New Pathways to Energy Justice: A Scoping Review of Innovative Approaches in Lusaka’s Informal Settlements

New Pathways to Energy Justice: A Scoping Review of Innovative Approaches in Lusaka’s Informal Settlements | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article New Pathways to Energy Justice: A Scoping Review of Innovative Approaches in Lusaka’s Informal Settlements Mwape Mwape This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7083236/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Introduction : Worldwide, over 775 million lack affordable, reliable energy, with Sub-Saharan Africa facing severe disparities in informal settlements due to high tariffs and infrastructure issues. In Lusaka, 70% live in such areas with inadequate energy access. While energy justice aims to address these issues, synthesized evidence for Zambian policy and interventions is limited. Background : Energy justice remains elusive for many residents of urban informal settlements globally, including Lusaka, Zambia. These communities face significant barriers to accessing affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy, demanding innovative and equitable solutions. Objective : This scoping review mapped the evidence landscape concerning energy justice, aiming to identify challenges, potential solution pathways, and research trends relevant to informing innovative approaches for Lusaka's urban informal settlements. Methods: A systematic scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines was conducted. IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar, Scopus, and grey literature were searched for studies published 2010–2025. Data from 102 included studies were charted and thematically synthesized. Results : A surge in energy justice literature post-2017 was observed, dominated by peer-reviewed studies employing diverse methodologies. Core themes emerged: the application of the energy justice framework (distributional, procedural, recognition); persistent multi-domain barriers (economic, infrastructural, political, social); the promise and implementation challenges of decentralized renewables; the necessity of participatory governance and community engagement; stark energy inequalities; and significant negative impacts of energy poverty. While global in scope, findings from the Global South, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa, provided highly relevant context. Conclusion : Achieving energy justice in Lusaka necessitates integrated strategies addressing systemic barriers identified across the literature. While decentralized technologies offer potential, success hinges on context-specific adaptation, innovative financing, inclusive governance, community empowerment, and embedding justice principles. This review synthesizes the relevant evidence, providing a foundation for developing and evaluating tailored, novel, and equitable energy solutions for Lusaka's informal settlements Energy Engineering Energy Justice Scoping Review Urban Informal Settlements Energy Access Decentralized Energy Governance Global South Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7083236","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":482914993,"identity":"3734730c-7265-475b-a80a-f7365c1e07c9","order_by":0,"name":"Mwape Mwape","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAhUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACeQYGxgc8JGkxbGBgNiBNC8MBBjYJ0rQwTjudVvF2D4M8v9gBIrWwS+duuznnGYPhzNkJxNoyO3fbbZ4DDAkGt4nVwnA7d1sx6VqYSdNiODt3s+ScAxIk+EVeOnfjhzcHbOT5pYl2GARIkKZ8FIyCUTAKRgEBAAAbgiY5dY7BZQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1726-2010","institution":"University of Zambia","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mwape","middleName":"","lastName":"Mwape","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-09 11:14:51","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7083236/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7083236/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":86427197,"identity":"e8ee6a89-e74b-4c6a-8eb1-92816ae92556","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-10 13:45:10","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":675758,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"NewPathwaystoEnergyJusticeupdated.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7083236/v1_covered_a6000fe3-7afb-40d1-84c6-76586a3187d2.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew Pathways to Energy Justice: A Scoping Review of Innovative Approaches in Lusaka’s Informal Settlements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Energy Justice, Scoping Review, Urban Informal Settlements, Energy Access, Decentralized Energy, Governance, Global South","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7083236/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7083236/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction\u003c/strong\u003e: Worldwide, over 775\u0026nbsp;million lack affordable, reliable energy, with Sub-Saharan Africa facing severe disparities in informal settlements due to high tariffs and infrastructure issues. In Lusaka, 70% live in such areas with inadequate energy access. While energy justice aims to address these issues, synthesized evidence for Zambian policy and interventions is limited.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground\u003c/strong\u003e: Energy justice remains elusive for many residents of urban informal settlements globally, including Lusaka, Zambia. These communities face significant barriers to accessing affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy, demanding innovative and equitable solutions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObjective\u003c/strong\u003e: This scoping review mapped the evidence landscape concerning energy justice, aiming to identify challenges, potential solution pathways, and research trends relevant to informing innovative approaches for Lusaka's urban informal settlements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMethods: A systematic scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines was conducted. IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar, Scopus, and grey literature were searched for studies published 2010–2025. Data from 102 included studies were charted and thematically synthesized.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults\u003c/strong\u003e: A surge in energy justice literature post-2017 was observed, dominated by peer-reviewed studies employing diverse methodologies. Core themes emerged: the application of the energy justice framework (distributional, procedural, recognition); persistent multi-domain barriers (economic, infrastructural, political, social); the promise and implementation challenges of decentralized renewables; the necessity of participatory governance and community engagement; stark energy inequalities; and significant negative impacts of energy poverty. While global in scope, findings from the Global South, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa, provided highly relevant context.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion\u003c/strong\u003e: Achieving energy justice in Lusaka necessitates integrated strategies addressing systemic barriers identified across the literature. While decentralized technologies offer potential, success hinges on context-specific adaptation, innovative financing, inclusive governance, community empowerment, and embedding justice principles. 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