Claudia Hihetah

Doctoral Researcher

University College Cork; MaREI

Claudia has an MSc in Urbanisation and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her master’s thesis analysed the everyday practices of peri-urban slum dwellers in partaking in urban living. She received her BSc in Land Economy from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. Claudia has work experience in strategic communications.

Developing effective policy responses to address energy poverty and increase energy justice

Energy access is required for overall health and social well-being. Yet, many people lack access to adequate energy services. The energy transition exacerbates current problems associated with a limited supply of energy services and introduces new levels of vulnerability, leading to energy injustice.

Claudia’s PhD research investigates the lived experiences of energy vulnerability in Ireland. Understanding the lived experiences of people vulnerable to energy poverty can shape the design of effective policy solutions. Most previous discourses on energy poverty have treated it as a technical issue, ignoring the social dimensions. Her research attempts to fill this gap by ensuring the perspectives of vulnerable households are included in strategies to address energy poverty.

Publications

Journal articles
Hihetah, C., Gallachóir, B. Ó., Dunphy, N. P., & Harris, C. (2024). A systematic review of the lived experiences of the energy vulnerable: Where are the research gaps?. Energy Research & Social Science, 114, 103565.

Other Work
Can personal experiences inform how Ireland deals with energy poverty? RTÉ Brainstorm. August 31, 2023.

Presentations

Conferences
2024 International Conference on Urban Affairs. “Cities On The Edge: Promoting Equity & Resiliency Through Research, Activism, Planning And Policy”, New York, USA (April 23 – 27, 2024).