TY - JOUR
T1 - Ageism, welfare, and the energy transition
T2 - a comparative analysis of the perceptions among the elderly in Poland and Norway
AU - Szulecki, Kacper
AU - Neerland, Maria Aspen
AU - Tomter, Håkon
AU - Wæringsaasen, Cecilie A.Blomberg
AU - Żuk, Paweł
AU - Żuk, Piotr
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/6/14
Y1 - 2024/6/14
N2 - Background: One of the potential dimensions on which exclusion and injustice may occur in energy transitions is age. Age-based patterns of exclusion—ageism—has recently been conceptualized in the context of decarbonization as energy ageism. This paper offers a comparative empirical analysis of the senior citizens’ outlook towards an imminent energy transition as well as the impact of energy poverty in two European countries: Norway and Poland. Results: Drawing on interviews and focus groups with Polish and Norwegian seniors, we present the differences and similarities between the two countries, and the determinants of energy ageism, as well as the concept’s overall applicability and empirical usefulness. We find that socioeconomic conditions outweigh ageism, that is, the resilience of senior citizens in dealing with energy poverty during a transition is conditioned by their material standing and welfare state robustness rather than age based. An important factor is household heating technology, combined with economic vulnerability can push some individuals into energy poverty, while others using alternative sources of heat can navigate through energy crises unscathed. Conclusions: We note the importance of mainstreaming social inclusion considerations in energy policy and of targeted digital competence building which can enhance senior citizen integration in the energy transition. Lower levels of digital competences among senior citizens certainly play a role and need to be addressed with education programs to increase participation. In both countries, household heating is a major issue and heating sources are strong predictors of energy poverty and regulatory measures and subsidies should be designed at national, regional, and municipal level to assist vulnerable groups in this area.
AB - Background: One of the potential dimensions on which exclusion and injustice may occur in energy transitions is age. Age-based patterns of exclusion—ageism—has recently been conceptualized in the context of decarbonization as energy ageism. This paper offers a comparative empirical analysis of the senior citizens’ outlook towards an imminent energy transition as well as the impact of energy poverty in two European countries: Norway and Poland. Results: Drawing on interviews and focus groups with Polish and Norwegian seniors, we present the differences and similarities between the two countries, and the determinants of energy ageism, as well as the concept’s overall applicability and empirical usefulness. We find that socioeconomic conditions outweigh ageism, that is, the resilience of senior citizens in dealing with energy poverty during a transition is conditioned by their material standing and welfare state robustness rather than age based. An important factor is household heating technology, combined with economic vulnerability can push some individuals into energy poverty, while others using alternative sources of heat can navigate through energy crises unscathed. Conclusions: We note the importance of mainstreaming social inclusion considerations in energy policy and of targeted digital competence building which can enhance senior citizen integration in the energy transition. Lower levels of digital competences among senior citizens certainly play a role and need to be addressed with education programs to increase participation. In both countries, household heating is a major issue and heating sources are strong predictors of energy poverty and regulatory measures and subsidies should be designed at national, regional, and municipal level to assist vulnerable groups in this area.
KW - Ageism
KW - Decarbonization
KW - Energy poverty
KW - Energy transition
KW - Justice
KW - Vulnerable groups
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85195891969&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s13705-024-00468-x
DO - 10.1186/s13705-024-00468-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85195891969
SN - 2192-0567
VL - 14
JO - Energy, Sustainability and Society
JF - Energy, Sustainability and Society
IS - 1
M1 - 35
ER -