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«Were national response measures to the energy crisis targeted, and were they social and climate friendly?
These are the main questions addressed by this book, which examines whether and how short-term national responses to the cost of energy crisis applied social and ecological preferences. Europe has ‘survived’ two much-feared winters without energy shortages, power cuts and recession, showing a considerable level of resilience. Between September 2021 and August 2023, EU Member States allocated almost 700 billion euros to shield consumers and industry from rising energy costs. Were these resources properly targeted and is there a climate dividend? The national case studies included in this book reveal that the measures were mostly broad-based, including subsidies, tax cuts and price controls. The chapters also address questions on how such policies tackled the conflicting objectives and examine whether there are any good practices that can be identified in which short-term social protection can be aligned with longer term ecological objectives».
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«New research conducted by the ETUI in 7 EU member states
(AT-FR-DE-GR-IT-PL-ES) highlights that response measures to the energy crisis
were a missed opportunity for the socio-ecological contract.
With winter coming and Europe ready to get through it without
energy shortages, power cuts and recession, new ETUI research highlights
that, with some 80 per cent of spending being directed to broad-based
measures, short-term national government support during the recent energy
crisis was poorly targeted. As a result, both social and climate policy goals
were rather sidelined with the biggest beneficiaries of public fossil-fuel
subsidies being higher income groups and the wealthiest people.
‘Europe has survived two much-feared winters, showing a
considerable level of resilience, but has missed an opportunity,' said Béla Galgóczi, ETUI senior researcher and editor of the book. ‘The response did not strengthen the
social dimension of the green transition when the implementation of the
European Green Deal is reaching a critical phase.’
Between
September 2021 and August 2023 EU member states allocated almost 700
billion euro to shield consumers and industry from rising energy costs.
A new research project, conducted by the ETUI in seven EU member states
(Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland and Spain), highlights that
national responses did not reach those most in need but provided some
incentives for more fossil-fuel use among higher-income groups. As a result,
both social- and climate-policy goals were rather sidelined and the biggest
beneficiaries (in terms of the absolute amount) of public fossil-fuel
subsidies were higher income groups whose bigger carbon footprints have thus
been co-financed by scarce public resources».
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