Inclusivity in urban energy transitions: A methodological approach for mapping gendered energy vulnerability

Abstract

Energy poverty has become a notable concern within the European Union (EU), with adverse implications for the well-being and social inclusion of susceptible populations, particularly women. Despite an increasing focus on gender perspectives in the context of the energy transition in recent years, the assessment of the geographical distribution of energy vulnerability remains gender-blind.

This paper introduces a simplified method for mapping gendered energy-vulnerable areas through a gender-responsive index. The proposed method enlightens the potential use of open-access data for evaluating energy vulnerability from a gender perspective. Additionally, the methodology cross-references previous energy poverty assessments to identify matching cases of gendered energy vulnerability, resulting in the Gendered Energy Vulnerability Index (GEVI). The GEVI enables the classification of areas based on their risk of experiencing gendered energy vulnerability.

To illustrate the method, it is applied to the evaluation of a case study of Madrid, Spain. Findings estimate that 42 neighborhoods, representing 32 % of the total in the city, might be at risk of facing gendered energy vulnerability, with a pronounced impact on elderly women, single-parent households led by women, and women engaged in part-time employment or elementary occupations. The study also identifies specific spatial patterns and correlations within the city.