PEP Champions Inclusive Clean Energy Research at CEDCA Global Learning Cohort Workshop

PEP advocated for locally-led research to inform inclusive and sustainable energy transitions at an official T20 South Africa side event. PEP’s participation highlighted its leadership in advancing Southern-led, evidence-based research that bridges climate action, gender equality, and inclusive development. By contributing practical lessons from field-tested interventions, PEP is helping shape a new generation of climate and energy policies grounded in data and community experience. We call on G20 leaders to boost support for MSMEs to drive an inclusive, women- and youth-centered low-carbon transition in agriculture through accessible, affordable renewable-energy solutions.

The Clean Energy for Development in Africa (CEDCA) Global Learning Cohort Workshop, convened by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), brought together researchers, policymakers, and development partners to explore how clean-energy transitions can drive equitable and sustainable growth across Africa and beyond.

PEP’s delegation included Prof. Jane Mariara, Executive Director; Dr. Michael Murigi, Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator; and Dr. Aisha Nanyiti, Research Fellow at the Environment for Development Initiative (EfD) and Makerere University, and PEP researcher. The team represented PEP’s multi-country project, “Rural Renewable Energy MSMEs Operating to Modernize Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: Barriers, Opportunities, and Implications for Inclusive Low-Carbon Transition,” implemented with EfD across Burkina Faso, Kenya, Uganda, and Vietnam.

The event reinforced PEP’s growing role in global dialogues on energy transitions, taking place in the lead-up to COP30 and the mid-term review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As governments and development partners seek inclusive pathways to decarbonization, PEP’s evidence-based insights offer timely guidance on how MSMEs and local entrepreneurs can drive low-carbon agricultural growth while advancing equity and resilience.

Connecting Evidence to Policy

Throughout the three-day workshop, PEP shared emerging findings on how micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can foster inclusive, low-carbon transitions in agriculture through renewable-energy solutions such as solar irrigation. The project demonstrates how combining financial access with awareness campaigns, cooperative-based training, and gender-responsive engagement can significantly improve adoption and livelihoods.

Dr. Michael Murigi presented the project’s early results and emphasized the importance of inclusion alongside technology:

“Clean energy transitions are not only about technology—they are about voice, agency, and opportunity,” said Dr. Murigi.

Early evidence confirms that affordability and agency matter as much as technology -programs that pair finance with trust-building and hands-on demonstrations deliver better results for women and youth adopters, while enhancing productivity and climate resilience.

PEP at the T20 South Africa Policy Dialogue

The workshop concluded with a high-level policy event titled “Unlocking the Potential of Small and Medium Businesses and Entrepreneurs in the Clean Energy Transition.” Held as an official T20 South Africa side event, the session featured speakers including Prof. Mariara, Tanya van Meelis (COSATU), Gerald Nienaber (Local Content Compliance Unit), and Joanne Yawitch (Just Energy Transition Project Management Unit), chaired by Prof. Bipasha Baruah (Western University).

In her remarks, Prof. Mariara underscored the need for policy frameworks that align clean-energy adoption with inclusive growth and decent work. She noted that empowering MSMEs, women, and youth is key to realizing both economic and environmental sustainability.

“If clean energy is to truly drive sustainable development, it must also drive inclusion,” said Prof. Mariara. “That means building policy frameworks that empower women, youth, and small enterprises—not as bystanders, but as central actors in the transition. When the clean energy agenda advances decent work and local enterprise, we move closer to achieving both economic and environmental sustainability.”

Strengthening Southern-Led Collaboration and Global Dialogue

Building on this momentum, PEP continues to translate research into action through our publications. To learn more about this work, explore PEP’s policy briefs, blogs, and discover our ongoing programs.