Energ’Ethic - Climate Justice and Energy Transition Marine Cornelis

We have a Green Deal, we had elections: now, what?

Last week, I attended the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), a flagship event driving the future of sustainable energy in Europe.

I decided to record a special episode of the Energ'ethic podcast right from the event.

It’s a great moment to take the temperature in Brussels and ask a few people about European’s energy and climate priorities for the years to come.

Right after the European elections, I’ve been feeling that the EU is like the dog who has just caught the bus.

Does it know where it is going now?

What is the next step?

Can Europe keep on being the climate leader?

And how?

So I asked two questions:
what should be the energy and climate policy priorities in the years to come?
And
Do you think discussions at EUSEW are reflecting these priorities?

🗣 I spoke with some brilliant minds, including: Jaume Loffredo from Smarten, Julie Kjestrup from Velux, Anna Gumbau, Marco Gervasi from Eyen, Professor Lucia Ruggeri, Jad Mouawad, Lorraine Claffey from Energy Traders Europe, Max Joel from NYSEDA, Johannes Volmer from the European Renewable Energy Federation

🎙 What did they say?

We need to ploy more renewables quickly, and "Harnessing flexibility is fundamental if we want to achieve our climate targets," Said Jaume Loffredo

Improving our electricity grids to handle increased renewable energy is critical. Marco noted, "We need to invest more money and deliver in the next five years."

Julie Kjestrup underscored the need for action. "Implementation is key – it’s about delivery, not just planning."

Anna Gumbau discussed the importance of unlocking funds for the energy transition. "We need to find the right balance between public finance and unlocking investor certainty," she said.
But as Lucia Ruggeri urged, "Social justice must be at the heart of the green transition."

🛠 In short:
Inclusiveness and equity must be central to energy policies.
Public participation is crucial.
Now is time for effective implementation of the bold Green Deal policies - and go further!

We’re watching - and listening.

It’s been a delight to record such meaningful conversations. Let's continue to push for a just and inclusive energy transition. Together, we can make a difference! 🌿

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Reach out to Marine Cornelis via Twitter @MarineCornelis or LinkedInMusic: I Need You Here - KamariusEdition: Podcast Media Factory 

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"Citizens are the experts, and we are only translating this expertise into projects and initiatives"   

In this episode, Marine Cornelis meets Marta Garcia Paris, the CEO of Ecoserveis. 

Ecoserveis has undoubtedly transformed how energy poverty and consumer experience, in general, are taken into consideration in Barcelona and Europe.   

Marta talks about engaging people in the energy transition while protecting them against climate change; the impact of COVID on vulnerable populations; the importance of providing information through trusted parties to empower citizens; and that European projects enable her to learn and keep her mind open to new ideas.   

See all Ecoserveis' ongoing and past projects: https://www.ecoserveis.net/en/what-we-do/projects/  

Reach out to Marta on Twitter @Martutis6 or Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-garc%C3%ADa-par%C3%ADs/  

Reach out to Marine Cornelis via Twitter @MarineCornelis or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinecornelis
Music: I Need You Here - Kamarius
Edition: Podcast Media Factory 



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Is the Renovation Wave on track to address the complexity of fuel poverty? 

European policies seem to be getting a better grasp of the phenomenon. Still, even today, although energy poverty and vulnerability are getting more and more attention from European policymakers, many factors remain entirely unexplored. This is particularly the case for the private rented sector.

In this episode, we will discuss this issue with Manon Burbidge and Professor Stefan Bouzarovski.

Stefan Bouzarovski is one of the most influential voices in the energy vulnerability field. Stefan is a professor at the University of Manchester and the head of the ENGAGER network. Manon is a very committed ecologist and a research associate at the University of Manchester.

We will be explaining the findings of their Report on energy poverty in the private rented sector as part of the Horizon 2020 ENPOR project. This report highlights the scale of energy poverty. It presents some solutions on how to address it in the private rented sector.

Why has been energy poverty in the rented sector overlooked so far? How is it possible to reconcile the viewpoints of stakeholders with apparently diverging interests?

Stefan and Manon will talk with us about some solutions and share with us their doubts regarding certain policies and programmes that fail to adopt an intersectional approach that would put residents' needs at the centre, rather than technical and technological responses to the energy inefficiency of buildings.

ENPOR project link: https://www.enpor.eu/ 

Contact Stefan on Twitter @StefanBuzar and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanbuzar/
Contact Manon on Twitter @Manon_Burbidge and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/manon-burbidge-ab64a9108/

Reach out to Marine Cornelis via Twitter @MarineCornelis or LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/marinecornelis
Music: I Need You Here - Kamarius
Edition: Podcast Media Factory



Support Energ'Ethic on Patreon https://patreon.com/Energethic


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How can we successfully level the political playing field and bring in the voices of civil society, including those of small countries? How can we ensure that finance benefits citizens and works to repair the planet? 

"We only have our voice, but with that voice, if you talk about important things, and if you commit to what you say and what you do, your voice becomes a real weapon to achieve your goals." 

