The Right to Energy movement is building momentum across Europe to demand clean, affordable energy for all. Here’s why you should add your voice to International Energy Poverty Action Week.
It’s never been clearer that our current energy system is failing people and planet. This year’s Energy Poverty Awareness Week is taking place from 21 to 25 Feb. It’s an opportunity to raise a collective voice for those facing energy poverty and demanding change.
How to join
The Right to Energy Coalition is organising a Twitter storm all week, with a special kick-off event on Monday 21 Feb at 10:00 CET. You can join by following the Right to Energy Coalition on Twitter and tweet your demands, solutions, and stories from the ground using the #RightToEnergy.
What is International Energy Poverty Action week
Hundreds of organisations, grassroots activists and policymakers will work together to raise awareness for energy poverty. The urgency of the situation, exacerbated by the gas price crisis and a growing impatience with inadequate policies, has empowered many to rise up against an energy system that’s failing them.
This blog provides and overview of the issues and solutions:
Why you should join
Europe is facing a ‘winter of disconnections’, the worst ever recorded. But even before the energy price crisis started making headlines, over 50 million Europeans were already forced to choose between heating and eating. Energy poverty is a structural inequality, founded on inefficient and unsafe housing and an unjust profit-driven energy system.
1 in 4 European households struggle to adequately light, heat or cool their homes. This winter’s gas price crisis has put energy poverty in the spotlight. However EU leaders have been unable to agree on a response and have only offered temporary income support for the most vulnerable households so far.
Looking around Europe, very few countries have implemented adequate safeguards to prevent the accumulation of energy debts and limit disconnections, putting millions at risk as energy prices continue to skyrocket.
The solutions
There are multiple solutions available for this crisis. This year could be a watershed year for Europe’s energy poor if implemented.
The time is now, to call for a political response to a situation that affects millions of Europeans whilst damaging the climate at the same time. Energy poverty is not a personal burden, it is a structural failure; one that requires a strong response from our leaders.
Join us to raise awareness and share solutions on social media with the hashtags #RightToEnergy and #EndEnergyPoverty. The week will kick-off at 21 Feb 10:00 CET, so have your tweets at the ready. The rest of the week will be a themed continuation, highlighting the different groups who are affected and/or work on ending energy poverty.
Visit the Right to Energy coalition’s Facebook and Twitter pages to find out more. And also take a look at the programme from the International Energy Poverty Action Week organisers.
