On Tuesday, 25 April 2025, Director-General of DG CLIMA at the European Commission, Kurt Vandenberghe, delivered an address titled Europe’s Climate Goals: An Agenda for Prosperity and Security, in the second installment of the IIEA and the ESB’s 2025 REthink Energy lecture series. Director-General Vandenberghe’s speech focused on how the EU will meet the goals set by the European Green Deal and the potential economic benefits of decarbonisation.

The European Green Deal aims to make Europe the first carbon-neutral continent, starting with a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and reaching full net-zero emissions by 2050. Director-General Vandenberghe argued that meeting these goals is not only in Europe’s best interests for ecological reasons, but that European Member States could also derive economic, security, and geopolitical benefits from the green transition. The Green Deal is a crucial agenda for modernising Europe, serving not only as an environmental policy, but as a strategy to drive economic growth, enhance security, and strengthen the EU’s geopolitical position.

A Climate Dilemma for Europe?

A European climate risk assessment report showed that Europe is heating up at double the rate of global warming. Director-General Vandenberghe explained that therefore, in the best circumstances, the EU will have to endure a climate that is 3 degrees warmer as opposed to the rest of the world’s 1.5 degrees. He warns that a warmer climate could lead to extreme weather events, like flooding and heatwaves, causing disruption to the lives of European citizens. Increased temperatures and unstable weather risks becoming “the new normal” - a reality for which Europe is not presently equipped to deal with.

In addition to the internal risks posed by a warming climate, Director-General Vandenberghe also discussed geostrategic vulnerabilities linked to Europe’s energy dependence. The Gulf states are experiencing the most rapid growth of renewable energy while simultaneously exporting immense amounts of oil and gas to Europe. In 2022, European Member States paid an annual import bill for oil, gas, and coal of 640 billion euro, which is four times the EU’s annual budget. This financial burden illustrates a dangerous level of energy dependency that, according to Director-General Vandenberghe, risks undermining the EU’s security, strategic autonomy, and potentially weakens its geopolitical leverage in a time of global uncertainty.

Four I’s: A Potential Solution to Europe’s Climate Dilemma

Director-General Vandenberghe explained the plan for meeting Europe’s climate goals with four I’s- implementation, industry, investment, and international cooperation.

Implementation 

Director-General Vandenberghe emphasised that the key to achieving Europe’s climate goals is the effective implementation of existing infrastructure. He suggested a mix of policy measures for this, such as putting a price on carbon, regulating where carbon pricing is not working quickly enough, and creating an environment that is conducive to investment. 

A hurdle to this transition, however, could be the perceptions of the public. Director-General Vandenberghe explained that many citizens are worried about the cost and the feasibility of this transition, which usually stems from disinformation and political polarisation. However, the claim that reducing emissions will damage the economy is false. He explained that in 2023, the EU’s net emissions were 37% below 1990 levels, while the GDP grew by 68% over the same period, demonstrating that emissions can be decoupled from economic growth. He noted that the EU achieved an 8% reduction in 2023 alone. Unemployment rates are also at their lowest since 2009, and investment in clean energy has risen since 2019. Despite global economic challenges and tariffs, the EU has maintained a strong trade surplus, and its manufacturing index compares favourably to that of the United States. These positive economic trends challenge the idea that climate policy must come at the expense of profit. Informing the public about these developments is essential to countering disinformation and fostering broader support for climate policies. 

Industry

Director-General Vandenberghe called for an industrial policy at the European level and explained how the European Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal is designed to support this goal. As part of this effort, he argued that companies committing to decarbonisation should receive financial support to ensure a return on investment over the next 20 to 30 years. Creating the right conditions for clean energy industries, he noted, will require regulatory clarity, targeted investment, and improved infrastructure. This includes access to risk capital, guaranteed offtake for green goods, and financial mechanisms that reduce the risks associated with major industrial shifts. To help deliver this, the European Commission has proposed an industrial decarbonisation bank that would provide 100 billion euro over ten years, offering economic security to companies transitioning to cleaner technologies.

Investment

Since 2019, investment rates in clean energy have been rising globally, a trend Director-General Vandenberghe pointed to as evidence that progress is already underway. Continued funding, he argued, will be essential for supporting innovation and expanding infrastructure across the EU. To sustain this momentum, he emphasised the need for a stable regulatory environment and clear policy direction, which are critical for attracting and sustaining investment in clean energy.

International Cooperation

Director-General Vandenberghe emphasised that the EU cannot achieve its climate goals in isolation. He stressed that the EU will have to work closely with global partners, particularly in the Global South, to ensure a just and inclusive green transition. This includes efforts such as implementing global carbon pricing, providing financial support, and helping build technical expertise and institutional capacity so other regions can decarbonise without hindering development. International cooperation is not just a matter of solidarity, but rather a necessity for reaching climate goals.