Environmental groups have criticized a new trade that can spend more than $ 750 billion (€ 700 billion) on most fossil fuel imports from the United States over the next three years, warning that it can reduce the climate goals of the block.
Andreas Seber, Associate Director of Policy and Campaign in Climate Group, said in a statement, “This risk fossil fuel dependence in Europe, locking in volatile energy bills in decades and raising the wildfire and raising the continent in advance.”
As part of an agreement as a “greatest deal ever” by US President Donald Trump, the European Union Commission Chairman Ursula von Dere Leyen said American energy will replace Russian oil and gas, “what we don’t want to do.”
Instead, the purchase of Europe’s wooden wood “more economical and better” from the US (LNG) said, von dera leyen.
The deal, which helped prevent a trade war, included the US 15% tariff on the European Union exports for cars to the US.
But critics have stated that it represents “almost-anxiety” in Europe’s climate policy.
Esther Bolandorf, senior gas policy coordinator of the Climate Group, said, “The new US-EEU trade deal is a dramatic u-turn on the European Commission and the President and the President is a few years ago with the priorities of Leyen.”
“Namely, climate ambition and rapid renewables create a future evidence of European Green Deal based on build-outs.”
The Commission unveiled its green deal to increase Europe’s ambitions at the end of 2019 under Von Der Leyen. Scientists have found that Europe is the fastest heating area globally; The continent saw its hottest year on record in 2024.
What would be the meaning of fossil fuel deal for climate?
A few weeks ago, the Commission had submitted proposals for 90% block-wind reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 compared to the 1990 level.
The mid -term target aims to help the European Union reach against the 2050 target of carbon neutrality, including implementing efficiency, electrification of the transport and promoting green energy. Over the next five years, the purpose of BLOC is 42.5% energy from renewable sources.
The US-AU trade deal “fly in the face” of these commitments, said Luke Hewood, the leading climate and energy in a network of European Environment, Environmental Organization.
He said in a statement, “US energy imports are not only physically vested in three years, it will derail the mid -term decarbolization goals of the European Union.”
Oil and gas burning causes greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide, which implicates heat in the atmosphere and heats the planet, which leads to more extreme weather.
Swapping pipeline gas for American LNG will further extend the emission of Europe, Chris Aylet said, “A research companion of the Environment and Society Center, the Independent Policy Institute, UK -based Independent Policy Institute, Chautham House. This is because LNG production and transport emit more methane – a greenhouse gas is far more powerful than the CO2, although it does not last long in the atmosphere.
But the European Union Commission spokesman Anna-like Itconnon told reporters on Thursday that the trade deal affects only the next three years, while the decarbonization targets of the block are “beyond that path”.
“So this will not have any effect on our decarbonation goals – no one,” Xi said.
Can Europe keep its energy purchase celebrities?
Nevertheless, there is doubt whether Europe can live for its new pledge on American energy spending, it will be “very difficult with Elet.”
In 2024, the European Union imported € 60 billion oil and gas from the US. Another € 24 billion came from Russia. Together, it is a “long route away” from € 216 billion that the European Union promised to spend every year, Aillet told DW.
The European Commission therefore cannot force member states or companies to buy American energy, Elet said.
“This is aspiration, real. The European Union has a meeting that it can encourage it […] But all this is voluntary, so the commission is not shopping in itself, “He said.” In some ways the promise has made a bee that the commission itself is not real, but has no ability to give. ,
Swapping dependence on Russian energy with dependence on the US can be “disastrous” for energy security, Elet warned.
“It must have been breaking the rule long ago, which is that you don’t just trust a supplier,” Heer said, saying that it will “make the block very weak.”
The article was updated on 31 July 2025 with the comment of European Union Commission spokesperson Anna-Caisa Itcon.
DW correspondent Rosie Birchord contributed to this report of Brussels.
Edited by: Jennifer Colins
