Led by Professor Vanesa Castan Broto, who has just been selected by the United Nations to join a new group of scientists from around the world to help advance science-drive acceleration of the Sustainable Development Goals, JustGESI is a 3-year interdisciplinary project funded by the UKRI’s Ayrton Challenge Programme. Research on clean energy transitions has historically overlooked issues of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), leading to poor outcomes for women and marginalised groups.
JustGESI aims to ensure that future energy transitions are equitable by advancing equality and inclusion in projects on the ground and in policy reform, and by addressing the skills gaps that have historically kept women and marginalised groups out of the clean energy economy. The project focuses on the strategies of institutional change and capacity building as key levers to bring about a radical change to advance gender justice in the transition to clean energy. The project website launched earlier this year which you can visit here.
The first meeting is an in-person in Cape Town from 6–10 October 2025. This gathering marks the beginning of a transformative journey to ensure that Africa’s energy transition is not only sustainable, but also inclusive and just. During the visit, the team will connect diverse voices—policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and community leaders - to explore how gender equality and social inclusion can be placed at the very heart of energy policy, practice, and innovation. Together, the team aspires to challenge the structures that perpetuate inequality, share strategies that empower individuals, and build partnerships that drive lasting change.
The second meeting will be in Sheffield on 22 October in the Wave, University of Sheffield. You can register to come along here and find out about the project. The launch will bring together scholars, practitioners and policy makers to reflect on the theoretical, methodological and practical implications of centering gender equality and social inclusion within energy transitions. A drinks reception will follow.
Join us to find out more!