Energy poverty is one of the least visible emergencies of the energy transition, yet also one of the most decisive. It does not generate sensational headlines, but it affects the quality of life of millions of families every day, forcing them to choose between heating, electricity, and other essential expenses. In Italy, the phenomenon is not limited to large urban suburbs but extends across different territories, including economically advanced areas and mountain regions.
In recent years, rising energy prices have highlighted an already existing structural divide: inefficient homes, low- to middle-income households, and limited investment capacity turn access to energy services into a factor of exclusion. In Alpine regions, where the climate is harsher and heating needs are structurally higher, these dynamics are amplified. Older homes that are difficult to renovate, complex infrastructure networks, and higher supply costs make energy poverty less visible, but no less serious.
It is within this context that ETS2, the new European carbon pricing system for buildings and transport, comes into play. Starting in 2028, the cost of CO₂ will be applied to fossil fuels used in these sectors, particularly natural gas for building heating and fuels for road transport. This is therefore not a tax on energy as a whole, nor on electricity itself, but a mechanism that directly affects the consumption of natural gas and fossil fuels.
From a climate perspective, the price signal is consistent with the European Climate Law: progressively making the use of fossil fuels less economically attractive. From a social perspective, however, the impact risks being regressive if not accompanied by adequate measures. The increase in heating gas costs will primarily affect families living in inefficient homes and in colder areas, where the possibility of reducing consumption in the short term is limited.
The transition to renewable energy sources is often described as a predominantly technical issue involving installations and decarbonization targets. Yet ETS2 clearly shows that energy—or rather the use of fossil fuels—is also a social issue. When gas prices rise due to CO₂ costs, the acceptability of climate policies depends on the ability to protect those who have no immediate alternatives.
Local resistance to new renewable energy infrastructure does not arise solely from ideological opposition. It often reflects a simple question: who benefits from the transition, and who bears its costs? In Alpine regions, where the landscape is an integral part of identity and the local economy, this question carries even greater weight. If rising gas costs are not offset by local opportunities—energy efficiency, distributed renewables, and structural reductions in energy expenditure—the risk is a growing disconnect between climate objectives and social consensus.
In this scenario, tools such as targeted building energy efficiency measures, energy communities, and small-scale renewable solutions are not merely environmental policies but genuine social mitigation policies for ETS2. Reducing the need for heating gas directly lessens the impact of carbon pricing on households. At the same time, redistributing part of the economic benefits of the transition at the local level strengthens the acceptance of climate measures.
In Alpine contexts, the challenge is to integrate gas policies, renewable energy, and energy efficiency with local territorial needs. Efficiency improvements adapted to existing buildings, electrification where feasible, and the intelligent use of local resources can transform ETS2 from a source of economic pressure into a lever for reducing long-standing inequalities.
Energy poverty, renewable energy, and ETS2 are not separate issues; they are part of the same journey. A transition that ignores the fact that ETS2 affects natural gas used for domestic purposes, rather than energy in the abstract, risks losing public support precisely in the territories most exposed to its effects. Conversely, addressing carbon pricing and social policies together can make change not only necessary but also sustainable for people.
The challenge of ETS2 will not only be to reduce emissions. It will be to demonstrate that the transition can be fair, especially for those who live where heating is not a choice but a daily necessity.
