Energy Poverty Handbook

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Energy Poverty Handbook

In September 2022, the second edition of the Energy Poverty Handbook has been released. In the foreword, Keilani Farha, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, stated that this year, the topic of housing has been challenged by the extreme heatwaves, COVID-19 pandemic, extreme increase not only in the cost of living but also construction materials, and lastly, the expected rise of energy costs by 30% as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. All these factors impact us all, but those suffering the most are low-income households and vulnerable groups of people. The increase in expanses “leaves many to choose between heating one’s home, turning on lights, or paying for rent or food” (p.6). Keilani calls governments and municipalities to action, noting that the energy poverty crisis is a crisis of human rights.

The handbook consists of 22 articles from organisations engaged in climate and social spheres, poverty, housing, clean energy transition, organisations working with municipalities and citizen cooperatives, and energy agencies, to name a few.

The handbook is divided into three thematic parts:

  • Decent, safe, and affordable housing for all
    • In this section, our partner MRI Budapest wrote an article regarding Energy poverty in multi-family apartment buildings in post-socialist Europe and our project ComAct (p.17)
  • Clean, affordable energy as a human right
  • Social justice and an end to the cost of living crisis

Read more about the series of publications in a blog here.