Managing gender-inclusive, just energy transitions in South Asia

Abstract

The demand for a Just Transition (JT) is gaining momentum internationally and has important implications for the energy and power sectors. This paper draws on >10 years of practice integrating gender equality and social inclusion considerations in the energy and power sectors in low- and middle-income countries in South Asia and examines JTs in the energy and power sectors with a focus on gender equality. It includes a brief history of JT frameworks. The paper outlines the energy transition in South Asia, including progress towards net zero based on countries' Nationally Determined Contributions and some country strategies for integrating gender elements. It includes a brief energy audit that examines trends towards the incorporation of greater shares of renewables over the past two decades, the gender-related implications of distributed generation and demand-side participation, and the gender-related impacts on employment. Drawing on this landscape, the paper goes on to examine the transformation of the energy sector in the Maldives as a case study, with a focus on gender considerations, and draws out some key lessons for a gender-inclusive just energy transition (JET). The paper then proposes a gender and socially inclusive domains framework to guide policy and planning.