A new term is flaoting around national and international news circles: Energy Poverty, or the acute lack of energy in the form of heating, cooling or electric power. Said the German SPD Party in a recent comment regarding rising energy prices in Germany:

“We are taking serious the concerns of German citizens regarding the growing energy prices. (…) We seek to impede the energy poverty that is threatening numerous households…” With all due respect to the worries that the energy price spikes are causing here in Central Europe - isn’t there a better term for a situation that, compared to other countries, is still one of “energy abundance”? (more…)