By Kassie Rohrbach

Abstract:

This thesis looks at sustainable energy projects through a gendered lens. In terms of energy development, two problems present themselves. First, the earth’s resources are allocated disproportionately. Second, major lending groups such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank fund large-scale projects such as hydroelectric dams and coal- and oil-burning power plants that do more harm to the majority of citizens in these countries than good. Sustainable energy projects offer a solution to the problems of over-consumption and environmentally and socially destructive methods of development. This thesis uses a synthesis of transnational feminism and environmental feminism to analyze traditional development projects and sustainable energy projects that involve women: The renewable energy campaign at Connecticut College; an energy efficient cook-stove project in Chiapas, Mexico; and the Green Belt Movement, a reforestation project in Kenya. This thesis will examine ways that women in industrial and developing countries are breaking the cycle of consumption and oppression through sustainable energy development.

A transnational environmental feminist analysis of sustainable energy projects reveals that gender inequalities, poverty and environmental destruction are all interconnected; not only do the same systems of power create them, but they also perpetuate each other. The case studies examine the conditions under which sustainable energy development is a real solution that merges economic, social, and environmental interests through a holistic approach. The examination of these three locations shows that variations in applications of sustainable energy projects are necessary in order to meet the specific needs of the people whom the project affects. The case studies also reveal that energy development for each location is shaped by global forces so that sustainable development in one location involves cross-border, international networks and shared knowledge.