Women’s empowerment in the sustainability industry
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Beam Magazine
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2017/03/09
Solar Sister eradicates energy poverty by empowering women with economic opportunity.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: The empowerment of women is a global goal enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDGs #5 (gender equality) and #10 (reduced inequalities). One major area requiring immediate implementation of long-term solutions is renewable technologies for sustainable development. Women are making strides in the renewable and sustainable technology sectors, as well as in the sectors of business, entrepreneurship and innovation, working to develop solutions to the one of the biggest crises facing the global population: climate change. The Beam asked two women leaders in the renewable and sustainable technology sectors about bringing women into the male-dominated sustainability industry and the industry’s relationship with women’s empowerment.
What is the most effective means of involving women in sustainability and renewable energies?
Antonella Battaglini: I actually think that we need women to move into other areas beyond sustainability and renewable energies and bring their expertise and perspectives into the highly male dominated energy sector. Sustainability, despite major progresses, still remains a minor factor in industry development and strategies.
Only a few companies are making sustainability a fundamental pillar of their short- and long-term strategies and operation. So what is the most effective means to increase the number of women in the energy sector in relevant and leading positions? I do not believe that a quota can do the job although it may help to change mentality over time. I think we need to train women to be active and strong board members, and to increase their resilience in tough environments which are often contradictory with women’s family lives.
Barbara Buchner: It is positive that the issue of gender equality is now being taken seriously by many international organizations that are focusing on sustainable development and improving access to clean energy. The Paris Agreement explicitly recognized that action to address climate change should respect, promote and consider gender equality, which is a positive step forward. Similarly, mainstreaming gender equality into climate action is now a top priority for many bilateral and multilateral aid organizations, including the World Bank.
This high-level, political focus is of course welcome and to be encouraged. The challenge now is to ensure these goals and objectives filter down to action on the ground, and that gender impacts are considered and addressed in a meaningful way (rather than just a ‘tick box’ exercise). Training will be key — as this calls for a new model of development. Similarly, it will be vital to involve women and women’s organizations in stakeholder groups and consultations, and on steering committees of projects, so that they can bring their strong local knowledge to bear and to ensure the potential impacts on women are acknowledged and addressed.
Jacobsen: What is the relationship to women’s advocacy, empowerment, and rights to sustainability and renewable energies?
Antonella Battaglini: Women may have a reconciling role in society and the energy sector: they have been deprived of power over centuries and have developed interests that stretch more into the future. For example, they feel the urge to protect the environment for the well being of their kids in the future. While society is changing fast, a lot of times women still don’t acknowledge or use the power they actually have due to societal taboos and religious constraints. Sustainability is where they have found a space to grow without threatening the male dominated status quo. For a revolution, it will take much longer, I am afraid.
Barbara Buchner: Energy access and energy poverty affects both men and women in developing countries but the impacts for women are often more severe. Women are often responsible for many household activities including cooking and household and community energy provision.
Without access to modern energy services, women and children can spend most of their day collecting fuel, preventing them from pursuing employment, education, and other opportunities to improve their livelihoods. At the same time, indoor air pollution from cooking from coal, wood, charcoal or dung affects the health of women and children in particular. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that women and children make up the majority of the estimated four million annual deaths caused by indoor air pollution.
Therefore, improving access to clean energy can have a dramatic impact on women’s’ health, empowerment and ability to take up economic opportunities. Furthermore, efforts to improve access to clean energy can benefit hugely from the involvement of women. Women often have strong local knowledge and know-how about sustainable resource management in the local community and their immediate households. Conversely, failure to involve women can lead to increasing inequality and implementation of less effective projects and initiatives.
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In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.in-sightjournal.com.
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