The framing of energy poverty within the Italian political debate

Riccardo Antonucci

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The ongoing liberalization of Italian energy market in accordance to EU norms contributes to focus the political debate on those citizens who spend an excessive share of their income on energy services – energy poverty –, since they will not be able to rely on the more accessible price regime guaranteed by the National Energy Regulator. The interest demonstrated by the Italian Government in tackling energy poverty by including it within its most relevant energy policy document – the National Energy Strategy – in 2017 opens the question about how the issue is understood by the national representatives involved in the related decision-making. Through the framing of how energy poverty is depicted by the Italian political debate, I aim to provide the conceptual framework within which the issue is discussed and solutions are provided. Data are gathered from policy papers redacted by the Government as well as discourses held by its members and national representatives. Through discourse analysis, data will be used to define the framing adopted in policy making related to energy poverty. Discourses reported in these sources are understood as creating meaning and constructing reality within which policies are thought and implemented. Energy poverty is expected to be addressed by the examined actors regarding its aspects for which suitable solutions are available and its discussion to occur when political support to enact these solutions is enough.

Abstract:

The ongoing liberalization of Italian energy market in accordance to EU norms contributes to focus the political debate on those citizens who spend an excessive share of their income on energy services – energy poverty –, since they will not be able to rely on the more accessible price regime guaranteed by the National Energy Regulator. The interest demonstrated by the Italian Government in tackling energy poverty by including it within its most relevant energy policy document – the National Energy Strategy – in 2017 opens the question about how the issue is understood by the national representatives involved in the related decision-making. Through the framing of how energy poverty is depicted by the Italian political debate, I aim to provide the conceptual framework within which the issue is discussed and solutions are provided. Data are gathered from policy papers redacted by the Government as well as discourses held by its members and national representatives. Through discourse analysis, data will be used to define the framing adopted in policy making related to energy poverty. Discourses reported in these sources are understood as creating meaning and constructing reality within which policies are thought and implemented. Energy poverty is expected to be addressed by the examined actors regarding its aspects for which suitable solutions are available and its discussion to occur when political support to enact these solutions is enough.

Keywords

/Energy poverty, /Italy, /Discourse analysis, /Framing

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 27. 5. 2020

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 11. 6. 2020
• Supervisor: Mgr. Hedvika Koďousková, Ph.D.
• Reader: doc. Mgr. Filip Černoch, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
Energy Policy Studies / Energy Policy Studies