As part of the EnPover project, the second international workshop took place on 3 February 2021. During the workshop participants from Germany, Hungary and Poland had the opportunity to share their experience in tacking energy poverty. A valuable element of this event was presented by invited speakers from other countries practices bringing closer this problem both from the practical and theoretical side. In order to take full advantage of the knowledge and information gained during the prior presentations, the workshop ended with a common work on recommendations for an energy poverty awareness campaign based on the example of two hypothetical cities.
The meeting began with a short interactive quiz, during which workshop participants could test their knowledge on energy poverty. Then Patrycja Płonka from PNEC presented key message about possibility of reducing energy poverty with common available resources, increasing the competence of municipalities in this phenomenon and an example of creating a network of professionals who, through the exchange of experience and information, could efficiently tackle this negative socio-economic phenomenon. She has also presented an action plan for preparing appropriate tools based on good practices that will help European municipalities to actively support their citizens. Afterwards, Brian Whitington from Tighean Innse Gall (TIG) shared with the audience his valuable experience gained during many years of working with people affected by energy poverty. He highlighted the importance of an individual approach to each person in need. Then, Dominik Owczarek from the Institute of Public Affairs presented the problem of energy poverty in Poland, the existing public policies and programs that can be used by people experiencing this problem.
Representatives of local municipalities participating in the meeting also had the opportunity to present their activities in the field of tackling energy poverty. Public consultations, education of children and adults, awareness campaigns and individual assistance in preparing applications for available subsidies are the main activities that local governments in the project partner countries can present. Many of them have also been carrying out surveys, thanks to which it is possible to determine the scale of poverty. After the discussion, it was time for the next speakers, who presented their good practices. Jerzy Tymczyszyn, eco-advisor from Raciechowice municipality, described the work of eco-advisors in the Małopolska province, and then George Jiglau from Babeș-Bolyai University in Romania, presented a map of energy poverty in Cluj-Napoca, allowing for the identification of areas most affected by this phenomenon.
The workshop has ended with a joint work using an online tool called Mural. The participants were asked to prepare a model energy poverty information campaign for two sample cities with different characteristics. First of all, the participants focused on the goals of the campaign, such as increasing awareness of the problem among citizens and available methods of tackling it. A preliminary analysis of possible stakeholders was also carried out, methods and tools possible to use in the campaign were proposed, as well as ways of financing such actions. The final element of this practical part of the workshop was forming advices and guidelines for carrying out such a campaign, where participants highlighted the importance of treating others with respect, and the following monitoring the situation of households.
The summary of the performed practical exercise and the knowledge acquired during the workshop allowed to come to a final conclusion that there are specific similarities between the problems of municipalities from different countries, whose representatives took part in the event. Thanks to these similarities municipalities and cities from different countries can help each other, share knowledge and good practices and as a result reduce energy poverty.
Materials from the event:
Presentations:
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The following presentations can not be shared or published without the permission of the Association.
- Enpover Project: Local solutions to support energy efficiency improvements in energy poor households , Patrycja Płonka, Polish Network "Energie Cités” (PNEC)
- Tackling energy poverty step by step (general approach, baseline assessment, identification of target groups, action planning...) , Brian Whitington, Corporate Strategy & Special Projects
- Methods for involving households (identification, approach and monitoring of vulnerable households) , Dominik Owczarek,Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) and Tomasz Herudziński, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW
- Good practice: Energy advice - network of Eco-advisors in Małopolska , Jerzy Tymczyszyn, Eco-advisor in Municipality Raciechowice
