ENERGY TRANSITION

MAKING THE ENERGY TRANSITION GREEN AND FAIR

A Just Energy Transition means eradicating Energy Poverty, and in December of 2021, the European Greens passed a resolution to tackle energy poverty.

Access to energy is directly related to the well-being of society and people. Actions as basic as heating your home, cooking, preserving food, access to hot water, lighting, etc. require access to energy which, unfortunately, is not always guaranteed for everyone equally.

Governments and the EU must act now so that this winter the right to basic energy services, especially for heating, is guaranteed to all and investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy are boosted across Europe.

1 in 10 Europeans can’t properly warm their homes in the winter; while 1 in 5 can’t properly cool their home in the summer.

Right to Energy, 2019

What can we do?

Solutions to tackle rising energy prices, eradicate energy poverty, and reduce green house gas emissions while making our homes safer and more comfortable, already exist. We need to recognise access to energy as a common good and:

  1. Provide emergency income support to cover utility costs and ensure a minimum level of affordable energy services.
  2. Implement an energy transition across Europe in line with the International Energy Agency net-zero pathway: at least 50% renewable energy in 2030, a fully decarbonised energy system by 2035 and a highly energy efficient and fully renewable energy system by 2040.
  3. Support EU and national programmes to assist vulnerable households and those suffering from energy poverty to become self-producers of renewable energy or members of energy communities.
    • This can be done by adding solar-rooftops to housing renovated under the EU’s Renovation Wave, as well as implementing “enabling frameworks” under the Renewable Energy Directive II to facilitate participation in energy communities.
  4. Install a European-wide ban on disconnections and evictions for energy customers and ensure access to energy for all.
  5. Support and invest in high quality renovations across Europe, to make homes more energy efficient and comfortable, while ensuring these costs don’t get passed onto households.