EU Sustainable Energy Week 2022 – September 22, 9.00-10.30, online

Co-organised by Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF)

Equitable access to and control over sustainable energy services for all is an essential right. For the energy transition and EU Green Deal to be realised, they need to be inclusive and participatory. Everybody is talking about engaging more women: we want to make it happen! We will draw attention to women in energy communities and in the Renewable Heating and Cooling sectors, empowering them to reclaim energy. To understand and highlight the barriers they face, especially to enter or be represented in the energy sector, as well as their behaviours and perceptions, we will look at gender equality in RES and ECs from a societal perspective, exploring different survey results and outlining inclusive policies. A first part will explore what obstacles women must overcome and what needs to change, with key figures supporting our discussion. A second panel will examine the legal framework for better gender-balanced policy formulation. Instruments and strategies to draft inclusive supporting policies and ensure an enabling legal framework will be discussed: technical assistance and capacity building, financial support, and the implementation of gender-sensitive work policies. The last part will showcase projects and initiatives that support women in the RES and ECs, examining the need for systems and procedures changes so that power can be shared across all levels of decision-making, implementation and monitoring. We will present ideas on how women can drive the energy transition and how they can improve the community energy consumption. We will discuss the importance of training and programmes in raising awareness and increasing energy literacy. eCREW, W4RES, BECoop and WECF will share survey results with policymakers (at EU, national and local levels), energy utilities and prosumers in particular. The focus will be on women and RHC technologies, bioenergy heating and energy communities.

REGISTRATION

AGENDA

5’ Welcome Yiannis Konstas, Q-PLAN

10’ Keynote Katharina Habersbrunner, WECF

20 ‘ A societal approach to gender equality in RES & RECs: perceptions, motivations & needs. Diving into survey results to draft better policies

• Katharina Habersbrunner, WECF
• Yannis Konstas, Q-PLAN
• Johannes Slacik, Energy Institute, JKU Linz

20’ Financial & legal framework status – how can the societal approach feed into better gender-balanced policymaking

We discuss recommendations for policymakers, energy utilities and municipalities on how to integrate women. What measures should support women’s involvement? What type of support would be the most relevant?

• Jutta Paulus, EU Parliament
• Hemma Bieser, avantsmart – OurPower
• Saska Petrova, University of Manchester
• Yannis Konstas, Q-PLAN

30’ How can the projects and other initiatives support getting women more present and engaged in RES and RECs? 

• Hemma Bieser, avantsmart – OurPower
• Johannes Slacik, Energy Institute at JKU Linz
• Marilys Louvet, Energy, Climate and Gender, Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF)
• Yannis Konstas, Q-PLAN

5’ Conclusions, Saska Petrova, University of Manchester