IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v193y2024ics1364032124000042.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Uncovering gender dimensions in energy policy using Natural Language Processing

Author

Listed:
  • Carroll, P.
  • Singh, B.
  • Mangina, E.

Abstract

There is a lack of empirical analysis of macro-level energy policy through a gender lens, and there exists a research gap in tools for such analysis. This paper proposes a novel empirical approach to explore the gender dimension of the language used in energy policy documents such as the National Energy and Climate Action Plans (NECPs) of European Union (EU) member states. We first review the literature to identify existing approaches that analyse the energy/gender nexus. We then describe how we adapt Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to quantify the degree to which the language used in the NECPs is male or female associated. Our work shows the gap in suitable tools. We demonstrate using NLP that all EU NECPs tend to use more male associated language than female. In a ranking of EU member states, the Portuguese NECP demonstrated the most bias, while the Slovenian demonstrated the least. Our work provides novel insights using NLP to understand the genderised use of language, and contributes a methodology to conduct empirical analysis of energy policy documents.

Suggested Citation

  • Carroll, P. & Singh, B. & Mangina, E., 2024. "Uncovering gender dimensions in energy policy using Natural Language Processing," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:193:y:2024:i:c:s1364032124000042
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2024.114281
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032124000042
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2024.114281?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Suman Seth, 2009. "Inequality, Interactions, and Human Development," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 375-396.
    2. Nikhil Garg & Londa Schiebinger & Dan Jurafsky & James Zou, 2018. "Word embeddings quantify 100 years of gender and ethnic stereotypes," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 115(16), pages 3635-3644, April.
    3. Johansen, K. & Emborg, J., 2018. "Wind farm acceptance for sale? Evidence from the Danish wind farm co-ownership scheme," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 413-422.
    4. Shi, Xinjie, 2019. "Inequality of opportunity in energy consumption in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 371-382.
    5. Uhunamure, S.E. & Nethengwe, N.S. & Tinarwo, D., 2019. "Correlating the factors influencing household decisions on adoption and utilisation of biogas technology in South Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 264-273.
    6. Kosenius, Anna-Kaisa & Ollikainen, Markku, 2013. "Valuation of environmental and societal trade-offs of renewable energy sources," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1148-1156.
    7. Agnieszka Janik & Adam Ryszko & Marek Szafraniec, 2021. "Determinants of the EU Citizens’ Attitudes towards the European Energy Union Priorities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-32, August.
    8. Lambert, Jessica G. & Hall, Charles A.S. & Balogh, Stephen & Gupta, Ajay & Arnold, Michelle, 2014. "Energy, EROI and quality of life," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 153-167.
    9. Feenstra, Mariëlle & Özerol, Gül, 2021. "Energy justice as a search light for gender-energy nexus: Towards a conceptual framework," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    10. Broberg, Thomas & Persson, Lars, 2016. "Is our everyday comfort for sale? Preferences for demand management on the electricity market," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 24-32.
    11. Carlsson-Kanyama, Annika & Linden, Anna-Lisa, 2007. "Energy efficiency in residences--Challenges for women and men in the North," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2163-2172, April.
    12. Gaspar, Rui & Antunes, Dalila, 2011. "Energy efficiency and appliance purchases in Europe: Consumer profiles and choice determinants," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(11), pages 7335-7346.
    13. Gill Allwood, 2020. "Mainstreaming Gender and Climate Change to Achieve a Just Transition to a Climate‐Neutral Europe," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(S1), pages 173-186, September.
    14. Venera R. Khalikova & Mushan Jin & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2021. "Gender in sustainability research: Inclusion, intersectionality, and patterns of knowledge production," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(4), pages 900-912, August.
    15. Uehleke, Reinhard, 2016. "The role of question format for the support for national climate change mitigation policies in Germany and the determinants of WTP," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 148-156.
    16. Parikh, Jyoti K, 1995. "Gender issues in energy policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(9), pages 745-754, September.
    17. Paula Carroll, 2022. "Gender Mainstreaming the European Union Energy Transition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-16, October.
    18. Farhar, Barbara C., 1998. "Gender and renewable energy: Policy, analysis, and market implications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 230-239.
    19. Judit García-González & Patricia Forcén & Maria Jimenez-Sanchez, 2019. "Men and women differ in their perception of gender bias in research institutions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(12), pages 1-21, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Behera, Bhagirath & Ali, Akhter, 2016. "Patterns and determinants of household use of fuels for cooking: Empirical evidence from sub-Saharan Africa," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 117(P1), pages 93-104.
    2. Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Behera, Bhagirath & Ali, Akhter & Marenya, Paswel, 2017. "A ladder within a ladder: Understanding the factors influencing a household's domestic use of electricity in four African countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 167-181.
    3. Nidhi Tewathia, 2014. "Determinants of the Household Electricity Consumption: A Case Study of Delhi," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 4(3), pages 337-348.
    4. Trotta, Gianluca, 2018. "Factors affecting energy-saving behaviours and energy efficiency investments in British households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 529-539.
    5. Mottaleb, Khondoker Abdul & Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Ali, Akhter, 2017. "An exploration into the household energy choice and expenditure in Bangladesh," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 767-776.
    6. Véronique Vasseur & Anne-Francoise Marique & Vladimir Udalov, 2019. "A Conceptual Framework to Understand Households’ Energy Consumption," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-22, November.
    7. Stamatios Ntanos & Grigorios Kyriakopoulos & Miltiadis Chalikias & Garyfallos Arabatzis & Michalis Skordoulis & Spyros Galatsidas & Dimitrios Drosos, 2018. "A Social Assessment of the Usage of Renewable Energy Sources and Its Contribution to Life Quality: The Case of an Attica Urban Area in Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, May.
    8. Erika Michela Dematteis & Jussara Barale & Marta Corno & Alessandro Sciullo & Marcello Baricco & Paola Rizzi, 2021. "Solid-State Hydrogen Storage Systems and the Relevance of a Gender Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-26, September.
    9. Karunathilake, Hirushie & Hewage, Kasun & Sadiq, Rehan, 2018. "Opportunities and challenges in energy demand reduction for Canadian residential sector: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2005-2016.
    10. Elnakat, Afamia & Gomez, Juan D., 2015. "Energy engenderment: An industrialized perspective assessing the importance of engaging women in residential energy consumption management," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 166-177.
    11. Fiorillo, Damiano & Sapio, Alessandro, 2019. "Energy saving in Italy in the late 1990s: Which role for non-monetary motivations?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 1-1.
    12. Boudet, Hilary S. & Flora, June A. & Armel, K. Carrie, 2016. "Clustering household energy-saving behaviours by behavioural attribute," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 444-454.
    13. Van Uffelen, N. & Taebi, B. & Pesch, Udo, 2024. "Revisiting the energy justice framework: Doing justice to normative uncertainties," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PA).
    14. Amie Gaye & Jeni Klugman & Milorad Kovacevic & Sarah Twigg & Eduardo Zambrano, 2013. "Measuring gender disparities in human development," Chapters, in: Deborah M. Figart & Tonia L. Warnecke (ed.), Handbook of Research on Gender and Economic Life, chapter 24, pages 393-409, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Stefan Feuerriegel & Mateusz Dolata & Gerhard Schwabe, 2020. "Fair AI," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 62(4), pages 379-384, August.
    16. Ángeles Sánchez-Domínguez & Maria J. Ruiz Martos, 2013. "Europe 2020 strategy: a strategy for which type of growth?," ThE Papers 13/11, Department of Economic Theory and Economic History of the University of Granada..
    17. Jonathan Dumas & Antoine Dubois & Paolo Thiran & Pierre Jacques & Francesco Contino & Bertrand Cornélusse & Gauthier Limpens, 2022. "The Energy Return on Investment of Whole-Energy Systems: Application to Belgium," Biophysical Economics and Resource Quality, Springer, vol. 7(4), pages 1-34, December.
    18. Ash, Elliott & Durante, Ruben & Grebenshchikova, Mariia & Schwarz, Carlo, 2022. "Visual Representation and Stereotypes in News Media," CEPR Discussion Papers 16624, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    19. L. Mundaca & H. Moncreiff, 2021. "New Perspectives on Green Energy Defaults," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 357-383, September.
    20. Florian Fizaine & Victor Court, 2016. "The energy-economic growth relationship: a new insight from the EROI perspective," Working Papers 1601, Chaire Economie du climat.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:193:y:2024:i:c:s1364032124000042. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.