ENERGY POVERTY AS A COLD AND UNUTTERED JUSTICE ISSUE: EXAMINING THE “RIGHT TO ENERGY”

Date

2025-9-26

Author

Gülbahar, Yağmur Gökçe

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This thesis examines energy poverty from a critical political economy perspective, seeking to provide a comprehensive understanding of the issue. This perspective is adopted to explore the root causes of energy poverty to investigate why international efforts to alleviate this problem have been remaining inadequate. In this context, the aim is to contribute to efforts to recognize energy as a right. The potential “right to energy” is examined with respect to its theoretical foundations, including the energy justice approach, capabilities theory, and practice theory on energy poverty, as well as its legal and ethical foundations. To discuss the potential right to energy, the thesis provides an examination of international practices dominated by the United Nations and the European Union to comprehend the existing norms related to energy poverty and the right to energy within the framework of human rights law. To establish a basis for this potential right, complementary rights are addressed within the framework of the principle of “permeability of rights”, with an aim to examine the connections between the right to energy and other related rights, and whether the right to energy provides a theoretical basis. In light of these discussions, it is suggested that this right could provide a basis for addressing energy poverty. Furthermore, it is argued that the rights-based approach emphasizes justice and affordability as priorities, rather than focusing on profit- oriented efforts and efficiency. This approach also underlines the role of the state among the actors involved in efforts to alleviate energy poverty.

Subject Keywords

energy poverty, energy justice, right to energy, human rights

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/116125

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis