An inclusive approach to energy and transport infrastructure
Last month, leading policymakers, researchers and practitioners from the energy and transport infrastructure sectors gathered at the Christ Church Research Centre for an informative and impactful workshop on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in Energy and Transport Infrastructure. Convened by Climate Compatible Growth, the event brought together voices from policymaking, finance, academia, international development and civil society organisations to explore how infrastructure projects can better serve diverse communities.
A key feature of the event was a panel discussion featuring Gerald Arhin (UCL), Geoffrey Morgan (UNOPS), Franziska Deininger (IFC), Margaret Matinga (ENERGIA), and Niki Angelou (World Bank/ESMAP), chaired by Makena Ireri (Global Alliance for People and Planet). The panel focused on the barriers to inclusive infrastructure, such as political will, data gaps, and communication factors that exclude marginalised groups from decision-making. They stressed that there is a strong business case for 'baking in' GESI into policy, financing, and project design from the outset of projects, rather than retrofitting it later.
Additional presentations by Seema Gaikwad (UNOPS), Marissa Bergman (UCL), and Yesmeen Khalifa (MECS) showcased practical insights into implementing GESI across the energy and transport sectors.
Building on these insights, the rest of the workshop involved collaborative discussions, ranking and discussing potential solutions for the core factors that affect the development of equitable energy and transport infrastructure. For example, peer-to-peer forums and education initiatives were proposed as ways to help shift sector norms.
This conference was a powerful reminder that there are so many committed, brilliant people pushing for equity and justice.
This conference was a powerful reminder that there are so many committed, brilliant people pushing for equity and justice.
The event was organised by Christ Church Postdoctoral Fellow in Engineering Professor Stephanie Hirmer together with Climate Compatible Growth – a £95 million initiative funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office that endeavours to support investment in sustainable energy and transport systems in the development of the Global South. The programme is the product of collaboration between researchers, policymakers and experts from leading UK universities (including Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Imperial College and the Open University), the Centre for Global Equality, Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and the global Climate Parliament, and is directed from Loughborough University’s Centre for Sustainable Transitions.
Reflecting on the conference, Professor Hirmer said: 'In a world where headlines can make us feel like progress is slipping away, this conference was a powerful reminder that there are so many committed, brilliant people pushing for equity and justice.
'Inclusive infrastructure isn’t just about access – it’s about dignity, voice, and agency. If we fail to consider those most often left out, we risk building systems that reinforce exclusion rather than enable opportunity.'
Professor Hirmer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford whose research focuses on the sustainable and just delivery of infrastructure services in low- and middle-income countries, particularly under climate risk. She currently serves as Research Chair and Oxford’s Principal Investigator for the Climate Compatible Growth project. Learn more about her research via her Christ Church profile.
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