A University of Manchester academic has been recognised by the European Union (EU) for his work on tackling energy poverty.

Stefan Bouzarovski, Professor of Geography, is one of only four UK ‘ordinary heroes’ acknowledged by the EU Together We Protect campaign, which highlights individuals who keep people safe and improve everyday lives. Prof Bouzarovski chairs the Energy Poverty Observatory (EPOV), which influences EU policy aimed at helping the 50 million households struggling with energy costs to slash expensive bills.

Initiatives shaped by EPOV’s research include the provision of low-interest loans to families seeking to make energy efficiency upgrades to their homes. A low-income family in Lithuania, for example, received EU funding to insulate their walls and double-glaze their doors, ensuring they now have a warm, comfortable home without having to pay expensive energy bills.

Prof Bouzarovski said: “I am honoured and humbled to have received this recognition. It is just a small part of the UK’s much wider role in shaping EU energy policies through expert input and various forms of knowledge transfer – a dynamic that is likely to continue in the future despite the current uncertainty over Brexit.”

Energy poverty can be caused by a lack of access to affordable energy, or occupancy in old, draughty buildings that cannot be easily heated. EPOV data shows that, in 2016, one in ten Europeans was behind with paying their utility bills, with 11% unable to keep their homes warm enough. Those living in energy poverty can be left without lighting, appliances, heating, and access to cooking facilities, and are at greater risk of developing respiratory problems, cardiac illnesses and mental health issues.

The excess energy used to heat old, inefficient housing also seriously impacts upon the environment and contributes to climate change.

“Energy poverty affects us all – it has implications for the whole of our society and economy,” added Prof Bouzarovski. “Much of my research has been devoted to researching the causes and consequences of domestic energy deprivation and fuel poverty – in the UK, Europe and globally. I have worked closely with many practitioners and policy makers to ensure that my scholarly findings are translated into real-life measures and steps to combat the condition.”

Prof Bouzarovski has published several books and over 50 articles on energy poverty, and has held visiting professorships at the Universities of Gdansk, Prague and Bergen. He also leads the ENGAGER European network on energy poverty – funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology scheme (COST), which is backed by Horizon 2020, the EU’s biggest research and innovation programme.