Europe. Yesterday, the EU and U.S. struck a framework agreement that imposes a 15% tariff on most EU goods entering America. In exchange, the EU has committed to purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy, including liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Andreas Sieber, Associate Director of Policy and Campaigns at 350.org said:
“It’s deeply shortsighted to see the EU strike a so-called “deal” with the U.S. that locks us into expensive, polluting gas. Fossil gas is not only worse for the climate than coal, it comes at a higher cost. This risks locking Europe into decades of fossil fuel dependence, volatile energy bills, and accelerating the wildfires and flooding already wreaking havoc across the continent. While Trump celebrates this as a win, communities on both sides of the Atlantic are suffering with deadly climate impacts.
European country governments and EU Commissioners must reject importing more LNG and fossil fuels from the United States. At this critical juncture for climate action, and as we await an updated climate target from the EU, we must accelerate a just transition away from fossil fuels and a full pivot to clean, affordable, renewable energy.”
To date, the United States continues to flood Europe with fossil fuels, cementing LNG and fossil fuel dependency accounting for over 50% of Europe’s LNG supplies in Q1 of 2025, while contributing virtually nothing to the EU’s clean technology imports. According to official EU statistics, this is a lopsided trade that locks Europe deeper into fossil dependence.
LNG is not a bridge to decarbonisation, it is a super-polluter:
- U.S. LNG produced from fracked gas has a 33% higher lifecycle emissions footprint than coal.
- Over a 20 year timeframe, methane is at least 80 times more potent than CO2 as a climate pollutant. As such, LNG may represent the most climate-damaging fossil fuel currently in use.
- In 2024, the European Union sourced a staggering 90% of its gas from abroad, a dependence that leaves the bloc dangerously exposed to foreign suppliers, price volatility, and geopolitical blackmail, undermining any claim to true energy security. Deepening dependence on U.S. fossil fuels is a strategic misstep that leaves Europe exposed to price shocks and supply disruptions. Relying on massive LNG imports not only locks in higher and more volatile energy costs but also undermines Europe’s long-term energy security and sovereignty.
- LNG-fired power remains up to three times more expensive than renewable energy in many regions. Even with a looming global glut that may push prices down, LNG is set to stay uncompetitive—locked into high costs and outpaced by cheaper, cleaner energy alternatives.
The EU must show real leadership and reject any deal that ties our future to fossil gas. 350.org calls on EU decision-makers to:
- Commit to a 1.5°C aligned climate plan, with an updated and ambitious NDC and 2040 climate goal.
- Accelerate investment in clean, renewable energy and modern grids to ensure affordability and resilience.
- Cancel new LNG terminals and long term contracts that risk becoming stranded assets and legal liabilities.
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Editors Note:
- Last week, the EU and China released a joint statement signalling a willingness to collaborate on climate action.
- 350.org and partners are calling for the European Union to Break Free from Trump’s Gas.
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