Policy Brief n° 5 - Reducing Climate Risks through Just Transition Policies

Key Messages Persistent energy poverty and multidimensional climate risks generate cumulative disadvantages that vary substantially across European regions, creating “vulnerability traps” where households struggle to escape overlapping risks. Income protection, housing quality, and renovation emerge as central policy levers for reducing climate vulnerabilities, with household income explaining much of the observed variation. These factors should be seen as core but not sufficient on their own. Multi-sectorial policies that combine improvements in income, housing, energy, health, and social protections consistently outperform single-sector measures, demonstrating that comprehensive approaches are needed rather than isolated interventions. Targeted measures are more effective in reaching those in vulnerable situations, but they should be embedded within a universal framework to guarantee fairness and avoid exclusion.