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8.5 Impact Sustainability: Final Remarks
The escalation of unsustainable practices in the use of energy sources is likely to
result more detrimental for vulnerable community groups, particularly for women
and girls. Successful integration of priority areas for capacity-building can boost
women’s capacities to cope with the unstainable use of energy resources. This chapter recommended a strategic approach to boost women’s abilities to sustain their
assets despite the escalation of unsustainable practices in the use of energy resources.
It also highlights existing issues when integrating a gender lens perspective to
examine sustainability issues.
This chapter also indicated that priority capacity-building areas which are the
most valuable for women are those that help them achieve their own sustainable
development aspirations. Although collaboration of state and non-state actors is pivotal to boost women’s capacity, a bottom-up approach to capacity-building for sustainability is more likely to foster overall sustainability than corporate and/or
government top-down approaches. Community-oriented and women-driven agendas can help women become more resilient to cope with unsustainable practices in
energy consumption or associated matters. However, such approaches need to be
also aligned with the global agenda on sustainable development. It is not solely
local actors’ responsibilities to make capacity-building approaches valuable for
women as the international community also need to share responsibilities with local
stakeholders and develop technical assistance programs accordingly.
In addition, consultation and active participation in decision-making for the
development of capacity-building approaches to sustainability need to be guaranteed in both cases. However, nuanced attention needs to be paid to the Japanese case
where gender inclusion issues are complex. In both cases consultation should not be
merely the token provision of information but should be such that women are
involved in decision-making about matters such as priorities for the allocation of
funds and asset transformation. Consultation processes should also include women
across the broader community to help them boost their assets and cope with unsustainable energy practices in the case study locations.
References
Abe H (2017) First RCE thematic conference: towards achieving the SDGs, Okayama, 5 December,
UNU-IAS, Tokyo
Alston M (2014) Gender mainstreaming and climate change. Women’s Stud Int Forum
47(B):287–294
Brundtland Commission (1987) Report of the World Commission on Environment and
Development: Our Common Future. UN Documents. Available at http://www.un-documents.
net/our-common-future.pdf
Cecelski E (2000) The role of women in sustainable energy development. National Renewable
Energy Laboratory, Golden
8 SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
8.5 Impact Sustainability: Final Remarks
The escalation of unsustainable practices in the use of energy sources is likely to
result more detrimental for vulnerable community groups, particularly for women
and girls. Successful integration of priority areas for capacity-building can boost
women’s capacities to cope with the unstainable use of energy resources. This chapter recommended a strategic approach to boost women’s abilities to sustain their
assets despite the escalation of unsustainable practices in the use of energy resources.
It also highlights existing issues when integrating a gender lens perspective to
examine sustainability issues.
This chapter also indicated that priority capacity-building areas which are the
most valuable for women are those that help them achieve their own sustainable
development aspirations. Although collaboration of state and non-state actors is pivotal to boost women’s capacity, a bottom-up approach to capacity-building for sustainability is more likely to foster overall sustainability than corporate and/or
government top-down approaches. Community-oriented and women-driven agendas can help women become more resilient to cope with unsustainable practices in
energy consumption or associated matters. However, such approaches need to be
also aligned with the global agenda on sustainable development. It is not solely
local actors’ responsibilities to make capacity-building approaches valuable for
women as the international community also need to share responsibilities with local
stakeholders and develop technical assistance programs accordingly.
In addition, consultation and active participation in decision-making for the
development of capacity-building approaches to sustainability need to be guaranteed in both cases. However, nuanced attention needs to be paid to the Japanese case
where gender inclusion issues are complex. In both cases consultation should not be
merely the token provision of information but should be such that women are
involved in decision-making about matters such as priorities for the allocation of
funds and asset transformation. Consultation processes should also include women
across the broader community to help them boost their assets and cope with unsustainable energy practices in the case study locations.
References
Abe H (2017) First RCE thematic conference: towards achieving the SDGs, Okayama, 5 December,
UNU-IAS, Tokyo
Alston M (2014) Gender mainstreaming and climate change. Women’s Stud Int Forum
47(B):287–294
Brundtland Commission (1987) Report of the World Commission on Environment and
Development: Our Common Future. UN Documents. Available at http://www.un-documents.
net/our-common-future.pdf
Cecelski E (2000) The role of women in sustainable energy development. National Renewable
Energy Laboratory, Golden
8 SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy