Emergency measures to protect energy consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Global review and critical analysis

The Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown exacerbated energy poverty and insecurity worldwide. Many governments introduced emergency measures to protect energy consumers during confinement. The paper, developed by the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies and the Florence School of Regulation, reviews and classifies the policies implemented across the five continents, identifying potential inefficiencies, but also best practices. It puts forward regulatory recommendations to enhance the targeting and financing of these much-needed relief measures, with the aim to make the most out of the available resources.

Authors: Paolo Mastropietro, Pablo Rodilla, Carlos Batlle Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Florence School of Regulation, MIT.