Reporting on Energy Poverty: A New Requirement for Covenant of Mayors Signatories

From January 2025, all signatories of the Covenant of Mayors must report on energy poverty as part of their Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAP) or monitoring reports. This step marks a significant shift in addressing energy poverty at the local level, ensuring that municipalities track progress and implement effective measures.

Why is this important?

Energy poverty remains a pressing issue in Europe, with over 10% of the population unable to keep their homes warm in winter (Eurostat 2023). Rising temperatures and extreme heat waves further highlight the need for year-round solutions. The EU has responded by embedding energy poverty in key policies, aiming for a just and inclusive energy transition.

What do signatories need to report?

The Covenant’s updated framework includes three key elements:

• An Energy Poverty Goal – A clear objective aligned with local challenges.
• A Common Indicator – A standardised metric to track energy poverty.
• A Key Action – A concrete initiative from the SECAP that directly tackles energy poverty.

To support municipalities, the Covenant Office provides reporting guidelines in 24 languages and a recorded tutorial for navigating the MyCovenant platform.