Fuel poverty in Poland – from theory to practice

November 29 2016

Place: Warsaw

Adress: 25 Bracka Street

Beginning: 2016-11-29

End

Like in the previous year, Institute for Structural Research organised the seminar on fuel poverty. We presented the recent findings on the topic. This year, our research focused on defining types of households at risk of fuel poverty, analysing its regional variation and proposing policies to eradicate the problem.

We proved that commonly used measures of fuel poverty (LIHC, subjective measure) answer different aspects of fuel poverty: lack of thermal comfort, difficulties in paying energy bills, low income and poor living conditions. Thus, depending on the choice of measure, different groups of Polish households are at greatest risk. During the first session of the seminar the experts in the fields of Social Policy, Sociology and Energy commented our research. Then, during the second session, we were discussing the place of fuel poverty in public policy. In a panel discussion took part: Ms Anna Bednarska (Energy Regulatory Office), Mr Zbigniew Bondarczuk (Ministry of Infrastructure and Construction), Mr Marcin Chrapek (Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy), Jacek Grunt-Mejer (The Municipal Office of Warsaw), Mr Bolesław Meluch (The Polish Bank Association) and Mr Arkadiusz Szymański (Ministry of Energy). The discussion focused on the role of government and local governments in eradicating fuel poverty and possible modifications of existing policy instruments.

Program

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 13:40 Opening of the seminardr Iga Magda
13:40 – 14:40 SESSION I: Presentation of the latest research on fuel poverty conducted by the Institute of Structural ResearchHeterogeneity of the fuel poor in Poland – Konstancja Święcicka Fuel poverty and the causes of its regional variation – Katarzyna Sałach The policies counteracting fuel poverty – Aleksander Szpor Discussion and commentaries: the experts in the fields of Social Policy, Sociology and Energy
14:40 – 15:00 Coffee break
15:00 – 16:30 SESSION II Panel discussion: eradicating fuel poverty – the place in political agendaMarcin Chrapek – Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy Zbigniew Bondarczuk – Ministry of Infrastructure and Construction Arkadiusz Szymański – Ministry of Energy Anna Bednarska – Energy Regulatory Office Bolesław Meluch – The Polish Bank Association Ministry of Infastructure and Construction National Developement Council Fuel poverty has not been clearly addressed in legislative and strategic documents in Poland yet. The aim of the discussion is to address the following questions: – Should public policies take better account of fuel poverty? – What is the role of government and local governments in eradicating fuel poverty? – Are the modifications of existing policy instruments possible – so as they could better counteract fuel poverty?
16:30 – 16:40 Closure of the seminardr Iga Magda

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