Thermal Stress, Energy Anxiety, and Vulnerable Households in a Just Transition Region: Evidence from Western Macedonia, Greece

This study investigates thermal stress and energy-related anxiety as lived, multidimensional manifestations of energy poverty in Western Macedonia, Greece, a coal phase-out region undergoing just transition. Using a 261-household survey, we construct a thermal stress index from four Likert-type items capturing seasonal thermal adequacy, energy anxiety, and restricted use of rooms. High thermal stress is defined as the upper quartile of the index. Descriptive results indicate that high thermal stress affects 27.2% of households, exceeding a 20% threshold, while energy-related anxiety and restricted room use are widespread. We then estimate logistic regression models to examine whether vulnerability characteristics (disability-related thermal/electric needs, single parenthood, dependent children, benefit receipt, elderly presence), financial stress indicators (arrears, energy debt, frequent forced reductions in consumption), and socio-economic controls (income, employment, tenure, age, gender) predict high thermal stress. Adjusted models show that vulnerability markers do not retain statistically independent associations once controls are included. In contrast, tenure and energy-related financial stress are significantly associated with the probability of high thermal stress. The findings highlight the importance of measurement choices and suggest that experiential indicators capture energy-poverty dynamics that are not reducible to income-based targeting, with implications for just-transition policy design and energy justice.