Energy poverty in Central and South-Eastern Europe
Authors:
Antonija Komazlić (PNG), Mauro Sirotnjak (PNG), Filip Pračić (PNG)
Abstract:
This case study examines energy poverty alleviation within the context of Central and South-Eastern Europe (CSEE), with focus on Croatia and comparative references to Slovenia and Serbia. The research addresses a key gap in data availability and policy implementation, particularly regarding housing tenure, undocumented dwellings and the accessibility of renovation schemes for vulnerable groups. The objective is to assess how EU-level frameworks are translated into national measures and whether these measures enable a socially just transition. The guiding research question is: How do energy renovation policies mitigate or reproduce social inequalities in the housing sector? Headline findings reveal persistent structural blind spots: the very groups most at risk (low-income households, elderly residents, single parents, tenants, rural communities and those reliant on solid fuels) are often excluded from funding schemes. Civil society organisations emerge as essential intermediaries yet remain underfunded and precariously positioned. The main contribution demonstrates that energy poverty is not merely a technical or welfare issue but is co-produced by -property relations, housing regimes, territorial distribution and governance structures, which advances the research on eco-social state transitions and policy design for just energy transitions.
