Tackling energy poverty at the heart of the ecological and energy transition - Related Events

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.

This conference was co-organised by the European Economic and Social Committee and the Ministry of Economics of Latvia and brought together local, national and European actors to discuss the challenges and solutions of building sustainable and affordable housing. A special focus was put on the role of civil society organisations and local authorities on the ground in achieving ownership, bottom-up participation in housing policies, proper information to the direct beneficiaries and financing facilitation.