Mapping the Social Climate Fund target groups and measures in Estonia

To meet the 2030 climate target, all sectors must significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To do this without undermining the interests and opportunities of the most vulnerable groups in society, the European Commission has created the Social Climate Fund (SCF). The fund focuses on alleviating the transition’s impacts on transport and energy poverty risk groups.

The target groups of the SCF are those who will be negatively affected socially and economically by the measures needed to achieve the climate objectives. The target groups in SCF include vulnerable households, transport users and micro-enterprises. These groups will be most affected by the increase in fuel and energy prices, which already take up a significant share of their income. Each EU Member State must draw up a SCF plan to ensure the most efficient use of the Fund’s resources. Estonia’s share of the SCF is estimated at €186 million. The Fund’s actions are aimed at reducing energy poverty and transport poverty.

To ensure that Estonia’s SCF plan targets the most vulnerable groups in a cost-effective and non-bureaucratic way, the experts will carry out an analysis, which will answer two questions:

• Who are the most vulnerable target groups in Estonia in the context of transport dependency and energy poverty?
• What are the most effective measures to improve the situation of the poorest and the most vulnerable?

SEI Tallinn will analyse the transport poverty target groups and propose appropriate measures, while Centar and the University of Tartu experts will analyse the energy poverty target groups and propose appropriate measures for them.

The resulting analysis will provide input to policymakers in the Ministry of Finance in setting effective and appropriate measures and planning the budget for implementing these measures. The analysis will also serve as a basis for Estonia’s negotiations with the European Commission when justifying Estonia’s choices for the planned measures.

Project partners

• CentAR
• SEI Tallinn
• The University of Tartu