How Does Energy Transition Impact Vulnerable Populations? A Review of Challenges, Determinants, and Solutions for a Just Transition

The concepts of energy justice, energy poverty, and energy equity have gained considerable recognition over the past decade. It is now understood that energy transition processes and activities, despite evident benefits, can lead to injustices. However, these downsides often remain unaddressed. This article aims to fix this shortcoming by reviewing how the energy transition can impact vulnerable populations. While it is important to recognize that the transition can positively impact vulnerable groups, this article focuses on the negative impacts to identify vulnerabilities. In addition to providing a historical overview, we present the state of the art on energy justice and vulnerability before describing different populations that are vulnerable to the energy transition. We then list measures to alleviate the negative impacts and help achieve a just transition. The article concludes with a discussion of the current knowledge gaps on the topic of a just transition for vulnerable populations.