
Energy and climate policy
Explore our work on European climate and energy policy and the economic policies required to drive the transition to a more sustainable growth model.
Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. Adequately responding to it requires a profound transformation in the way we produce and consume energy, as well as a wider reorganization of our economic model. Bruegel scholars contribute to this difficult but fascinating task by providing timely analysis on the European climate policy developments, as well as on the evolution of global climate governance. All of this with a special attention to the macroeconomic and geopolitical implications of the European and global decarbonisation process.
Energy is at the core of the climate challenge, and at the same time it represents a fundamental driver of global geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics. Bruegel scholars work on all the three elements of the energy policy triangle (sustainability, security, and competitiveness), with a view that keeping it in balance alongside the decarbonisation journey represents a key challenge for policymakers in Europe and beyond. This task got even more difficult in 2022, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine ignited a major energy crisis that has pushed Europe to rapidly re-design its energy map. Bruegel contributes to this difficult endeavour by providing policy insights, as well as reliable data on energy flows and policies to better inform policy choices.
Energy

European natural gas imports
This dataset aggregates daily data on European natural gas import flows and storage levels.

European clean tech tracker
This tracker provides an overview of the main innovation, manufacturing and deployment trends in clean tech in Europe

Decarbonising for competitiveness: four ways to reduce European energy prices
Energy prices are higher in the European Union than in most other industrialised economies, presenting a fundamental competitiveness challenge

An investment strategy to keep the European Green Deal on track
In this Policy Brief, we assess the investment needed to achieve the 2030 climate goal and climate neutrality by 2050

Counting sunshine: solar energy data and public policy
How better information can fuel the green transition

Making buildings greener: EU decarbonisation plans
How can the EU bridge the investment gap for energy renovations to meet climate targets?

European natural gas demand tracker
Upcoming events

Talks@Bruegel: International climate action with Rachel Kyte
What are the UK’s climate diplomacy priorities and key themes for COP30?

Public support for climate action: can governments deliver on citizens’ expectations?
How can governments gain Europeans' trust in the green transition?
Publications

Upgrading Europe's electricity grid is about more than just money
Interconnection is vital for European energy security, decarbonisation and cost reduction

Finance for nature: how to improve funding for the protection of biodiversity
This policy brief summarises the options and outlines the main considerations in finding better ways to value nature

Northvolt’s struggles: a cautionary tale for the EU Clean Industrial Deal
In designing a new industrial policy, the European Commission should reflect on the troubles of the Swedish battery maker

Financing European Union's buildings' decarbonisation strategy

How to fill the remaining gaps in pricing the emissions of the EU’s energy-intensive industries
Free carbon allowances for EU industrial companies are being phased out, but inconsistencies remain

Sulla transizione energetica bisogna seguire Draghi
First glances

The precarious promise of the Paris Agreement’s Article 6
Agreement on a global carbon trading framework could complete the global climate architecture, but the risks are significant

Trump’s comeback and its implications for EU climate and energy policy
Trump’s return should not be seen as a threat to EU decarbonisation, but as a rallying cry to unite and push forward more strongly

Clean and fair: maximising the impact of the European Union’s Social Climate Fund
The new European Commission should make more of the Social Climate Fund as a major tool to ensure the green transition is also a fair one

Making the most of the new EU Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships
With the right governance, proposed EU Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships could boost clean industrialisation domestically and globally

Draghi’s pitch to improve the competitiveness of energy-intensive industry
The Draghi report calls for policies to cut energy costs, but would also favour energy-intensive industry without clear justification

Draghi’s industrial masterplan has decarbonisation at its core
The report represents a solid basis for the development of an EU Clean Industrial Deal

Energy
Explore Bruegel's work on the energy transition.
Read morePodcasts

The price of a liveable future: Financing climate action
How the global economy must adapt to the costs of climate change

Nature on the balance sheet: a financial perspective
How can businesses, governments and financial institutions work together to tackle the global biodiversity crisis?

Closing the loop: the case for a circular EU economy
Why moving to a circular economy is essential in the fight against climate change

Europe’s green global reach
How should the EU’s global green agenda evolve to balance decarbonisation, competitiveness, and strategic autonomy?