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8.1 Introduction
There is an increased concern in the literature about unsustainable energy practices
and potential effects on vulnerable community groups, particularly on women and
girls. This study explores how women can boost their assets and capacities to cope
with the effects of unsustainable energy consumption, such as use of pollutants and
waste, use of fossil fuels, inadequate compensation for the loss of livelihood options,
and lack of corporate accountability for adverse unsustainable energy practices. In
the practicality, the international community and local stakeholders (higher education institutions, the private sector, governments, and civil society organizations)
have joint efforts to build women’s capacity by delivering technical assistance programs under the umbrella of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy.
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy ensures access to affordable, reliable, and
sustainable energy and is crucial in achieving many of the SDGs – from poverty
eradication via advancements in health, education, water supply, and industrialization to mitigating climate change. Research shows that existing capacity-building
approaches to energy do not strategically target women and fail in incorporating
priority capacity-building areas valuable for women. However, these efforts represent a potential for fostering sustainable energy consumption patterns and therefore
overall sustainability.
By investing in capacity-building and education structures that boost women’s
capacities in line with a vision for greater access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for women further facilitates sustainable livelihood development and
access to the rewards of the fulfillment of the global goals. This manuscript argues
that boosting women’s capacities to cope with the effects of increasing unsustainable energy consumption can foster overall sustainability in the long run. Based on
a comparative case study methodology, the research reported in this manuscript
identifies priority capacity-building areas valuable for women and proposes a
capacity-building approach for sustainability in selected case studies. Some of the
women participants in this study are based in locations where eWisely (Exceptional
Women in Sustainability) operates. eWisely is the largest connector of women in
sustainability with nearly 8000 leaders and followers in +60 locations. This research
has also been supported by Research eWisely Lab.
Existing capacity-building initiatives for sustainability appear to have achieved a
very low level of impact, as these actions are often disconnected to the local context
or are irrelevant for women and girls. Yet there are many unanswered questions in
this area, and the research reported in this article aims to increase our understanding
in this field. What the main capacity-building priority areas are and how valuable
they are for women are some of the questions that will be addressed in this article.
Identifying and improving core capacity-building areas seems from this study to be
the most effective way to enhance the ability of women to cope with pressing sustainability challenges over time. Based on stakeholders’ perceptions in two case
studies, this article pays attention to the nature and importance of these capacitybuilding priority areas.
I. B. Franco et al.
8.1 Introduction
There is an increased concern in the literature about unsustainable energy practices
and potential effects on vulnerable community groups, particularly on women and
girls. This study explores how women can boost their assets and capacities to cope
with the effects of unsustainable energy consumption, such as use of pollutants and
waste, use of fossil fuels, inadequate compensation for the loss of livelihood options,
and lack of corporate accountability for adverse unsustainable energy practices. In
the practicality, the international community and local stakeholders (higher education institutions, the private sector, governments, and civil society organizations)
have joint efforts to build women’s capacity by delivering technical assistance programs under the umbrella of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy.
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy ensures access to affordable, reliable, and
sustainable energy and is crucial in achieving many of the SDGs – from poverty
eradication via advancements in health, education, water supply, and industrialization to mitigating climate change. Research shows that existing capacity-building
approaches to energy do not strategically target women and fail in incorporating
priority capacity-building areas valuable for women. However, these efforts represent a potential for fostering sustainable energy consumption patterns and therefore
overall sustainability.
By investing in capacity-building and education structures that boost women’s
capacities in line with a vision for greater access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for women further facilitates sustainable livelihood development and
access to the rewards of the fulfillment of the global goals. This manuscript argues
that boosting women’s capacities to cope with the effects of increasing unsustainable energy consumption can foster overall sustainability in the long run. Based on
a comparative case study methodology, the research reported in this manuscript
identifies priority capacity-building areas valuable for women and proposes a
capacity-building approach for sustainability in selected case studies. Some of the
women participants in this study are based in locations where eWisely (Exceptional
Women in Sustainability) operates. eWisely is the largest connector of women in
sustainability with nearly 8000 leaders and followers in +60 locations. This research
has also been supported by Research eWisely Lab.
Existing capacity-building initiatives for sustainability appear to have achieved a
very low level of impact, as these actions are often disconnected to the local context
or are irrelevant for women and girls. Yet there are many unanswered questions in
this area, and the research reported in this article aims to increase our understanding
in this field. What the main capacity-building priority areas are and how valuable
they are for women are some of the questions that will be addressed in this article.
Identifying and improving core capacity-building areas seems from this study to be
the most effective way to enhance the ability of women to cope with pressing sustainability challenges over time. Based on stakeholders’ perceptions in two case
studies, this article pays attention to the nature and importance of these capacitybuilding priority areas.
I. B. Franco et al.