Energy Poverty: How to Protect the Citizens and Steer Energy Transitions?

Abstract

This panel discusses the social dimension of energy transitions. Whereas European legislation increasingly acknowledges the need to address this social dimension at the EU level and in national approaches, energy poverty and social justice are still not recognised as policy problems in many countries. The concept of energy poverty officially exists only in few European countries and often, national policy makers do not consider it as a policy issue. On the other hand, energy injustice and social inequalities that can develop as a consequence of energy transition policies are still emerging topics in most countries. In that context, the panel on energy poverty aims to identify the current state of the debates on energy poverty and on social justice in Europe through the analysis of national case studies and through cross-country comparisons. A first topic is how these issues are debated among stakeholders and policy makers at both national and EU levels. Analyses of discourses on energy poverty and on energy justice-related questions help understanding how these issues are understood and how they are framed by policy makers. Discourse analysis also helps understanding how these issues are linked to other topics like gender equality or environmental goals. A second topic is to what extent these debates result in new policy approaches. What kind of policies are being developed at the level of countries or locally to address the issues of energy poverty or energy injustice? To what extent does the higher awareness of policy makers and stakeholders translate into new ways of connecting interrelated issues or into new modes of cooperation among stakeholders? By contributing to the knowledge on the discursive and policy approaches of energy poverty and energy justice, the presentations of this panel will contribute to a better understanding of how various social issues are actually taken into account in the current energy transitions in Europe and abroad.