75 percent of the building stock in the EU is energy inefficient. One in four households in the EU, over 50 million individuals, cannot afford to adequately heat, cool or light their homes. Energy-poor households experience inadequate levels of essential energy services, due to a combination of high energy expenditure, low household incomes, inefficient buildings and appliances, and specific household energy needs.
Addressing energy poverty has the potential to generate multiple benefits, including less money spent by governments on health, reduced air pollution, better comfort and wellbeing, increased economic activity, improved household budgets and purchase power.
The Right to Energy Coalition
According to the motto: An EU-wide problem needs an EU-wide response, in 2017 the Right to Energy Coalition was born, which unites trade unions, anti-poverty groups, social housing providers, NGOs, environmental campaigners, health organizations and energy cooperatives across Europe. The coalition bundles skills and knowledge needed to ensure a fair energy transition leaves no one behind from community action to EU policy. The Right to Energy Coalition requests an energy system that puts people and planet before profit.
Key demands
- Band disconnection: to protect low-income households
- Renovate home: to cut emissions and energy bills
- Put energy in people’s hands: energy democracy is part of the solution
The current work of the coalition includes ongoing input into the EU Green Deal and energy efficiency legislation, advocacy in member states as well as local community campaigns to secure the right to energy for energy poor households during the pandemic.
Do you like to participate? You can get involved as an organization (member) or as an individual (friend).
Further information
Report: Right2Energy for all Europeans (pdf)
