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Measuring fuel poverty in France: Which households are the most fuel vulnerable?

Author

Listed:
  • Bérangère Legendre

    (IREGE - Institut de Recherche en Gestion et en Economie - USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry] - Université Savoie Mont Blanc)

  • Olivia Ricci

    (CEMOI - Centre d'Économie et de Management de l'Océan Indien - UR - Université de La Réunion)

Abstract

Fuel poverty is a growing concern in France. Following the hike in energy prices that started in 2004, the problem of energy affordability for low-income households entered the political debate with the " Grenelle de l " environnement " in 2007. According to the standard UK definition (10% ratio) 3.8 million households were subject to fuel poverty in France in 2006. We question the way fuel poverty is currently measured and compare the impact of alternative measurement approaches on the extent and composition of fuel poverty in France. Then, we identify and characterize vulnerable households that are not ordinarily poor, but can be pushed into poverty because of their fuel bills. A logit, a clog log and a mixed effect logit model are used to analyze which factors influence the probability of vulnerable households to fall into poverty. The study indicates that the proportion of fuel poor people and their characteristics differ significantly depending on the fuel poverty measure chosen. The econometric results show that the probability of falling into poverty is higher for those who are retired living alone, rent their home, use an individual boiler for heating, cook with butane or propane and have poor roof insulation. Current French fuel poverty reduction policies appear to be inappropriate given our conclusions.

Suggested Citation

  • Bérangère Legendre & Olivia Ricci, 2015. "Measuring fuel poverty in France: Which households are the most fuel vulnerable?," Post-Print hal-01283999, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01283999
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2015.01.022
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/hal-01283999v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fuel poverty; vulnerable households; poverty indicators; clog log model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q4 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • C5 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling
    • C1 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General

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