Pledge 58 – Antwerp

On 24 September 2020, Antwerp signed a pledge to principle 20 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, reaffirming its commitment to provide access to essential services to all its citizens with a focus on reducing energy poverty.

Antwerp is committed to:

• Prioritise tackling energy poverty on the city agenda focusing both on renovation of the building stock as well as lowering the energy costs for users and guaranteeing a minimum supply for all citizens
• Apply an integrated approach to reducing energy poverty by linking up social and energy policies under the same deputy mayor and his team
• Provide a one-stop-shop (Ecohouse Antwerp) to connect all city services on sustainable building and living, uniting under the same roof practical and financial support and counselling on energy reduction, renewables, energy retrofitting etc.
• Conduct 2,000 energy scans each year to identify vulnerable households at risk of energy poverty and help them save around 447.000 euro a year in electricity, gas and water
• Have a dedicated ‘energy team’ in the social affairs department to mediate between energy suppliers and citizens to prevent energy or water cut off
• Strengthen support for collective renovations of multiple apartment buildings (multiple ownership, mostly inhabited by tenants)

Antwerp’s deputy mayor, Tom Meeuws, said: “We are committed to reduce energy poverty from an integrated approach linking up energy and social policies. We firmly believe that energy should be affordable for everyone, including the most vulnerable in our society.”.