New research reveals nearly 9,000 ‘energy crisis hotspots’ in England and Wales

Environmental group Friends of the Earth has found there are 9,000 energy crisis hotspots in England and Wales. These are places where communities are at highest risk of financial hardship because energy use is high and the typical household income is below the national average. In most cases, energy use is high in these areas … Continue reading New research reveals nearly 9,000 ‘energy crisis hotspots’ in England and Wales →

New EEA briefing looks at inequalities arising from climate change effects and how to address them through equitable climate change adaptation

Climate change affects all Europeans but vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, children, low-income groups and people with health problems or disabilities, are the most affected. One in ten European schools and hospitals may also be at flood risk and about half of those facilities in cities are within intense urban heat islands. A European … Continue reading New EEA briefing looks at inequalities arising from climate change effects and how to address them through equitable climate change adaptation →

New JRC report – Empowering vulnerable consumers in the energy transition

A new JRC paper examines ways to empower the energy poor and vulnerable consumers as active informed citizens and actors in the energy system, looking at exemplary practices from around Europe. Promising initiatives include energy advisors, trusted intermediaries, locally embedded innovative business models (like one-stop shops), trainings of energy actors, energy ombudsmen, energy cafés and … Continue reading New JRC report – Empowering vulnerable consumers in the energy transition →

Fuel poverty: new report compares approaches to energy affordability in the EU and Australia

The EU and Australia have important similarities when it comes to the energy sector, such as a vast grid that crosses jurisdictions and shared governance arrangements. A new report shows what the EU and Australia can learn from each other as they address fuel poverty. Sangeetha Chandrashekeran, Senior Research Fellow, Australian Research Council Centre of … Continue reading Fuel poverty: new report compares approaches to energy affordability in the EU and Australia →

The appalling neglect of fuel poverty in England is now being starkly revealed

Fuel poverty had slipped down the political agenda for many years. With one in six households now having to face the choice of eating or heating it is now back with a vengeance. Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, a long-time follower of policies and programmes related to fuel poverty, discusses latest … Continue reading The appalling neglect of fuel poverty in England is now being starkly revealed →

Fuel poverty can directly and indirectly impact people’s mental and physical health

With energy prices skyrocketing, there are major concerns of how they impact on vulnerable segments of society. Apostolos Davillas, Associate Professor in Health Economics at University of East Anglia; Andrew Burlinson, Lecturer in Energy Economics at the University of East Anglia; and Hui-Hsuan Liu, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Comparative Biomedical Science at the Royal … Continue reading Fuel poverty can directly and indirectly impact people’s mental and physical health →

New study highlighting “vast energy inequality” between rich and poor countries points to “climate hypocrisy”

A recent study found that each Briton produces 200 times the climate emissions of the average Congolese person, with people in the US producing 585 times as much. Yet, as recently as COP26, there was lots of hand-wringing by rich countries about the extent to which aid and other development finance should finance fossil fuels … Continue reading New study highlighting “vast energy inequality” between rich and poor countries points to “climate hypocrisy” →

Pinning hope on “modern” energy as the solution for Zimbabwe is overly simplistic

Currently, SDG7 as a global agenda for energy development is tinkering on the periphery, according to Ellen Fungisai Chipango, Postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Johannesburg. She explains in an article on The Conversation website. Global energy targets don’t deal with people’s real problems in Zimbabwe Thirty years ago, ending energy poverty wasn’t among … Continue reading Pinning hope on “modern” energy as the solution for Zimbabwe is overly simplistic →

Gathering better data to address energy justice

Jeff Brady writes on the NPR website about recent research that focus on energy justice in the US. The researchers reflect on the importance of more and better data. What are your views? Tackling 'Energy Justice' Requires Better Data. These Researchers Are On It Poor people and people of color use much more electricity … Continue reading Gathering better data to address energy justice →

What California is doing to address energy equity

Increasingly we discuss fuel poverty but it is not normally looked at from an equity perspective. Maria Stamas and Isaac Sevier explain recent developments in California in an article on the writes on the Natural Resources Defense Council website. California Takes 5 Steps Toward Energy Equity Approximately one in five California households lives at … Continue reading What California is doing to address energy equity →