Energy poverty exacerbates gender gap worldwide. It is estimated that 70% of 1.3 billion population in developing countries living in poverty are women. Research has shown that women are more likely to fall into energy poverty as they are the main users and producers of household energy, due to economic, biological/physiological and socio-cultural factors. For instance, older women are the most likely to suffer from energy poverty due to a higher life expectancy and lower pensions compared to men. Women are also more likely to be responsible for householding and cooking activities requiring energy sources.
The Council of the EU has started its discussion on the Cohesion policy after 2027 with the objective to give political guidance on the kind of Cohesion policy that Member States consider appropriate. On 8 November 2022, from 11:30 to 13:00, the EESC organised a public debate is of great relevance for organised civil society who is an important partner in the design and implementation of cohesion policy programmes.
The negative impact of the COVID-19 crisis on women's social and economic situations triggered a debate on the urgent need for a gender-sensitive policy response to the pandemic. In this context, the establishment of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) – the EU's biggest financial instrument supporting recovery in the Member States – was an opportunity to channel extraordinary resources towards measures that take into account the principles of gender equality.
How to speed up the Shift to Renewable Energy in Europe
Event type
Conference
Location
Online event
Brussels
Belgium
The Sustainable Development Observatory of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will host an online conference with the aim to assess the future development of photovoltaic systems and wind power plants and discuss how to build up the European renewable industry to avoid creating new dependencies.
As part of its work to prepare an opinion on the Commission package to better protect people from asbestos and ensure an asbestos-free future, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is organising a hybrid public hearing on 31 October 2022 from 10:00 am to 13 am.
The aim of the event is to gather input from other EU Institutions, civil society and academia on the following questions:
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Commission's package? • What kind of activities do different actors carry out to protect workers from asbestos exposure, and are there any best practices to be shared? Your participation and input are most welcome!
Following the European Gender Equality Week organised by the European Parliament (24-30 October), chaired by the Vice-President Evelyn Regner, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) supporting this initiative, is planning a series of thematic debates organised by the various sections.
This hearing will focus on topical questions such as the possible avenues to help MSMEs be well informed and prepared to grasp the opportunities of the transition to climate neutrality, coupling it with the possibilities offered by the digitalisation and hedging the current geopolitical risks. It will also take into consideration the challenges faced by the Belgian companies and the opportunities offered to them if they successfully adjust to the climate neutral and digitalised world.
With the following guests: Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, Evelyn Regner, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Prof. Leonardo Meeus, and Pegah Moulana, Advocacy Coordinator at Youth and Environment Europe.
