This study introduces a framework for assessing the resilience of different European countries against the problem of energy poverty. The proposed framework is established upon two major implementation pillars: capturing stakeholder knowledge and employing a multi-criteria analysis framework in order to provide valuable insights and objective results. The implicated evaluation criteria have been identified by the group of stakeholders and incorporate several socio-economic aspects of the problem beyond the energy dimension. The proposed methodology is largely dependent on the engaged stakeholders’ assessments, thus introducing nuggets of subjectivity into the whole analysis. However, it significantly differs from other energy poverty-based approaches, its novelty lying in that it directly attempts to evaluate a country according to its potential to deal with the problem as a whole, rather than deconstructing it in components and partial indicators. The proposed framework is demonstrated in countries in both Southern/Eastern and Northern/Western Europe (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain), exploiting diversities and particularities associated with their context.

Facing the challenges of climate change, energy poverty, and energy crisis, humanity is increasingly focusing on the transition to green and fossil fuel-free alternatives, showcasing the commitment to sustainable development. Consequently, devising new methods for decarbonizing the energy system has become crucial to satisfy the energy demands of industries, businesses, transportation, and residential sectors. Towards this direction, a profound comprehension of the situation and, as a result, the implementation of a series of actions to overhaul the regulatory framework, advance technological innovations, stimulate economic development, and encourage collective social efforts emerges. The aim of this study is to assess the readiness for adopting the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) scheme in several European countries. This Indicator, introduced by the European Union, seeks to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings, adapt operations to the occupants' needs, and respond to signals from the electricity grid. Our analysis employs a multicriteria framework to evaluate a country's preparedness for the SRI scheme, relying on social, political, economic, and technological dimensions, and incorporates a comprehensive set of twelve evaluation criteria. The methodology is based on a combination of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods. Twenty European countries are ranked, and areas for growth are identified, highlighting potential intervention gaps in the policy-making front.

Public participation is constantly gaining attention in the context of decision-making process at local level, given that citizens are the main beneficiaries of the implemented policy measures. In this respect, stakeholder engagement has found itself at the core of the dialogue process for integrating multiple perspectives in sustainable energy planning, with the minimum social disruption. This paper aims to present a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework for enhancing stakeholder engagement in the policy-making process, enabling decision-makers together with experts, citizens and other beneficiaries to jointly prioritise sustainable energy and climate actions to be implemented. The proposed framework allows marginalised population groups to express their views on issues of the everyday life, which are eventually incorporated in an MCDA analysis along with the experts' assessments. The proposed methodology is applied in a Greek municipality to showcase its functionalities and highlight future challenges that will make it even more integrated.