Work

Energy vulnerability in underprivileged neighbourhoods: a socio-spatial analysis through energy justice and spatial capital lenses in Ghent, Belgium

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This research explores energy injustices in underprivileged urban neighbourhoods through the lens of spatial capital. Based on interviews and collective mapping workshops, it analyses two case neighbourhoods in Ghent, Belgium: a modernist social housing area and a dense former working-class neighbourhood. The research identifies markers of spatial capital that influence residents’ access to resources, opportunities, and barriers to participating in energy transitions. The findings show how socio-spatial inequalities amplify energy injustices, emphasising the critical need for place-based policies to foster an equitable energy transition. By focusing on neighbourhood-scale dynamics, the research moves beyond individualised explanations to expose structural barriers to just energy transitions.

Source: Planning Practice and Research

DOI: 10.1080/02697459.2026.2624703

Authors: Lena Verlooy, Tim Devos

Institution: Ghent University

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Justice and Health Disparities

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Sustainable cities and communities, Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: green

Funder: Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek