from an integrated gender and energy justice perspective