ID: 1638
Presenting Author: Leah Fusco
Session: 681 - Gender and Intersectional Analysis in IA: Showcasing theory and practice
Status: pending
Based on research in Atlantic Canada, this paper considers how Gender-Based Analysis Plus can be applied across the stages of planning impact assessments to support just energy transitions
Impact assessments (IA) that focus on planning, such as regional and strategic environmental assessments, are promising tools for informing energy transitions. They take place before specific projects are proposed, when decisions about long-term energy plans and goals are still being made. However, for energy transitions to be just, equity-focused approaches, methods, and principles need to be built into the assessment process, and there is little guidance for how to do this. In this paper, we argue that gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) is a framework that could be incorporated into planning IAs to advance justice and equity-oriented energy transitions. We consider how the principles and practices of GBA Plus can be applied across the stages of planning IAs in ways that support four key dimensions of just transitions: transitioning away from fossil fuel production, decarbonizing, supporting workers, and supporting communities. We draw on lessons learned from research conducted in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada that was meant to support the use of GBA Plus in future project-based IAs for offshore wind. It included interviews about potential effects of developing offshore wind and an analysis of publicly available disaggregated and intersectional data. We argue that incorporating GBA Plus as part of a planning IA’s foundational principles should be emphasized and supported through international guidance. This paper contributes to expanding dialogue and examples about how GBA Plus can be used in IA processes.
Leah Fusco is a postdoctoral researcher in Atlantic Canada. Her research focuses on impact assessments, gender-based analysis plus, equitable energy transitions, and offshore energy.
Coauthor 1: Leah Levac
Coauthor 2: Deborah Steinstra
Coauthor 3: Jane Stinson