Understanding Fuel and Transport Poverty and Associated Challenges for a Scottish Just Transition

To tackle climate change and reach net zero emissions targets, Scottish households will need to transition to low carbon heat and mobility. However, in Scotland, 1/4 of households experience fuel poverty (i.e. not being able to afford their energy bills, having to under-heat their homes or reduce consumption otherwise) and 1/5 are in high risk of transport poverty (i.e. not being able to afford transport costs, limiting access to work, education and/or other services). Moreover, the transition to low carbon systems, likely involving significant technology changes and cost (e.g. replacing petrol or diesel cars for electric vehicles), is expected to create further pressure on these vulnerable groups; which could grow as a result of the ongoing energy cost crisis, pushing more into fuel and/or absolute poverty.  

This project aimed to facilitate a Just Transition to low carbon heat and mobility in Scotland by identifying the links/joint challenges and potential solutions to tackle transport and fuel poverty, using a multidisciplinary mixed methods approach, including extensive community and stakeholder engagement, policy analysis and social cost-benefit analysis. 

The programme brought together a broad range of expertise and research experience on energy transitions, taking a bottom-up approach to policy making, with the aim of generating a long-term positive impact for vulnerable communities and society as a whole.