Making Clean Energy Transitions More Inclusive: Evidence, Knowledge GAPS, and Policy Options in Low-Income Economies

The document argues that while clean energy transitions can drive development and gender equality, they risk reinforcing existing inequalities without intentional policy design. It identifies significant financing gaps, particularly for adaptation in low-income regions, and implementation barriers such as high connection fees for rural households. The authors recommend that the G20 facilitate lesson-sharing on policy innovations, promote gender-responsive programs that empower women as producers rather than just consumers, and establish a permanent platform for evidence generation on inclusive green transitions.

• Progress toward universal electricity access has slowed, with an estimated 660 million people, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, expected to remain without electricity by 2030. Furthermore, approximately 2.8 billion people lack reliable electricity access.
• Climate finance is severely underfunded and geographically concentrated; the Middle East and Africa receive only 2% of global investment, while Latin America and the Caribbean receive 4%. The 2015 Paris Agreement goal of mobilising US$100 billion annually for developing countries was not met, reaching only US$83.3 billion in 2020.
• Implementation of energy transitions is hindered by political and institutional factors that favour incumbent systems, as well as economic barriers for rural households, including high connection fees and the cost of necessary home upgrades.
• Energy transitions often perpetuate gender biases by treating women primarily as consumers or victims of climate change rather than as producers, managers, or climate leaders.
• Integrating women into the energy value chain as producers and entrepreneurs can improve household status and economic security, as demonstrated by the Energising Development Programme (EnDev) in Tanzania, which trained women as clean cook stove producers and traders.

APA

de Haan, A., Dupar, M., Jeuland, M., Phillips, J., Torres, M. M. J., Adhikari, B., & Mbiekop, F. (2023). Making Clean Energy Transitions More Inclusive: Evidence, Knowledge GAPS, and Policy Options in Low-Income Economies. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2026-02/De%20Haan%20Dupar%20et%20al_Inclusive-Clean-Energy-Transitions.pdf

Chicago

de Haan, Arjan, Mairi Dupar, Marc Jeuland, Jonathan Phillips, Monica Marcela Jaime Torres, Bhim Adhikari, and Flaubert Mbiekop. Making Clean Energy Transitions More Inclusive: Evidence, Knowledge GAPS, and Policy Options in Low-Income Economies. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2023. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2026-02/De%20Haan%20Dupar%20et%20al_Inclusive-Clean-Energy-Transitions.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=de Haan |first1=Arjan |last2=Dupar |first2=Mairi |last3=Jeuland |first3=Marc |last4=Phillips |first4=Jonathan |last5=Torres |first5=Monica Marcela Jaime |last6=Adhikari |first6=Bhim |last7=Mbiekop |first7=Flaubert |title=Making Clean Energy Transitions More Inclusive: Evidence, Knowledge GAPS, and Policy Options in Low-Income Economies |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=July 2023 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2026-02/De%20Haan%20Dupar%20et%20al_Inclusive-Clean-Energy-Transitions.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dehaan2023making, author = {de Haan, Arjan and Dupar, Mairi and Jeuland, Marc and Phillips, Jonathan and Torres, Monica Marcela Jaime and Adhikari, Bhim and Mbiekop, Flaubert}, title = {{Making Clean Energy Transitions More Inclusive: Evidence, Knowledge GAPS, and Policy Options in Low-Income Economies}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2023}, month = jul, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/2026-02/De%20Haan%20Dupar%20et%20al_Inclusive-Clean-Energy-Transitions.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }