JUNE 2021 MEDIA BRIEF

The Energy in COVID-19 monthly research briefs collect the latest news read by our working group members. Each month, a different working group member takes the lead in writing up summaries and the brief’s framing, always in conversation with the full working group. The overall aim of the briefs is to showcase how disasters instigate policy changes, particularly around economic crises. 

 As we enter the summer months, we are seeing the impacts of climate change on our world through intense heat waves. These heat waves are the focus of the first theme in this media brief, which ties neatly to the next theme: energy policy shortfalls. This theme focuses on how many of the energy policies different sectors are enacting fail to adequately solve the issues they are aiming to solve. The last theme discusses energy future and responsibilities which discuss different potential ways we can build our energy systems for the future and what is needed in order to accomplish that.

Summary

This month's media brief contains three themes. 

The first theme focuses on energy security with articles that discuss how the 2021 heatwave and climate change create potential for energy shortages that might occur in at-risk areas. 

Energy security is a common term in the energy sector and STS literature. It refers to the stability of energy supplies at an affordable price. The first section will discuss how climate change, and more specifically the 2021 heatwave, threaten energy security in the United States. 

The second theme is about energy policy shortfalls, specifically how the latest rounds of energy provisions -- from utility and rental assistance to energy supply -- fail to adequately address the problems at hand. A policy is inadequate when it either fails to address the problem at hand, does not have the necessary funding or supplies to address the problem, leaves too many people unassisted, or a combination of all three.  

The last theme of this media brief discusses energy policy proposals including those that could soften the blow of utility shutoff moratoria ending and carbon capture. As America emerges from the pandemic, issues such as the housing and climate crisis are going to be at the forefront. As such, many proposals from many different interests are being considered. This section will give examples of different energy futures and policy proposals.

Thumbnail Image Source: Tuleya J (2021, June 26) "PECO Has Millions Available to Help with Energy Bills, But Says Few Eligible Customers Are Applying For Assistance" Philly Voice https://media.phillyvoice.com/media/images/62221_PECO_utility_bill_help....