Just over a month after the presentation of the European Green Deal, the European Commission presented a detailed proposal on how to finance it. The European Green Deal Investment Plan is designed to attract at least one trillion euros worth of public and private investment over the next decade.

Why it matters

Turning the EU into a climate neutral economy by 2050 will require massive investment in clean energy technologies. To achieve an interim greenhouse gases reduction target of 40% by 2030 would require €260 billion of additional investment a year, according to the Commission’s estimates.

Find out more on the EU's response to climate change

Where the money will come from

Around half of the money should come from the EU's long-term budget through various programmes that contribute to climate and environment projects, for instance through agricultural funds, the Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund, Horizon Europe and the Life programme.

This in turn would attract an additional €114 billion in co-financing by EU countries. About €300 billion worth of private and public investment is expected to be mobilised through funds from InvestEU and the EU's Trade Emissions Scheme (ETS) while another €100 billion should be attracted using the new Just Transition Mechanism, which is designed to support regions and communities that are most affected by a green transition, for instance regions that are heavily dependent on coal.

Just Transition Mechanism

The mechanism will be based on three pillars: