To mitigate the effects of climate change, the European Commission created a Strategic Energy Technology Plan committing to forming 100 Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) by 2025. These are considered to potentially be major instruments for decarbonization in a just transition. This plan has led to some districts being defined as PEDs, although none have fully met the criteria to be a PED yet. Research shows that new forms of energy ownership and production, as could potentially be found in PEDs, could help reduce energy poverty, which affects a significant segment of the population, as households can reduce their energy expenditure as well as improve their energy behavior. This paper set out to shed light on the PED landscape, investigating the barriers and opportunities to PED creation in Spain and its potential to mitigate energy poverty. We conducted a literature review on community-owned energy in Spain, followed with expert interviews (energy researchers, stakeholders, and NGOs) who focus on sustainability issues in Spain. Results show a number of barriers (lack of knowledge and awareness, and lack of trust from consumers) and opportunities connected with the creation of PEDs. In conclusion, policymaker engagement and support play a key role in successfully implementing PEDs.

Within the EU, energy poverty is believed to affect at least 9.8% of households. Energy poverty can be broadly defined as a households' inability to meet its energy needs. This is a problem that affects all European countries, but narrow interpretations of data based on notions of material deprivation may lead to energy poverty being overlooked or not considered an issue by policymakers. The EU Energy Poverty Advisory Hub makes a number of essential points when it comes to the measurement, definition, and potential policies and measures to deal with energy poverty. We build on this, using the term energy vulnerability in order to encompass the segment of population identified as living in energy poverty as well as those at risk of becoming energy poor in the future. We use a capabilities approach with a doughnut economics framework to expand on the concept of energy vulnerability as a form of capabilities deprivation, allowing for greater recognition of those that are affected in the present and intergenerationally. This framework is applied using mixed methods consisting of both a Swiss-wide survey of 1,486 people and 8 semi-structured interviews with energy stakeholders to investigate the knowledge gap on energy vulnerability in Switzerland. The framework may be applied and have wider repercussions for other parts of the world where energy poverty is not directly addressed, and where using the term of energy vulnerability may help direct policies in a more dynamic and responsive manner. Furthermore, this article identifies some limitations of basing energy vulnerability definitions on data which focuses on material deprivations as this may risk overlooking those that are vulnerable due to other reasons such as building energy efficiency. We find that levels of energy poverty/vulnerability are higher than estimated in official statistics, highlighting the need for tailored policies both in Switzerland and elsewhere. Levels of energy vulnerability in Switzerland may not be reflected elsewhere, but certainly draw attention to the potential misrecognition of energy vulnerability which may be more widespread than previously believed. We examine existing policies that may help to reduce energy vulnerability, as well as suggest other potential mitigation methods.

Scholars of religion have repeatedly debated and contested the role of religion and spirituality in combatting climate change. In recent years, the potential of religion has also become an issue among natural scientists, politicians, environmental organizations, and civil society. Indeed, the potential of religion to mitigate climate change is perceived both internally and externally, and various expectations are placed on religion. This article examines the perceived potential of religion in mitigating climate change and how this is being realized. Based on 38 interviews, conducted with representatives from religious communities and umbrella organizations in Germany and Switzerland, we focus on the areas of values, political influence, and materialization. Our results show that the potential of religion in addressing climate change remains largely unfulfilled despite increasing steps in this direction.

This article examines the engagement of religious organizations in addressing environment‐related sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Switzerland and its barriers. To this end, it draws upon semi‐structured interviews with church representatives who are actively engaged in environmental sustainability. We use a planetary boundaries framework with five capitals; natural and physical capital , which refer to the environment (e.g., work to increase biodiversity) and buildings/physical structures (e.g., through PV panels/energy retrofitting projects); financial capital (e.g., cost‐effectiveness); social/symbolic capital (e.g., public campaigning) and human capital (e.g., educational campaigns). The results show that substantial steps are being taken to increase engagement. This is largely due to faith‐based organizations such as Oeku and platforms such as Eco‐Eglise. However, approaches remain heterogeneous with significant tensions, particularly concerning legislative and financial issues, staff role ambiguity, and staff and time resource management. This article contributes to academic research on sustainable development by shedding light on the barriers of religious engagement in environment‐related SDGs. At the same time, it highlights the potential of umbrella organizations in augmenting and accelerating religious environmental engagement.

Scholarship increasingly regards religion as a crucial factor for transitions towards environmentally more sustainable societies. Despite the rising interest in religion, little is known about the environmental activities of religious organizations. This study explores in what ways religious organizations are becoming environmentally engaged and contribute to broader societal change. In order to address this question, a survey with 1,395 religious organizations from different faith traditions and additional in-depth interviews were conducted in Switzerland. The results show that religious organizations increasingly engage in environmental activities and, thereby, contribute to advancing environmental sustainability in society at large. Over a third of the congregations in the survey (36.5%) reported that there had been a process leading to more environmental awareness in the congregation. The vast majority of the studied congregations (86%) undertake environmental activities. The engagement concentrates on recycling (68% of congregations) and receiving “green” electricity (49%), while 40% of congregations state that they have organized at least one celebration with a focus on the environment in the last 24 months. However, the stimulus for this religious engagement often comes from society. Religious organizations path-follow societal developments and focus mostly on technological change. Assuming a path-following role, they provide pioneering impulses in wider society only to a minor extent. These insights nuance claims about the innovative role and the “greening” of religions.