Energy insecurity and community resilience: The experiences of Bedouins in Southern Israel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Energy insecurity has been recognized as a global social and public health challenge. Availability of and accessibility to energy infrastructure is a core element of community resilience—a concept that characterizes a community's ability to promote health and well-being, and to cope with and recover from adversity. We conducted a quantitative survey in order to explore the interplay between these two experiences among residents of two types of Bedouin communities in Southern Israel: townships and informal settlements, which differ in their accessibility to energy infrastructure. We report a significant negative association between experiences of energy insecurity and perceived community resilience, especially with regard to trust in leadership and emergency preparedness. This indicates that energy insecurity is not only a personal or a household burden, but rather an issue that has broader communal and social aspects (and consequences) –one that should be tackled at the local and municipal levels. Our study deepens the current understanding of the processes and factors that may promote or impede community resilience and health by establishing a clear link between place-related physical and perceptual resources.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)135-143
Number of pages9
JournalEnvironmental Science and Policy
Volume124
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2021

Keywords

  • Community resilience
  • Emergency preparedness
  • Energy insecurity
  • Informal housing
  • Infrastructure
  • Trust

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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