Disability inclusion for just transitions: A semi-systematic review of representations of persons with disabilities in energy transition research

Abstract

Transitions to low-carbon energy systems risk perpetuating existing social inequalities if they fail to account for marginalised groups. Persons with disabilities are often overlooked in energy policy and research, despite having distinct and often greater energy needs, requiring transitions to be guided by just transition principles. This review aims to map the existing evidence on disability inclusion in energy transitions, identify the theoretical and methodological approaches used, and document the barriers, opportunities, and innovations for persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on comparing high-income countries (HICs) and low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). A semi-systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Searches in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Advanced Search identified 358 records, of which 25 studies (12 peer-reviewed articles and 13 grey literature publications) met the inclusion criteria. Data were synthesised using an energy justice framework that centres distributional, procedural, and recognition justice, enhanced with an intersectionality lens. The review reveals systematic patterns of exclusion. In HICs, recognition failures lead to disability being subsumed within broader categories, producing procedural barriers (e.g., inaccessible grant systems) and distributional injustices (e.g., regressive energy taxes). In LMICs, disability is structurally invisible in policy and planning, resulting in foundational distributive injustices such as exclusion from clean energy subsidies and lack of inclusive design in clean energy equipment and services. Over a third of studies fail to acknowledge or apply an intersectional lens, flattening the diverse experiences of persons with disabilities. The findings demonstrate that current energy transitions are built on ableist assumptions. A just transition requires a paradigm shift towards inclusive design, underpinned by recognition of persons with disabilities as legitimate stakeholders, procedural justice through mandatory participation, and distributive justice that accounts for differential needs. Such a transition demands fundamental changes in data collection, policy design, infrastructure implementation, service delivery, and governance structures to ensure that the energy transition serves everyone, particularly persons with disabilities.