A comparative study of energy poverty Governance under different institutional backgrounds: a case study of China, Norway and Italy

Against the background of energy transition, electricity price volatility, and increasing climate risks, energy poverty has become an important issue linking social welfare, energy governance, and just transition. This paper compares energy poverty governance in Norway, Italy, and China under different institutional backgrounds. It adopts an analytical framework centered on three dimensions—action, target, and resource—to examine what measures have been taken, which groups are covered, and what kinds of resources and governance arrangements are mobilized. Norway represents a welfare-state model, Italy reflects a multi-level governance model under the EU framework, and China illustrates a developmental governance model. By comparing the three cases, this paper aims to show how institutional differences shape policy tool combinations, target-group identification, and resource allocation mechanisms in energy poverty governance. The study seeks to contribute to the comparative understanding of energy poverty governance and to provide insights for balancing social protection and low-carbon transition.