Fiscal policies and energy vulnerability: tackling fuel and energy poverty in a changing global landscape
Recent literature has increasingly addressed the issues of fuel poverty and, more inclusively, energy poverty. At various institutional levels—particularly national governments—there has been a gradual development of long-term energy policies to mitigate these issues. At the same time, in response to short-term crises, governments have often adopted tactical measures such as tax and tariff interventions on energy services, reduced excise duties on fuels, or social energy bonuses and subsidies for energy-intensive businesses.
However, the available literature suggests that these emergency fiscal measures tend to offer only temporary relief and have limited long-term effectiveness. Studies show that certain tax-based interventions—such as boiler bonuses rather than broader fiscal incentives for energy efficiency—have produced unsatisfactory results.
Given the current international economic tensions, governments may once again resort to extraordinary fiscal measures to mitigate the impact of potential shocks, particularly on vulnerable families and sectors. Yet, economic analysis in this area remains underdeveloped, and the effectiveness of fiscal measures in addressing energy poverty is still an open and pressing research question.
Energy poverty is increasingly recognised as a multidimensional challenge that affects social equity, climate policy, and macroeconomic stability. While long-term strategies, such as subsidies for energy efficiency or infrastructure investments, have been formulated, many governments rely on short-term fiscal levers (e.g., reduced excise duties, direct bonuses) to mitigate shocks. These measures, however, often fall short of delivering sustained improvements or equitable outcomes.
This Collection seeks to address the urgent and evolving intersection of fiscal policy and energy poverty, a critical issue amid recent international crises, climate transition imperatives, and rising energy costs.
We welcome submissions on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Fiscal and tax policy instruments targeting energy poverty and vulnerability
- Comparative analyses of short-term vs. long-term fiscal interventions in the energy sector
- Evaluation of subsidy schemes, social energy bonuses, and targeted support mechanisms
- Distributional and equity impacts of energy-related fiscal policies
- The role of energy taxation in promoting affordability and sustainability
- Interactions between fiscal policy, climate policy, and energy transition goals
- Macroeconomic and fiscal implications of energy price shocks
- Regional and national case studies on policy responses to energy crises
- Policy design for just and inclusive energy transitions
- Measurement frameworks and indicators for assessing energy poverty mitigation through fiscal tools
