The conference, held in London from 1 to 4 September 2026, brought together researchers to explore pressing social and environmental challenges. The JustGESI team organised a panel titled: 'What does Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion mean for a just energy transition? An exploration from feminist and decolonial perspectives.'
Chaired by JustGESI Principal Investigator Vanesa Castán Broto from the Urban Institute at the University of Sheffield, the session drew on insights from Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Panellists argued that a just energy transition requires attention to deeper institutional, social, and political structures that shape inequalities, moving beyond narrow understandings of inclusion.
Presentations explored who benefits from energy transitions, whose knowledge counts, and how existing power relations influence access to energy, education, and decision-making. Jiska de Groot from the University of Cape Town discussed the need for systemic transformation in energy access innovation ecosystems, while Harshit Vallecha and Mulualem Gebreslassie from Sheffield Hallam University shared findings on barriers to energy and engineering education for women and marginalised groups.
Further insights came from Serena Saligari of Loughborough University, who mapped electric cooking through a GEDSI lens in several African countries, highlighting uneven infrastructural readiness and policy fragmentation. Debbie Sparks and Ruth Massey from the University of Cape Town presented a proposed assessment matrix for designing energy curricula that meaningfully incorporate GEDSI principles.
Sangita Thebe Limbu from the Urban Institute, University of Sheffield, outlined how the project is adapting Institutional Ethnography to investigate how institutional processes shape work practices within the energy sector, particularly in Global South settings.
The panel generated lively discussions on increasing representation in STEM education and careers, and rethinking curricula. A common message emerged: a just energy transition cannot be achieved through technology alone, but requires sustained attention to power relations, social norms, and institutional structures to build more equitable and sustainable energy futures.
