As energy prices soar, millions across Europe are at risk of energy poverty, a political issue burdening citizens with the choice of heating their homes or having food on the table. The time to act is now because having access to clean, affordable energy is a human right!
transform! europe is a proud member of the Right to Energy coalition, a group of NGOs, trade unions and social justice organisations who work together to provide solutions and answers to tackle energy poverty across Europe.
Monday, 24 January – Friday, 28 January
14:00-18:00 daily
online
This five-day online event is designed for activists, campaigners, decision-makers, government representatives, and people who work in the environmental/social justice sector who want to explore new ideas and visions for the future of energy poverty on their national or EU level.
The main topics include:
- Energy poverty and climate justice, showcasing the right to energy movement across the EU and explaining why it’s a climate and a social justice issue.
- Addressing the root causes of energy poverty, showcasing renovations and renewables as a crucial solution to tackle energy poverty.
- Towards an energy system for people and the planet, showcasing the need to change the energy system, and exposing how the neoliberal energy market exploits poor households.
- From words to action: Commitments across the EU, showcasing the high-level commitments and actions taken by and in the EU.
- The Next Steps for the Right to Energy movement, how to continue strategising as a movement in the year ahead.
Right now, energy poverty is making headlines due to skyrocketing energy prices – pushing millions of Europeans to choose between eating and heating. But energy poverty is not a new phenomenon. It’s a structural, intersectional issue that’s been created by an unjust system and years of inaction by national and EU leaders.A social justice issue, disproportionately affecting marginalised groups, as well as a climate issue, with inefficient housing stock that pollutes and wastes energy as one of its root causes.
2022 could be a landmark year for seeing some of the EU’s strategic action plans on tackling energy poverty come to fruition:
In 2020, the EU Commission committed to tackling Energy Poverty in its Renovation Wave strategy.Then in July 2021, the Commission proposed revised energy efficiency legislation (the Energy Efficiency Directive), a new emissions trading system to cover the building and transport sector, and the creation of a Social Climate Fund to provide dedicated funding for Member States to support European citizens most affected by or at risk of energy or mobility poverty.
When the energy crisis erupted in the Autumn of 2021, the Commission launched a so-called toolbox on energy prices to tackle the rising costs and combat energy poverty, including a set of short‐ and long-term measures to alleviate the situation.
All of these new proposals could have profound impacts on Europe’s efforts to tackle energy poverty and on the tens of millions of people who cannot afford to adequately heat or cool their homes. It’s time for the EU to deliver on its commitment of a Green Deal that leaves no one behind. All of these measures will be discussed, and debated in 2022.
January is the ultimate time to take stock and get prepared for the year ahead. The Right to Energy Coalition will be hosting our “Right To Energy Forum” from 24 January to 28 January to inform and galvanise those who want to ensure the movement can build upon its momentum and take tangible action for those with lived experience.
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Programme
Monday, 24th
Energy poverty and climate justice
14:00-15:30: Clean, affordable energy is a human right: Briefing launch
Co-founders of the Right to Energy coalition, EAPN, EPSU & Friends of the Earth Europe launch their new briefing sharing solutions to ensure a right to clean, affordable energy for all. Join them to showcase national groups tackling energy poverty across Europe.
Speakers:
Jagoda Munic – Friends of the Earth Europe
Matthew Lay – UNISON
Helder Ferreira – European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN)
Sabrina Iannazzone – European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN)
Jakob Embacher – European Public Service Unions (EPSU)
Juan Carlos Benito Sanchez Tomislav Tkalec – FOCUS Friends of the Earth Slovenia
Spyros Psychas – Greek Anti Poverty Network
Dave Moxham – Scottish TUC
16:00-17:30: Tackling energy poverty: a fight for social justice
Energy poverty lies at the intersection of overlying structural inequalities. Join activists to explore how energy injustice impacts people of colour, working class communities, females and those with disabilities and discuss how to make the movement more accessible.
Speakers:
Myriam Douo – Equinox
Camille Roux – COFACE- Families Europe
Lidija Zivcic – EmpowerMed
Kieran Pradeep – Friends of the Earth Europe
Bryce Goodall – Living Rent
17:30-18:00: Reflection space
After the afternoons conversations, a space to reflect on zoom together.
Tuesday, 25th
Addressing the root causes of Energy poverty
14:00-15:30: End indecent housing: how to deliver renovations to energy poor households
Inefficient housing is a scandal across Europe. Join social housing providers, activists and collectives who are leading the way towards decent, affordable housing for all.
Speakers:
Julien Dijol – Housing Europe, Social housing sector
Eva Suba – ENPOR, Energy poor households in the private rented sector
Louise Sunderland – Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP)
Mincho Benov – Habitat for Humanity Bulgaria Clotilde
Clark-Foulquier – FEANTSA
Martha Myers – Friends of the Earth Europe
Sarah Coupechoux – Abbe Pierre Foundation
16:00-17:30: End fossil fuel lock-ins: how to deliver a Just Energy Transition that leaves no one behind
Fossil gas boilers are still prescribed to energy poor households as a shortsighted solution which harms people and planet. Activists and organisers share solutions and how to ensure an energy transition which prioritises those who have been least served by fossil fuels.
