Exploring the nexus of gender and energy transitions: A systematic literature review

Against the backdrop of the growing emphasis on gender aspects in the energy transition within the scientific community, this Systematic Literature Review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of scientific literature on the interconnection between gender issues and energy transitions. Unlike other SLRs on the topic, the primary contribution of this paper is to comprehensively analyze the gender-energy transitions nexus, encompassing all its facets, rather than concentrating on specific dimensions. After reviewing a sample of 152 scientific publications extracted from the Web of Science Database, this paper identifies and categorizes the key dimensions of the gender-energy nexus into distinct clusters, systematically organizes the existing knowledge within these categories, and pinpoints specific research gaps, offering a clear foundation for future investigations in this area. The results are presented in two sections: the first provides a quantitative overview of the research landscape and the second provides a qualitative analysis of the publications' results. The scientific evidence considered in this work reveals that the gender issues related to energy transitions can be clustered within seven categories: Empowerment, Employment/Work, Attitudes/Behaviors, Transitions to modern energy, Knowledge/Awareness, Perception, and Health. Just energy transitions require sensibilization, and thorough planning and direction across all these clusters. This work serves as a valuable tool for future research and informs policymakers in developing just policy recommendations for energy transitions.