Statement by Carlo Monticelli - 106th Meeting of the Development Committee - October 14, 2022 - CEB perspective on the food and energy crisis

Jul 19, 2026

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Statement by Carlo Monticelli to the 106th Meeting of the Development Committee presents the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) perspective on the escalating food and energy crisis and its consequences for social cohesion. It reaffirms solidarity with Ukraine and explains how war-linked pressures and rising energy costs drive energy poverty, fuel food insecurity, and worsen inequality. The statement describes uneven impacts on vulnerable groups, ties insecurity and poverty to health and wellbeing, and outlines how the CEB supports refugees and host communities through emergency loans, grants, and Social Inclusion Bonds.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Statement by Carlo Monticelli

Solidarity with Ukraine

Food insecurity and energy poverty are on the rise

The crises disproportionately affect the most vulnerable

Food insecurity and energy poverty impinge on social cohesion

The CEB’s mission is more relevant than ever

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors ofthe Bank and the Fund on the Transfer of Real Resources to Developing Countries) ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH MEETING WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 14, 2022 DC/S/2022-0039 October 14, 2022 Statement by Carlo Monticelli Governor Council of Europe Development Bank Statement by Carlo Monticelli Governor Council of Europe Development Bank 106th Meeting of the Development Committee October 14, 2022 Washington, DC I am grateful for the opportunity to share the perspective of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) on the food and energy crisis, and its implications for social cohesion. Let me start by reaffirming the solidarity of the CEB with the people of Ukraine and all those who are suffering from the ongoing war and its repercussions. In line with its mandate, the CEB is supporting refugees fleeing Ukraine, their host communities, and other vulnerable people across Europe – including in Ukraine itself as soon as the ongoing process of its accession to the CEB is completed. Food insecurity and energy poverty are on the rise The world is faced with a food and energy crisis of excruciating proportions. The crisis is pushing millions of people into poverty and exacerbating long-standing inequalities, already intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic. Europe is no exception. Already in 2020, about 56 million people across the CEB’s 42 member countries (10% of the total population) were unable to keep their homes adequately warm. With gas and electricity prices currently skyrocketing, energy poverty is on the rise. The problem of food insecurity – the lack of access to safe, nutritious and adequate food – has also been growing globally, including in Europe. In 2019, 65 million people, or about 11.6% of the population in CEB countries were unable to afford a meal every second day. With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people experiencing food insecurity grew by 9 million, to 74 million (13.2% of the total population) in 2020. The soaring prices of energy and other inputs, such as fertilizer, are now severely impacting food production in Europe. Food prices have reached the highest levels in 50 years, and producers are warning of looming shortages. A further deterioration in food security is therefore fully expected. The crises disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, adding to legacy issues Overall, the poorest and most vulnerable people are bearing the brunt of the economic repercussions of the war. Higher energy and food prices are placing exceedingly heavy burdens on the budgets of low-income families. Inflationary pressures are further eroding incomes, with workers in many European countries having already registered sharp declines in their salaries in real terms. Against this backdrop, Europe is also faced with an unfinished social development agenda which long pre-dates the Covid-19 and Ukraine crises. Progress slowed down, or even stalled, in key areas of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including for eminently “social” Sustainable Development Goals. Despite positive developments in the past decade, one in five Europeans is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Equal access to affordable, high-quality essential services remains a key challenge. Growing numbers of people are priced out of housing markets and live in sub-standard, energy-inefficient, overcrowded and sometimes dangerous conditions. The climate crisis, with its disproportionate and growing impact on vulnerable groups, is unfolding as a social crisis. Food insecurity and energy poverty impinge on social cohesion As defined by the Council of Europe, social cohesion is the capacity of a society to ensure the welfare of all its members, minimizing disparities and avoiding polarization. Through their direct negative impact on the health, wellbe

FAQs

What crisis is the statement focused on and why is it important for Europe?

The statement focuses on the food and energy crisis, arguing that it pushes millions into poverty and intensifies long-standing inequalities across Europe.

How does energy poverty and food insecurity affect social cohesion?

Energy poverty and food insecurity undermine health, wellbeing, and quality of life, weakening social cohesion. Lower social cohesion is also linked to higher levels of these problems, and over time they hinder human capital and worsen inequality.

What has the CEB done to support people affected by the war in Ukraine?

The CEB has provided over EUR 1.3 billion in fast-track emergency loans and almost EUR 6 million in grants to support refugees and host communities, including through Social Inclusion Bonds issued in April and June 2022.

Jul 19, 2026

Upload by Noah