Energy Transition and the Role of Women: Where do we stand today?

The Clean Energy Solutions Center, in partnership with the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET), hosted this webinar as the first in a six-part webinar series on Gender Equality for a More Rapid and Inclusive Energy Transition. The webinar panelists reviewed the status of renewable energy and the valuable contributions women are making in the energy transition.

Women are increasingly serving as change agents in important roles as energy professionals, energy decision makers and energy consumers. However, while progress is being made, women continue to face structural and cultural barriers to participating in the transition. The webinar panelists discussed these challenges and showcased successes of how gender diversity and the broad participation of women in the energy sector are influencing a successful clean energy transition.

Presentations included the following reports:

• 2019 Renewables Global Status Report from REN 21, which provides an annual overview of renewable markets, investments and policies around the world
• Renewable Energy: A Gender Perspective from IRENA, which assesses the status of women in renewable energy, barriers to participation in the energy transition and opportunities moving forward
• Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2019.

Gender participation in the energy transition impacts multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Specifically, there is an interplay between the goals for “gender equality and empowerment” and “affordable and clean energy.” The webinar panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges in the nexus between these goals.

The webinar presentations were followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience.

Panelists

• Rana Adib, Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21)
• Celia Garcia-Banos, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
• Dr. Minoru Takada, United Nations Development of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
• Moderator: Christine Lins, Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET)

Certification

The Clean Energy Solutions Center and Global Women’s Network for the Energy transition will provide a certificate of completion for any participant who completes all six offerings of this webinar series. Contact us for more information.

Sponsors

The Clean Energy Solutions Center helps governments, advisors and analysts create policies and programs that advance the deployment of clean energy technologies. The Solutions Center is an initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), a global forum to share best practices and promote policies and programs that encourage and facilitate the transition to a global clean energy economy.

GWNET aims to advance the global energy transition by connecting and empowering women working in sustainable energy in all parts of the world through interdisciplinary networking, advocacy, training, coaching and mentoring. It is a non-profit membership organisation with more than 800 members in over 88 countries.