Friday, 05 September 2025
The EU was €344 billion short of its annual clean tech investment needs in 2023, warns a new ECNO report. With fossil fuel subsidies rising 19% and clean tech sectors slowing, experts call for a long-term climate investment strategy to avoid import dependency and meet 2030 climate targets.
The European Union is facing a significant shortfall in clean technology investment, threatening its ability to meet legally binding climate targets. According to the 2025 Annual Progress Report by the European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO), the EU was €344 billion short of its annual investment needs for clean technology in 2023.
To meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, the EU must invest €842 billion annually. Without a long-term climate investment strategy, the bloc risks not only missing its targets but also becoming increasingly dependent on foreign energy technologies.
The ECNO warns of a troubling slowdown in investment in vital climate sectors, including:
Heat pumps
Building energy renovations
Wind power
In addition, electric vehicle (EV) sales declined in 2024, though early indicators suggest a modest rebound in 2025.
“A long-term investment framework must clarify the roles of public and private finance, using policy tools such as fiscal levers, de-risking mechanisms, and regulation,” said Clara Calipel, ECNO finance expert and research fellow at the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE).
EU forests are crucial carbon sinks, yet progress is slowing. While forest area and carbon stock have increased, particularly in France, Italy, Bulgaria, Poland, and Germany, net CO₂ removals are declining overall, signalling inadequate coordinated policy frameworks and implementation gaps.
Implication: Enhancing monitoring under LULUCF (land use, land-use change, and forestry) regulations and strengthening reforestation programs are essential to sustain carbon sequestration and ecosystem resilience.
Despite its climate goals, the EU continues to spend significantly more on fossil fuels than on clean energy. In 2023:
The EU’s fossil fuel import and subsidy costs nearly doubled.
Fossil fuel subsidies rose by 19% compared to 2022.
Contrary to climate ambitions, EU fossil fuel subsidies surged, nearly tripling from €68 billion in 2021 to €190 billion in 2022. Although most Member States intend to phase them out, few have enshrined these plans into binding law. Denmark stands out with a comprehensive national plan, while others lag behind.
This spending trend threatens to lock in dependence on fossil fuels and undermine clean tech competitiveness.
The report highlights Europe’s growing trade deficit in key energy transition technologies, including:
Solar panels
Battery storage systems
Meanwhile, the EU’s trade surplus in wind technology is shrinking, largely due to competition from cheaper Chinese products, which puts pressure on domestic manufacturers.
Without strategic industrial and investment policy, the EU could face long-term reliance on imported technologies, a risk both economic and geopolitical.
To address these challenges, the ECNO recommends:
A long-term EU climate investment strategy that coordinates public and private financing.
Rapid implementation of the Net Zero Industry Act, which aims for 40% of net-zero technology manufacturing to be based in Europe by 2030.
Stronger public procurement criteria within the upcoming Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act (currently under consultation), to support EU-made clean technologies and increase demand for domestic products.
The ECNO report stresses the need for clarity in financial policy tools, including de-risking mechanisms, fiscal incentives, and stable regulation, to attract private capital and reduce uncertainty in the market.
“Failing to develop a comprehensive investment strategy could result in locked-in dependencies and a loss of industrial competitiveness,” the report concludes.
The EU stands at a crossroads. With hundreds of billions of euros still needed annually, bridging the clean tech investment gap is not just about meeting climate targets, it’s about economic resilience, technological sovereignty, and strategic independence.
A robust, long-term investment strategy is essential to build a competitive, decarbonised future for Europe.
Together, these insights underscore the multifaceted nature of climate transformation in the EU. Beyond financing clean tech, success hinges on:
Strengthening natural carbon sequestration.
Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies.
Ensuring just, job-rich transitions across regions.
Accelerating electric mobility across all demographics.
Decarbonising heavy industry with clear data frameworks.
Transforming agrifood systems toward plant-based resilience.
Each domain represents a lever for unlocking emission reductions, enhancing resilience, and supporting economic vitality all across Europe.
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