Gender-responsive energy transition

by Emmaqulate Kemunto

Climate change as a threat multiplier

Myth: Climate change affects everyone equally. Climate change affects different people differently, owing to pre-existing vulnerabilities and other socio-cultural factors. Women’s vulnerability to climate change impact is particularly higher because of pre-existing social, economic, cultural, and institutional marginalisation. For instance, 70% of the people living below the poverty line are women. Climate change is therefore a threat multiplier for populations with pre-existing vulnerabilities. These pre-existing disadvantages hinder women’s adaptive capacity to climate change. For this reason, one-foot-fits-all climate action which is blind to pre-existing gender gaps, marginalisation, and discrimination is biased and risks further perpetuating these inequalities. Therefore, climate action, including energy transition, must be gender-sensitive, gender-responsive, and human rights-based. 

Energy transition as climate action

Two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions are from energy generation and consumption. Further, 85% of global energy is generated from fossil fuels. Transition to renewable energy is therefore a global goal under the Paris Agreement to keep earth’s temperatures well below 2 degrees Celsius by 2030. The transition journey has prompted the adoption of various measures, policies, laws, and programmes meant to increase the percentage of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

On the other hand, universal access to energy by 2030 is a global goal (SDG 7) under the sustainable development goals. Targets under SDG 7 include universal access to affordable, reliable, adequate, and clean energy, and increasing renewable energy in the global energy mix. Energy is an enabler towards the realisation of other human rights and SDGs. Yet, 759 million people still lack access to electricity, 90% of whom live in Africa and Asia; 2.6 billion people lack access to clean cooking services, and 3.8 million people die annually from indoor pollution caused by the use of carbon intensive heating and cooking sources such as wood fuel. Given that 70% of the people living below the poverty line are women, they are largely affected by energy poverty. Access to clean energy will therefore enhance vulnerable populations’ capacity to adapt to climate change while acting as a mitigation measure at the same time.

Gender-responsive energy transition

As of 2017, only 33% of 192 national energy frameworks in 137 countries incorporated gender dimensions, and only 1% of these frameworks recognised women as agents of change. The majority of energy sector policies are largely gender neutral, hence failing to recognise the role of women as primary managers of traditional energy sources, their potential in mitigation efforts, and women as entrepreneurs in energy transition.

Gender-responsive action is an action that recognises existing gender gaps and is designed to respond to them. Energy transition must therefore take into consideration pre-existing gender disparities hindering women’s capacity to adapt to adverse impacts of climate change. Access to clean energy can increase women’s adaptive capacity, which is the capacity to adjust to potential change, and take advantage of opportunities or respond to consequences.

Gender-responsive energy transition should be geared towards the realisation of national and international commitments by States to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and promote gender equity and equality. It comprises deliberate measures to address gender gaps in the energy sector and overcome biases in policies and interventions.

How can gender-responsive energy transition be achieved?

This can be achieved through gender mainstreaming:  

• Integrating a gender perspective into energy transition policies and plans.
• Making men and women’s experiences and concerns a core part of the planning, design, monitoring, and evaluation of energy transition policies and programs
• Assessing the implications on women of energy transition action plans

Mainstreaming gender in energy transition policies will also require:

1. gender analysis in the initial stages of planning to identify energy needs, use, and access for both men and women,
2. having policy objectives that strengthen women’s access to clean energy,
3. gender-responsive facilitation encouraging women to meaningfully participate in decision-making,
4. designing gender-responsive monitoring and evaluation frameworks,
5. ensuring gender-responsive budgeting in the implementation of these policies, and,
6. Gender equity in energy sector institutional arrangements.

Further, Energy transition as a climate action should consider the unique position of women, not just as beneficiaries, but also as change makers whose participation is critical across the energy value chain.

Towards a gender-responsive energy transition in Kenya

There is a sufficient foundation for gender-responsive energy transition in Kenya. The Constitution recognises historical gender marginalisation and provides for gender equity and equality. Kenya also has a National Gender Policy and is party to international laws promoting women’s rights, such as the Maputo Protocol, and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Further, Kenya’s National Climate Change Action Plan (2018-2022) acknowledges gender inequality as a climate change vulnerability. Further, the Climate Change Act contains gender mainstreaming in all aspects of climate change responses as one of its objectives. If further requires the Cabinet Secretary responsible for environment and climate to formulate a national gender and intergenerational responsive public awareness strategy and implementation programme. The Act establishes the National Climate Change Council whose membership must conform to the 2/3 gender principle. It further requires that the formulation of National Action Plans must adhere to the principles of gender and intergenerational equity.

Kenya also has in place an Energy Gender Policy, developed by the Ministry of Energy. The policy seeks to integrate gender dimensions in Kenya’s energy planning. While applauding this progress, concerted effort towards translating these policy and legislation provisions into action is critical.