Speakers:
Tara Connolly – Global Witness
Davide Sabbadin – European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
Svetoslav Stoykov – Za Zemiata Friends of the Earth Bulgaria
Petr Hlobil – Bankwatch
Eilidh Robb – Friends of the Earth Europe
17:30-18:00: Reflection space
After the afternoons conversations, a space to reflect on zoom together.
Wednesday, 26th: Towards an energy system for people and planet
14:00-15:00: Reimaging our energy system: solidarity responses to the gas crisis & Covid-19
In response to the gas crisis & covid-19, it is clear we need to reassess what our energy system is for. For people and planet or for profit? Hear demands from grassroot activists on the frontlines.
Speakers:
Nessim Achouche – Rosa Luxemburg Foundation
Ruth London – Fuel Poverty Action UK Juan
Carlos Sanchez – Fédération des Services Sociaux (FdSS)
Lavinia Steinfort – Transnational Institute (TNI)
Jordi Besora – Engineering Without Borders Catalonia (ESF)
Mari Carmen Gómez – Alliance against Energy Poverty (APE)
16:00-17.30: Power to the people: delivering energy justice through community energy
Across Europe, citizens are working together to create an energy system that puts people and planet first. Not just as passive consumers, but as changemakers and active participants. Community energy initiatives can be an important step towards a just and inclusive energy transition. This session will showcase first-hand experiences of energy solidarity collectives tackling energy poverty across Europe.
Speakers:
Miriam Eisermann – Energy Cities
Heleen Schockaert – REScoop.eu, European federation of renewable energy cooperatives
Dimitris Tsekeris – Friends of the Earth Europe
Chris Vrettos – Electra Energy Cooperative
Kevin Chaplais – Les Amis d’Enercoop
Paula Damaška – Green Energy Cooperative
Lucie Middlemiss – University of Leeds, WELLBASED
Noemi Garcia Lepetit – Las Naves Valencia, WELLBASED and POWER UP
17.30-18.00: Reflection space
After the afternoons conversations, a space to reflect on zoom together.
Thuesday, 27th: From words to action: Commitments across the EU
14:00-15:30: Is Fit for 55 fit to tackle energy poverty? MEP panel discussion
The aim is an EU Green Deal that ‘leaves no one behind’, but what real action has been put in place? Join Members of European Parliament to hear successes and failures of the current Fit for 55 package.
Speakers:
Cornelia Ernst – The Left, Germany
Ciaran Cuffe – Greens, Ireland Clotilde
Clark-Foulquier – FEANTSA
Mohammed Chahim – Socialists and Democrats, the Netherlands
Radan Kanev – European People’s Party, Bulgaria
16:00-17:30: The EU Commission’s commitments: from words to action for Europe’s energy poor
What steps have the European Commission taken to tackle energy poverty in practice? We are seeing one of the biggest legislative overhauls in EU history, join high level experts in the Commission to hear their plans to turn commitments into action.
Speakers:
Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights – European Commission
Jeppe Jensen – Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH)
Nikolaos Kontinakis – Policy officer at DG ENER b2 Energy Efficiency
Baiba Miltovica – President of the Section for Transport, Energy & Infrastructure of the EESC (European Economic and Social Committee)
Serena Pontoglio – Team Leader of Renovation Wave implementation, DG ENER b3 Martha Myers – Friends of the Earth Europe
17:30-18:00: Reflection space
After the afternoons conversations, a space to reflect on zoom together.
Friday, 28th: The Next Steps for the Right to Energy movement
14:00-15:30 Empowering narratives & energy poverty
How we speak about energy poverty is hugely significant. Join this interactive session to explore how we move to stories of empowerment, community and action.
Speakers:
Aryanisha Lawes – Repowering London
Daniel López – Alliance against Energy Poverty (APE) ‘
Marilyn Smith – The ENERGY ACTION Project (En-Act)
Maximiliano Braun – Photo journalist Yvonne Lemmen – Friends of the Earth Europe
Myriam Douo – Friends of the Earth Europe
16:00-17:30: Next steps for a Right to Energy
A space to reflect on the solutions from the grassroot to EU at the Forum. What are the next steps forward for the Right to Energy movement? Join this interactive session to share demands and ideas for the movement in the year ahead.
Speakers:
Felix Mailleux – European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
Javier Tobias – ECODES
Diane Diskid – Fuel Poverty Action
Cristina Garcia – Alliance against Energy Poverty Catalonia
17:30-18:00: Reflection space
After the afternoons conversations, a space to reflect on zoom together.