Potential US-EU trade agreement may solidify the bloc's reliance on fossil fuels
The recently signed US-EU trade deal, which commits Europe to purchasing around $750 billion in US energy products over three years, is stirring debates about its potential impact on Europe's climate ambitions.
Environmental groups and climate advocates argue that the deal, while aiming to replace Russian fossil fuels with American ones, is a dramatic setback for the European Green Deal and the EU’s goal to rapidly develop renewable energy. By increasing imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil, and related fossil fuels from the US, the deal risks perpetuating fossil fuel infrastructure and energy dependency for decades, making it harder for Europe to meet its climate targets and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The scale of the commitment—tripling or even quadrupling current US energy export volumes to Europe—may be infeasible, indicating the deal’s ambitious fossil fuel import goals could strain infrastructure and energy systems without advancing sustainability goals.
Moreover, swapping pipeline gas for American LNG would further increase Europe's emissions, according to Chris Aylett. LNG production and transport emits more methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO2.
The EU Commission, under President Ursula von der Leyen, does not have the ability to make the energy purchases itself. The Commission unveiled its Green Deal to ramp up Europe's ambitions on fighting climate change at the end of 2019. However, the deal's potential to lock Europe into decades of fossil fuel dependence could undermine the EU's climate targets.
Despite these concerns, von der Leyen maintains that Europe would purchase "more affordable and better" liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US. The EU cannot force member states or companies to buy US energy, but the Commission spokesperson, Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, stated that the trade deal would only affect the next three years and would have no impact on the bloc's decarbonization targets.
Just weeks ago, the Commission presented proposals for a 90% bloc-wide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 compared with 1990 levels. The deal, which helped avert a trade war, includes a 15% tariff on key EU exports to the US such as cars.
Europe finds itself in a delicate position, as the continent, which is the fastest-warming region globally, saw its hottest year on record in 2024. In the next five years, the bloc aims to have 42.5% of its energy come from renewable sources.
The EU's dependence on a single supplier (either Russia or the US) would make the bloc "extremely vulnerable," according to critics. The promise of the EU to spend a certain amount on US energy is viewed with skepticism, with Aylett saying it would be "very difficult" for Europe to live up to its new pledge.
This article was updated on July 31, 2025. The US-EU trade deal, while enhancing short-term energy security for Europe by diversifying suppliers away from Russia, raises concerns about its long-term impact on the EU’s climate objectives due to increased fossil fuel imports and dependency.
[1] European Environmental Bureau. (2025). US-EU Trade Deal Threatens Europe's Climate Goals. Retrieved from https://www.eeb.org/us-eu-trade-deal-threatens-europes-climate-goals/
[2] Aylett, C. (2025). The US-EU Trade Deal and Europe's Energy Future. Retrieved from https://www.climateactionnetwork.org/us-eu-trade-deal-and-europes-energy-future/
[3] European Commission. (2025). European Green Deal. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en
[4] European Commission. (2025). Proposals for a 90% Bloc-Wide Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2040. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/strategies/2050_en
- The media is abuzz with debates about the US-EU trade deal, contemplating its possible effects on Europe's climate aspirations.
- Environmental groups and climate activists assert that this deal, aiming to substitute Russian fossil fuels with American ones, is detrimental to the European Green Deal and the EU’s rapid development of renewable energy.
- By increasing imports of liquefied natural gas, oil, and related fossil fuels from the US, the deal may potentially perpetuate fossil fuel infrastructure and energy dependency for decades, hindering Europe's ability to meet its climate targets and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
- Science and environmental science experts have expressed concerns that the scale of the commitment could strain Europe's infrastructure and energy systems, without advancing sustainability goals.
- The deal may further exacerbate Europe's emissions as swapping pipeline gas for American LNG would result in more methane emissions.
- While Europe may benefit from more affordable and better liquefied natural gas from the US in the short term, long-term concerns about the deal's impact on its climate objectives persist.
- The EU finds itself in a precarious position as criticism mounts over its dependency on a single supplier, whether it's Russia or the US, which would make the bloc extremely vulnerable.
