The global discourse on climate action has increasingly recognised the need for a “just transition”—one that ensures the benefits of decarbonisation are shared equitably. In India, however, this conversation has often overlooked a critical dimension: the deep entanglement of gender with the country’s fossil fuel economy and its green alternatives.
A truly just and effective green transition requires consciously “degendering” the energy transition—not by ignoring gender, but by actively dismantling the structural inequalities that have long defined who works, who decides, and who benefits in India’s energy landscape.
The gendered nature of India’s energy economy
India’s energy sector has been historically built upon a gendered division of labour. The coal sector, the bedrock of India’s industrial growth, has been overwhelmingly male-dominated in its formal workforce. However, the burden of energy poverty—the daily struggle to secure cooking fuel and heating—has fallen disproportionately on women, who are primarily responsible for household energy needs. Similarly, the legacy of fossil fuel-based industrialisation has generated environmental degradation that impacts marginalised communities and women in particular.
As India embarks on its ambitious renewable energy targets and green transition, there is a risk that these patterns will be replicated. The solar and wind sectors, while creating new employment, are already showing signs of gendered segregation, with women primarily relegated to lower-skilled, lower-paid roles. A degendering approach would challenge this by ensuring equal access to technical training, employment, and leadership positions across the green economy.
The persistence of the invisible backbone
The concept of an “invisible backbone” is acutely relevant to India’s green transition. In the context of agriculture, women make up a significant portion of the workforce but are often excluded from land ownership, formal credit, and decision-making bodies . As India shifts towards sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient crops, and agroforestry, women farmers risk being left behind unless policies are designed to actively include them.
Similarly, the transition to cleaner household energy—such as LPG and solar cooking systems—will only succeed if women’s needs and perspectives are centred in design and implementation. This involves not just delivering technology but ensuring women have access to finance, maintenance training, and control over the household energy budget.
Institutional capture and the challenge of transformation
The political economy of India’s energy sector complicates this agenda. The growth of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its consolidation of power has been described as reshaping India’s political landscape . This centralisation has implications for how the green transition is governed. A top-down approach, focused on large-scale infrastructure and attracting global investment, may bypass the decentralised, community-led initiatives that are crucial for a gender-just transition.
A degendering framework must push back against this institutional capture, demanding transparent and participatory governance structures that incorporate gender analysis at every stage—from policy formulation to project implementation.
From invisibility to agency
The International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 serves as a powerful reminder of the need to recognise the role of women in the food system . This recognition must extend to the energy transition. Degendering India’s green transition is not about making it “gender-neutral,” which would merely preserve the status quo. It is about actively breaking down the barriers that prevent women from becoming agents of change in the green economy—as innovators, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers.
For India’s green transition to be truly transformative, it must not only decarbonise its economy but also decouple its development from the patriarchal structures that have historically governed its industries. A degendered approach is not a peripheral concern; it is a fundamental prerequisite for a sustainable and equitable future.