Kęstutis Kupšys is a Member of the European Economic and Social Committee and a key expert on sustainable finance issues. He explains how he has learned to embrace climate change as an opportunity to transform the economic system we live in. He describes the functioning of the European Economic and Social Committee, an advisory body that informs the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council. Kęstutis expands on the power of finance for the future of the planet and how, today, cryptocurrencies are undermining climate goals. 

Finally, he tells us how coming from a small country, Lithuania, is rather an asset when it comes to building consensus, and bridging widely divergent interests. 

"The Economic and Social Committee is one of those forums where you can make your voice heard, even if you come from a small country, a small organisation or if you represent a specific group of people with specific problems".  



"We no longer have the luxury of choosing what should be sustainable and what should remain business as usual, the whole system has to be changed." 



Kęstutis Kupšys is a Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (Group III - Diversity Europe Group), the vice-president of the Lithuanian consumer alliance (member of BEUC) and the director of the Association for Honesty in banking. In his own words, Kęstutis is a sustainable finance, clean mobility and renewable energy enthusiast devoted to unified Europe. 

Contact Kęstutis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kestutis-kupsys/   



Reach out to Marine Cornelis via Twitter @MarineCornelis or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinecornelis
Music: I Need You Here - Kamarius
Edition: Podcast Media Factory (c)



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What is missing to build a truly just, intersectional and inclusive transition? How can academic research be linked with almost 15 years of experience in the public and private sectors? 

In this fascinating and personal conversation, Marielle Feenstra tells us how she learns and shares about gender and inclusivity in the energy and climate transition daily. She talks about her ability to create links between the academic world, her work as a consultant, and an advisor to public bodies. 

She explains why gender issues continue to be neglected in energy policies (hint: there is a lack of disaggregated data!) and why using the notion of “household” is so far removed from reality that it can hardly yield tangible results. Finally, she talks about the importance of role-playing to create empathy among decision-makers and why gender differences are an excellent way to raise awareness of social justice and diversity. Gender and transitions are a dynamic concept that will evolve, and that decision-makers, companies and policymakers will have to take into consideration

“We bring in our genders, we bring in our social background, we bring in our educational backgrounds, our age, so taking an intersectional approach towards the actors in the energy system reveals their different motives, different knowledge, different understanding and different resources to act upon and make a change.”

Mariëlle Feenstra, “the energy feminist”, has been working on gender and energy policies since 2000. She is currently a PhD researcher at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. She will defend her PhD thesis “Gender Just Energy Policy: engendering the energy transition in Europe” this summer. Together with her supervisor Prof. Dr Joy Clancy, she has written two studies for the FEMM Committee of the European Parliament. Both studies are the first publications in the EU on gender and energy policy. Mariëlle is an active member of the ENGAGER network of energy poverty researchers in Europe. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the Dutch community 75InQ, promoting more visibility for diversity in the energy transition.

Find Marielle Feenstra on Twitter @EnergyFeminist and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellefeenstra/  


Reach out to Marine Cornelis via Twitter @MarineCornelis or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinecornelis
Music: I Need You Here - Kamarius
Edition: Podcast Media Factory



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"The built environment is a source of opportunities or obstacles"

Why are infrastructures a question of social justice? How can urban spaces be reinvented to become accessible to the greatest number?

In this fascinating discussion, Pedro Homem de Gouveia explains how he came to understand that infrastructure and mobility create barriers or opportunities in people's lives. Pedro underlines why it is necessary to be vigilant against cultural prejudices and why mobility issues require above all an understanding of the users' habits. He informs us about gender and safety issues in public transport, arguing that these issues are not externalities but must be put at the heart of urban network development policies. 

Pedro demonstrates that when it comes to mobility and experiencing city life, solutions are often within reach, but they often require a different perspective. Therefore, Pedro encourages professionals from other sectors, from psychology to marketing, to take an interest in transport and infrastructure issues in order to better meet users' needs. 

Pedro illustrates his remarks with examples that he has noted over the course of time and his discoveries, as an architect and advisor to the city of Lisbon or as senior policy and project manager at the POLIS, the network of cities and regions for transport innovation. 

"Public transport is the backbone of urban mobility (...) but you just don't go walking around with a backbone: you need legs, and feet, and fingers. And if you're going to do something, you also need arms, and hands, and fingers. (...) If we want people to shift away from their private cars into sustainable mobility, we really have to foster the emergence of an alternative ecosystem of modes that work together".

Since 2019, Pedro Homem de Gouveia coordinates POLIS' Working Group for Governance & Integration, which is focused on policymaking for innovation and public participation. He also coordinates the Working Group for Safety and Security, aiming to make city streets safe and transport systems secure. Before joining POLIS, Pedro worked for more than 20 years for the city of Lisbon, in Portugal, as a strategist and advisor.

Find Pedro Homem de Gouveia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-homem-de-gouveia-304ab010/ 

Reach out to Marine Cornelis via Twitter @MarineCornelis or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marinecornelis

Music: I Need You Here - Kamarius
Edition: Podcast Media Factory 

Support Energ'Ethic on Patreon https://patreon.com/Energethic

(c) Next Energy Consumer, 2021

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.