Here are some key approaches that need to be taken into consideration by instructors in teaching in the clean energy sector:

• Instructors and students should be sensitized regarding gender in the Clean Energy Transition (CET), by using gender-sensitive language in their teaching and provide inclusive examples. By ensuring that students of all genders are actively engaged, instructors can create an inclusive learning environment that promotes understanding and empathy. 

• Instructors should strive to present diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, non-binary individuals, and other marginalized genders, in their teaching materials and examples. This can be achieved by using case studies, real-world examples, or guest speakers that highlight the contributions and challenges faced by individuals of different genders in the clean energy sector. 

• Instructors should encourage discussions and dialogue that promote the participation and input of all students, regardless of their gender. By actively involving students in these discussions, instructors can foster an inclusive classroom where everyone's experiences and insights are valued. 

• By consciously incorporating all genders into their teaching and examples, instructors can help students develop a comprehensive understanding of the gendered dynamics in the clean energy transition and the importance of promoting gender equity in this field.

  Practical tips for inclusive learning environments

Use of gender-sensitive language

Instructors encourage students to practice using gender-sensitive language in their discussions, presentations, and written assignments in clean energy topics.

Discuss the importance of using inclusive language in professional settings and how it can contribute to creating a more equitable environment in the clean energy sector.

• Use gender-neutral pronouns like "they" or rephrase the sentence to avoid pronouns altogether.

• Use titles like "person," "individual," or "professional" instead of gendered titles like "man" or "woman."

• Use inclusive and neutral terms when discussing the clean energy transition. For example, say "energy worker" instead of "lineman".

• Acknowledge and respect the diversity of gender identities by using inclusive terms such as "non-binary".

• Refrain from using language that reinforces stereotypes or assumptions about gender roles, e.g. instead of saying "Women are nurturing caregivers," say "People of all genders can excel in care giving roles."

Diverse Case studies

Select case studies and examples that highlight the contributions and challenges faced by individuals of different genders in the clean energy sector.  Ensure that these examples represent a diverse range of experiences, including those of women, non-binary individuals, and other marginalized genders. Analyze how gender dynamics influence decision-making processes, career opportunities, and access to resources in the clean energy field.

Diverse speaker sessions

Invite guest speakers from diverse backgrounds to share their experiences and insights on gender dynamics in the clean energy transition. Encourage students to ask questions and engage in discussions with the speakers. Include speakers who can provide perspectives on topics such as gender equity initiatives, inclusive workplace practices, and the role of diversity in driving innovation in the clean energy sector. 

Examples of talks you can include: 

1. How empowering women and girls can help stop global warming

Focus: If we really want to address climate change, we need to make gender equity a reality, says writer and environmentalist Katharine Wilkinson. As part of Project Drawdown, Wilkinson has helped scour humanity's wisdom for solutions to draw down heat-trapping, climate-changing emissions: obvious things like renewable energy and sustainable diets and not so obvious ones, like the education and empowerment of women. In this informative, bold talk, she shares three key ways that equity for women and girls can help stop global warming. "Drawing down emissions depends on rising up," Wilkinson says.

2. Equity in Clean Energy: Women's Inclusion in the Transition

Focus: This Policy Roundtable aims to interrogate gender equity in the clean energy transition in light of #EmbraceEquity and Women's History Month celebrated in March.