An eco-social solution to energy poverty? Substance and symbolism in the England's use of domestic energy efficiency policy to achieve social and environmental synergies, 1997–2023
An eco-social solution to energy poverty? Substance and symbolism in the England's use of domestic energy efficiency policy to achieve social and environmental synergies, 1997–2023
Domestic energy efficiency policy is potentially a means for reducing residential energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and expenses for households in energy poverty. It has often been presented as an eco-social exemplar, for example in the European Union's Green Deal. The European Commission regards domestic energy efficiency improvements as the primary means for addressing energy poverty notwithstanding the 2022/23 energy crisis. However, the case for domestic energy efficiency improvement as a tool for achieving simultaneously social and environmental goals is often assumed rather than demonstrated. This article uses Mandelli's eco-social trilemma heuristic and the symbolic politics literature to surface the tensions involved in such processes, focusing on policy efforts in the England between 1997 and 2023 as a case study. England is a good case to consider because it has been regarded as a leader of energy poverty mitigation and its policy approach is similar to the European Commission's. The article details the main policy instruments used in England, assesses outputs and outcomes using official statistics, government and independent policy evaluations and the secondary literature, and details the main problems encountered in achieving environmental/social synergies. Based on this analysis, the article argues that English domestic energy efficiency policy has generally constituted a symbolic eco-social policy, particularly on the social side and since 2010. Highlighted by the 2022/23 energy crisis, domestic energy efficiency policy is best regarded as one component of a policy toolkit for reducing energy poverty, which at the least should also include targeted social protection.
domestic energy efficiency, eco-social policy, Energy poverty, environmental crisis, net zero, symbolic policy
388-407
Bridgen, Paul
6a2060f6-cbab-47d4-a831-ff82350055c9
December 2023
Bridgen, Paul
6a2060f6-cbab-47d4-a831-ff82350055c9
Bridgen, Paul
(2023)
An eco-social solution to energy poverty? Substance and symbolism in the England's use of domestic energy efficiency policy to achieve social and environmental synergies, 1997–2023.
European Journal of Social Security, 25 (4), .
(doi:10.1177/13882627231195722).
Abstract
Domestic energy efficiency policy is potentially a means for reducing residential energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and expenses for households in energy poverty. It has often been presented as an eco-social exemplar, for example in the European Union's Green Deal. The European Commission regards domestic energy efficiency improvements as the primary means for addressing energy poverty notwithstanding the 2022/23 energy crisis. However, the case for domestic energy efficiency improvement as a tool for achieving simultaneously social and environmental goals is often assumed rather than demonstrated. This article uses Mandelli's eco-social trilemma heuristic and the symbolic politics literature to surface the tensions involved in such processes, focusing on policy efforts in the England between 1997 and 2023 as a case study. England is a good case to consider because it has been regarded as a leader of energy poverty mitigation and its policy approach is similar to the European Commission's. The article details the main policy instruments used in England, assesses outputs and outcomes using official statistics, government and independent policy evaluations and the secondary literature, and details the main problems encountered in achieving environmental/social synergies. Based on this analysis, the article argues that English domestic energy efficiency policy has generally constituted a symbolic eco-social policy, particularly on the social side and since 2010. Highlighted by the 2022/23 energy crisis, domestic energy efficiency policy is best regarded as one component of a policy toolkit for reducing energy poverty, which at the least should also include targeted social protection.
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EcoSocialEnergyPovertyFinal
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bridgen-2023-an-eco-social-solution-to-energy-poverty-substance-and-symbolism-in-the-england-s-use-of-domestic-energy
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Accepted/In Press date: 15 June 2023
e-pub ahead of print date: 26 September 2023
Published date: December 2023
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Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.
Keywords:
domestic energy efficiency, eco-social policy, Energy poverty, environmental crisis, net zero, symbolic policy
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Local EPrints ID: 485543
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/485543
ISSN: 1388-2627
PURE UUID: 8c54a85c-0414-4a50-b6d8-927a3f90d023
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Date deposited: 08 Dec 2023 17:44
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 02:50
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