Promoting a Just Energy Transition: How Feminist Foreign Policy Can Help Reshape Global Power Structures in the Energy Sector

A Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) challenges entrenched power dynamics within the energy sector and seeks to promote equity, sustainability, and inclusion. The study emphasizes that meaningful change requires more than surface-level reforms; it demands a systemic rethinking of how energy systems are governed and who benefits from them. To this end, FFP draws on the three “R’s” (Resources, Rights, and Representation) to promote equitable decision-making and participation.

• Resources: FFP advocates for equitable access to clean energy and the fair distribution of resources. It supports community-driven renewable energy models that empower local stakeholders and reduce reliance on exploitative supply chains. Ethical and sustainable resource extraction is also a priority, ensuring that environmental harm and human rights violations are minimized.

• Rights: ensuring the protection of marginalized communities is central to a just energy transition. This includes implementing robust gender and human rights safeguards in energy policies, strengthening legal protections for Indigenous Peoples, and promoting restorative justice to address historical exploitation. Recognizing the rights of nature itself is also crucial, providing ecosystems with legal protections that prevent unchecked industrial expansion.

• Representation: inclusive governance is key to creating fairer energy systems. The study highlights the importance of amplifying the voices of women, Indigenous Peoples, and other marginalized groups in energy decision-making. This involves not only increasing their presence in leadership roles but also ensuring that participatory processes are meaningful and influential. Transforming dominant narratives around nature and labor – often rooted in extractive and patriarchal models – is also essential for fostering more sustainable practices.