A PACE committee has called on member states to strengthen their national strategies for transitioning to clean, safe and affordable energy — a move seen as critical not only for environmental sustainability but also for social justice and human rights. The committee further underlined that energy is not only a commodity but a right, stating that “a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is integral to the full enjoyment of human rights by present and future generations”.

Approving a resolution based on a report by Saskia Kluit (Netherlands, SOC), the committee stressed that energy poverty remains a persistent problem in Europe, affecting millions due to high costs, inefficient infrastructure and limited access. The committee called on states to treat energy as a social good, noting that “stable access to clean energy” is essential for exercising basic social rights such as housing, health, education and protection from poverty, particularly for vulnerable groups including children, persons with disabilities and the elderly.

The committee urged member states to “consolidate their national strategy for transition to clean, safe and affordable energy” and to “promote it through a public communication drive highlighting the advantages of embracing renewable energy sources”. It called on governments to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and instead support investment in clean mobility, building renovation and green technologies.

To ensure social justice throughout this process, the committee recommended that states “shield vulnerable members of society from energy poverty” through structural measures such as price caps and tax reductions, grants to implement housing renovation schemes and bans on disconnection of vulnerable users from the energy supply.

It further called for the creation of “social transition funds to help employees to move from fossil fuel based sectors to clean sectors” and the implementation of professional training schemes to enable workers to acquire new skills and access green jobs in the energy sector.

21/05/2025

https://pace.coe.int/en/news/9891