- Energy professionals
- Public administration
- Private companies
- Social groups and entities
- Groups of investors
- Students
- Energy users
Description
The Catalan Congress on Energy Poverty is a joint initiative promoted by several administrations; local and supra-municipal bodies; and social, environmental, and civil society entities which aims to create a united front to defend and guarantee the energy rights of the public, especially those who are in circumstances of energy vulnerability and/or social exclusion. This initiative was created with the aim of improving the prevention and management of energy vulnerability, finding effective solutions in the short and medium term, and strengthening joint action strategies at a local level.
The 1st Catalan Congress on Energy Poverty was held on 3 and 4 November 2016 in Sabadell. The event was co-organised by the City Councils of Sabadell, Barcelona and Badalona; the Barcelona Provincial Council; the Barcelona Metropolitan Area; the Ecoserveis Association and the Panel of Social Third-Sector Entities. Over two days, academic, social and local sphere experts, along with representatives from energy supply companies, debated the fight against energy vulnerability and put forward viable solutions and the observations necessary to address the multiple causes of this problem.
Furthermore, on 8 and 9 November 2018 the Cotxeres de Sants Bus Depot (Barcelona) hosted the 2nd Catalan Congress on Energy Poverty, organised by the City Councils of Barcelona, Badalona and Sabadell; Barcelona Provincial Council; AMB; the Federation of Municipalities of Catalonia; the Catalan Association of Municipalities; the Panel of Social Third-Sector Entities; the Ecoserveis Association and the Alliance against Energy Poverty. This edition of the Congress focused on the causes that exacerbate energy vulnerability and the current situation of energy rights at the local and European levels.
New for this year, the 2nd Congress included an Energy Advice Desk that was open to the public and specific information on energy rights.
Participation of Ecoserveis
Ecoserveis co-organises each edition of the Catalan Congress on Energy Poverty. In addition, we have edited the collection of reflections on the 1st Congress in the publication Energy poverty in Catalonia: challenges and dilemmas, with the collaboration of Obra Social “la Caixa”.
Objectives
- Having a space for meeting, reflection, debate and dialogue between the various actors who influence the attention given to energy poverty in Catalonia.
- Promoting knowledge and expert discussion of the most significant aspects in order to move the search for effective solutions forward in the short and medium term.
- Promoting a new governance framework that, thanks to the collaboration between the various agents, allows improved prevention and management of energy and social vulnerability.
- Raising awareness among the public, political representatives and the media of the magnitude and severity of energy poverty and the need to actively address it.