W4RES Webinar n°4 – Support energy communities and gender-just energy communities

Energy communities pave the way for a different, decentralized and democratic energy system, pushing the renewable energy production and supply to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5). Community energy can be key to reaching a decarbonised economy and a crucial step in tackling climate change and  energy poverty. This is about more than windmills and solar panels. It is about production, distribution and storage of electricity. It is about heating, cooling and mobility. Community energy can help find a new balance between local economies and the global economy by using local and renewable resources while developing and keeping the knowledge in the regions and countries. It can help overcome the urban and rural divide, rich and poor can be engaged — because it empowers local people. Community energy leads to energy democracy, keeping the promise of an economy and society based on co-operation rather than competition.

Using land and roofs in an efficient way while considering social and ecological targets instead of solely striving for maximising dividends can mobilise citizens. This is an important step to reach a decentralised energy system and switch to 100% renewable energy. Millions of people across Europe and worldwide are stepping up, growing their own food, reusing and upcycling products, creating sharing communities, resisting fossil fuel projects, and running community spaces. Demanding action from politicians is important, but we can also take matters into our own hands. The W4RES webinar n°4 ‘Support energy communities and gender-just energy communities’ is about starting to build the energy system of the future in your neighbourhood, your workplace, your university, or your town, right now, including the broad citizenship and focusing on gender and women’s empowerment.

Gender-just energy communities ensure not to exacerbate existing inequalities and participation schemes. Including citizens will increase the acceptance for the energy transition and that allows to accelerate the highly needed expansion of renewable energy.

On the 7th September, experts, energy community actors and WECF will guide participants through the model of gender-just energy communities, including challenges, lessons learnt and most adapted gender tools for implementation. A hands-on session will cloture our webinar and guide participants towards building their own gender-just energy communities.

Join us! To participate register here

W4RES capacity building program on gender mainstreaming and women empowerment for the RHC sector:

N°1: Overcoming the invisible barrier: Gender-dimensions of the RHC sector – 31^st May 2022, 10 am CET

N°2: Gender tool: Gender-self assessment & Gender action plan for RHC actors – 15^th June 2022, 10 am CET

N°3: Gender tool: Gender-just communication – 5^th July 2022, 10 am CET

N°4: Support energy communities and gender-just energy communities – 7^th September 2022, 10 am CET

N°5: How to empower women in the RHC sector – 21^st September 2022, 10 am CET

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