Not Fit for 55: Prioritizing Human Well-Being in Residential Energy Consumption in the European Union

Michael Carnegie LaBelle, Géza Tóth and Tekla Szép ()
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Michael Carnegie LaBelle: Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University, Quellenstraße 51, 1100 Vienna, Austria
Géza Tóth: Institute of World and Regional Economics, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, Miskolc-Egyetemváros, 3515 Miskolc, Hungary
Tekla Szép: Institute of World and Regional Economics, Faculty of Economics, University of Miskolc, Miskolc-Egyetemváros, 3515 Miskolc, Hungary

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-25

Abstract: An analysis of the 27 European Union (EU) member states over the years 2000–2018 examines the relationship between residential energy use per capita and human well-being, measured by the Human Development Index (HDI). The EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ policy package to reduce greenhouse gas emissions may derail post-communist member states’ convergence (PCMS) to the same level of well-being of households in old member states (OMS). The aim of this article is to assess both the direct and indirect relationship between residential energy use per capita and human well-being. The findings indicate a direct connection in addition to the indirect effect between them. Therefore, reducing or leveling off residential energy consumption in PCMS will prevent human development convergence within the EU. The findings indicate the lack of convergence, because of the ‘Fit for 55’ policy package assumption of a decline of residential energy consumption in all member states could stagnate or lower HDI in PCMS and prevent policy implementation.

Keywords: residential energy use; path analysis; human well-being; Fit for 55; HDI (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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