20210427 ENGAGER TS2 module 2
Channel: GET-together seminars
Date: 2021-04-27

ENGAGER Training School 2: Mainstreaming Innovative Energy Poverty Metrics (http://www.engager-energy.net/trainingschool2/)

Module 2: Composite EP indicators and popularising innovative datasets

Trainers: Harriet Thomson, Caitlin Robinson, Danielle Butler

As a highly multidimensional issue, composite indicators have an important role to play in how we measure and understand the distribution and intensity of energy poverty. The Birmingham hub began with a conceptual exercise about designing composite indicators of energy poverty, combining insights from both qualitative and quantitative research. During the exercise participants mapped out key themes of interest, considering how we can select innovative indicators that best represent each theme. We also reflected on the aggregation and weighting of different indicators. Participants then designed and visualised their own composite indicators using pan-European data, e.g. EU Energy Poverty Observatory indicators. These composite indicators provided a starting point for discussion about what data we are missing in Europe, both thematically (i.e. which aspects of energy poverty are we unable to represent with quantitative indicators?), and spatially (i.e. for which regions do we have a good understanding?). Our discussions informed an application for a European Social Survey rotating module on energy poverty in 2022.

0-43:30 minutes: Short lectures by trainers followed by plenary discussion

Introduction to composite indicators and their challenges - Harriet Thomson
Energy poverty indicators: What are we missing? - Caitlin Robinson

43:30-1:12:45: Hands-on group exercise set-up and plenary discussion

Statistical indicators are an important and necessary part of the policy landscape, revealing and obscuring patterns of energy vulnerability, and in turn shaping decisions around the targeting of alleviation measures. However, the measurement and monitoring of energy poverty typically relies on existing secondary data from household and building stock surveys, which constrains index-building efforts.

A key challenge for researchers, policymakers and practitioners is to construct meaningful composite indicators that take into consideration questions of quality, representativeness, geographical coverage, and, oftentimes, political suitability.

Between 2016-2020, the team leading the European Commission’s EU Energy Poverty Observatory (EPOV) carried out extensive stakeholder and expert consultations to define a set of four primary indicators that they argued would address the lack of agreed-upon indicators by providing a comprehensive overview of the structure and character of energy poverty. (Pages 16-23 of this report outline the chosen indicators: https://www.energypoverty.eu/sites/default/files/downloads/observatory-documents/19-06/paneureport2018_updated2019.pdf).

However, we know from an earlier review by Rademaekers et al. (2016) (https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/Selecting%20Indicators%20to%20Measure%20Energy%20Poverty.pdf) that a much broader range of relevant indicators is available to stakeholders at the European level, covering themes such as housing quality, energy expenditure, household income and more.

During this hands-on exercise, each group had the following tasks:
• Review the full set of pan-European data available: https://www.energypoverty.eu/indicators-data
• Agree upon the key themes that a composite index of energy poverty should address
• Design and visualise your own composite indicators using an open access tool (a short demo was provided - see recording for set-up and the group reports in plenary). Here is the tool: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lKQlk7JbTapGFIO-TnafBgMxYspqhXnt70TiAtrgs5k/

1:12:45-1:57:15: Presentation by trainee group followed by plenary discussion

Topic: What are the urgent thematic gaps in energy poverty measurement, and what are the necessary metrics for resolving these lacunae?

Lin Zhang, University of Leeds
Ioanna Kyprianou, Cyprus Institute
Luca Lamonaca, University Institute of Lisbon
Pedro Palma, NOVA University Lisbon

Recommended reading:

Middlemiss, L. (2017). A critical analysis of the new politics of fuel poverty in England. Critical Social Policy, 37(3), 425-443. (https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/103895/2/MiddlemissNewPoliticsofFuelPoverty.pdf)
Romero, J. C., Linares, P., & López, X. (2018). The policy implications of energy poverty indicators. Energy policy, 115, 98-108. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421517308789)
Thomson, H., Bouzarovski, S., & Snell, C. (2017). Rethinking the measurement of energy poverty in Europe: A critical analysis of indicators and data. Indoor and Built Environment, 26(7), 879-901. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1420326X17699260)

Suggested post-hub reading:

OECD (2008). Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators: Methodology and User Guide. Paris: OECD (https://www.oecd.org/sdd/42495745.pdf)