Measurement methodologies are increasingly being deployed to monitor energy poverty or energy access, and to provide insights for policy development, both in the South and more recently also in the North. However, care should be taken with interpretation and use of the data, particularly if a gender perspective is lacking. This paper argues that taking a gender perspective is vital to understanding energy access and outcomes related to interventions, through consideration of gendered user differences in energy needs, access to energy services and gendered outcome pathways. We show that the standard practice of focusing on numbers of energy connections, availability and quality of supply, is insufficient to provide insights relevant to realising gender equal access and benefits. It is a political decision about what is measured and who decides on what is measured. Based on the literature, we discuss key elements of the use of gender approaches in the assessment of energy access and energy poverty. We show that by including gender approaches in the design and execution of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, there is the potential to contribute to more equitable outcomes from improved energy access.
MULTIFILE
This lessons learned report gives an overview of the output and results of the first phase of the REDUCES project. The introduction states the relevance of combining a policy approach with business model analysis, and defines the objectives. Next, an overview is given of circular economy good business practices in the regions involved. Examining these business practices helped to define the regional needs for circular economy policy. This business approach proved to be a solid base for developing regional circular economy action plans, the last chapter of this report.
Lebanon’s economic crisis has disrupted the country’s energy and water sectors, highlighting their interdependence. The methodologyinvolves surveying 150 municipalities across all Lebanese governorates, ensuring a comprehensive coverage of public and private waterresources. Data on water and energy were collected before and during the crisis to explore this nexus during periods of economic turmoil.The findings reveal a decline in water provision during the crisis, with the average weekly water supply plummeting from 49 h in 2019 to 22 hin 2023. Concurrently, the use of water tankers has surged from 26 to 44%, indicating a concerning shift in water acquisition methods.Despite the crisis, conventional water sources remain predominant, while unconventional sources account for less than 1% of the totalsupply. In response to the energy shortage, renewable energy sources have gained traction in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.The scarcity and rising cost of electricity have driven the adoption of solar photovoltaics in the water sector, reaching 4.8% for extraction fromunderground reservoirs and 2.8% for distribution. Similarly, the use of solar water heaters has increased from 7.9 to 15.4% in 2023. Thesefindings underscore the interplay between energy and water security during periods of economic instability.
