PHOTOS: ISTOCK

This report investigates the ongoing work on energy poverty in each of the Nordic countries in terms of defining and measuring the concept. The report also covers the implementation of policy measures to tackle energy poverty and preliminary learnings and discussions regarding the consequences of different policy initiatives. The report builds on the ongoing work on energy poverty in the EU but does not contain a broad summary or review of all relevant literature covering energy poverty.

The report relies on qualitative as well as quantitative data. Furthermore, the report includes a thorough desk research on energy poverty in the Nordics and in the EU. Quantitative data have been obtained through desk research or through a special delivery from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) at the European Commission.

The views expressed in the report are purely those of the authors and are not in any circumstance to be regarded as stating an official position of the European Commission. See details and disclaimer on data from JRC in chapter 5.

Qualitative data have been obtained through interviews with relevant stakeholders, and from a virtual workshop regarding ongoing work and future developments. A full list of organisations that have contributed to the report can be found in appendix 9.1.

The content and results of the report were developed by Ramboll. The study does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the contributing organisations and should not be interpreted as a formal contribution to the political discussion from the organisations listed in the report.

The report consists of four main sections resulting into a set of recommendations for the Nordic countries’ future work on energy poverty (chapter 8). The first section considers the work on defining and measuring energy poverty and the work up until now in each of the Nordic countries and in the EU (chapter 4). The second section provides a descriptive overview or assessment of energy poverty in the Nordic countries, using some of the most common indicators (chapter 5). The third section investigates policy measures in the Nordic countries and selected EU Member States as a response to recent years’ energy crisis (chapter 6). Finally, the fourth section (chapter 7) looks ahead and considers future perspectives for the Nordic countries’ work on energy poverty and in particular the implementation of the revised Energy Efficiency Directive.