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

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