The Hidden Risk of the Energy Transition

What happens when families have to choose either heating their homes or putting food on the table?

This is the heat or eat dilemma — a form of energy poverty that is becoming more pressing during the low-carbon transition.

In this video, PhD researcher Gerard Martínez Görbig explains his Heat or Eat Risk Index, which measures how vulnerable households are across three key dimensions:

• Regional systems (energy + food resilience)
• Socioeconomic and demographic factors
• Lifestyle pressures

By combining geospatial data with socioeconomic analysis, the index highlights where communities are most at risk — from the Balkans to the Mediterranean — and why some households are hit harder than others.

This tool is already being used to guide policymakers toward a more just and equitable energy transition, ensuring that climate solutions don't leave vulnerable groups behind.

Learn more about sustainability and just transitions with courses on Geoversity