New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Entrepreneurs and activists on Thursday underlined the importance of decision making by women in discussions around energy transition in India during a climate talk event, while saying that the sector has been traditionally dominated by men.

Speaking to IANS, Neha Saigal, author of the book ‘Powering the Future: Women Leading India’s Energy Transition’, mentioned that the primary objective of the event was to discuss how women are central to the energy transition in India and also central to climate solutions in the country.

Responding to a question on the significance of women in India’s energy transition, Saigal said: “I think women so far have not been central to the energy discourse in India but actually they are the key architects and leaders of the energy transition in order to have a ‘just transition’.”

She also added that the book authored by her consists of five stories from different parts of India that show “how women are playing a critical role in defining the new energy paradigm towards a green economy in India”.

On the biggest challenge that is currently obstructing the increase in women’s participation, Saigal said: “I think there are several, one of the key ones is that we live in a society that is already gender unequal. The social norms in our country are such that women are not able to participate as much when it comes to decisions around energy.”

Moreover, she said: “Energy has traditionally been a masculine space.”

“So, this entire effort is to ensure that it becomes a gender equal space where women have space in decision making and participate in energy conversations in their communities,” she added.

According to Saigal, a lot of efforts are still needed to increase the number of women in the renewable energy sector.

“I think the first is looking at it structurally where there needs to be shifts in policy, finance as well as governance,” she said.

While adding that there are a lot of conversations regarding skilling women towards renewable energy, she added that it requires much more efforts.

“It requires working at the fundamentals of making norms that allow women to be equal players in the energy transition, while also ensuring that there are decentralised models of renewable energy that allow women at even in villages to participate in this conversation,” she said.

Amrita Rana, founding member of Clean Air Punjab at Amritsar, asserted that energy transition can be successful only when women are involved in it.

“Women should be present at the table while framing a policy, only then we can have true results reflecting gender equality,” she told IANS.

She also said that India’s current policies do not provide adequate opportunities for women in the clean energy sector, mentioning that it requires more efforts.

Responding to how rural women can be integrated into solar and other clean energy projects, Rana opined that handholding is required.

Giving an example of pink autos in Amritsar, she said: “We did door-to-door campaign and realised that women are not waiting for opportunities, they are instead waiting for systems to believe in them.”

Rana urged the government to provide subsidies and also reserve seats for women.

–IANS

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