Unfolding the Relationship Between Poverty and Energy Consumption in Brazil: A First Step Toward the Energy Poverty Debate

Energy poverty is a form of poverty expression and social exclusion. There has been increased public awareness and policies related to this issue, which is included to some extent in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Objective Number 7 (SDG 7). This chapter explores the relationship between poverty and access to energy in Brazil, which is still an underexplored topic in national academic research and policy. Focusing on the energy access indicators of SDG 7, this study examined cross-scale dimensions of vulnerability through a three-tiered analysis that considers chronic, recent, and inertial poverty. The findings highlight that energy poverty disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, leading to varied energy experiences. Moreover, the study reveals that if conventional energy poverty indicators are not critically evaluated, they may overlook critical aspects of energy access and disregard certain marginalized groups. Despite the Agenda 2030 commitment of "leaving no one behind," our research demonstrates a significant SDG 7 bias in Brazil concerning poverty eradication. The existing indicators disregard disparities in energy consumption and perpetuate a misleading notion of universal access across the country. This observation raises concerns about the effectiveness of universalizing indicators within the sustainable development agenda, as they have the potential to overlook the realities of socially and economically vulnerable individuals. This oversight may occur due to rounding numbers or adopting arbitrary priorities, thereby masking marginalized populations' authentic experiences and challenges. Consequently, the question arises as to whether these indicators truly capture the complexity and nuances of energy poverty and its impact on the most disadvantaged communities.