Energy and Gender: Ecofeminist views on energy

REFLECTIONS

What can concepts such as ecological and care debt bring us?

Following the thread of the proposals posed by the feminist and ecological economy that organize work and resources around the reproduction of life, so, we can ask ourselves, what do we need the energy for? What uses do we prioritize?

Energy is at the service of large companies and of resource and wealth extraction. The energy sector is one (just as it was construction and housing) that allows the exponential generation of prfit and financialisation of the economy. In this sense, the energy uses related to the maintenance of life are of no interest. However, these are the same uses that, operating under neoliberal logic, are extremely profitable and a substantial business (for example those associated with the right to decent housing, basic supplies, etc.). It is therefore key, to remove them from this market and commercial gain rationale, in order to place them at the service of the citizens.

That being said, energy must be at the service of the people, putting life at the centre. Focussing on sustaining life and not at the service of capital. Energy should enable us to improve living conditions of the people. Meaning that in the Global North it is necessary to cut down, so

Care debt, with an “ecological debt” vision, which is directly related to the fossil energy model and patriarchal capitalism, which puts forward a mercantilist rationale and leaves out the reproduction of life. The impact of this model on territories and bodies-territories.

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