Europeans Expect Energy Transition to Cut Import Reliance
A European Investment Bank survey finds most EU residents expect the shift to clean energy to lower prices and slow climate change.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Inflation
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Have rising energy prices cut your household's purchasing power over the past year?
The European Investment Bank published its eighth Climate Survey of 23,000 people across 27 EU Member States, finding that 82% of Europeans expect the energy transition to reduce dependence on imported oil and gas. Six in ten say rising energy prices have significantly reduced their purchasing power over the past 12 months.
Why it matters
The findings show households absorbing the cost of energy price rises through cut spending and reduced heating, with 16% going into debt, seeking financial help, or delaying an energy bill. Public expectations of the transition are shaped as much by affordability and energy security as by climate goals.
The survey covered 23,000 people across the EU, with 79% expecting steadier or lower prices from the energy transition and 60% reporting significantly reduced purchasing power from rising energy costs. Whether these expectations will translate into measured price or import outcomes is not yet known.
The players
European Investment Bank
The EU's public lending institution, which commissioned the eighth Climate Survey and invests heavily in energy projects across the bloc.
Ipsos bva
The market research firm that conducted the survey among residents of all 27 EU Member States.
The details
Conducted by Ipsos bva between 3 and 25 August 2026 among people aged 16 and over, the survey found 38% of Europeans cut everyday food or health spending and 34% turned down their heating because of rising prices. Fifty-five percent prefer building a competitive European clean-technology industry over faster deployment of imported technology.
Timeline
2022: previous survey edition, when slowing climate change was the top expected benefit in 19 Member States
3-25 August 2026: survey fieldwork conducted among 23,000 EU residents
5 November 2026: European Investment Bank published the eighth Climate Survey results
Inflation Context
The 2026 edition, following the 2022 survey, shows climate slipping behind energy independence and price stability as the benefit Europeans most associate with the energy transition in several Member States. Reduced import dependence now ranks first in 16 Member States, compared with climate leading in 19 in 2022.
Six in ten Europeans report reduced purchasing power, and 34% have turned down their heating while 38% cut food or health spending. For households facing these pressures, the survey suggests energy costs are directly shaping everyday budget decisions.
The takeaway
Households already cutting heating and everyday spending are the clearest signal that energy affordability, not only climate, will determine public support for the transition. Expectations of lower prices from the shift are now a central test for policymakers.
Further reading
Explore more on how energy costs feed into Inflation across the economy.
More information
Download the full 2026 EIB climate survey results by country from the European Investment Bank.
Live Poll
Have rising energy prices cut your household's purchasing power over the past year?
