198 organisations urge the European Commission to make this fossil fuel crisis Europe’s last
Ahead of the State of the Union address in 2026, 198 organisations across Europe have signed a joint letter urging the European Commission to once and for all stop Europe's fossil crises and develop a science-based roadmap towards affordable, renewable, secure, and homegrown energy.
Each 1 September, the President of the European Commission delivers the State of the Union address to the European Parliament, sharing the milestones and priorities for the upcoming year. This year, the address comes at a critical time for Europe and Europeans. The continent is on fire—unfortunately, literally. The climate crisis has brought several successive heatwaves, record temperatures, devastating wildfires, and severe droughts across the continent.
In 2026, Europe was hit by five major heatwaves. In June alone, an estimated 14,000 excess deaths were recorded in Central and Western Europe. Belgium was the hardest-hit country during June, together with France and Germany.
The wildfire season is also devastating many countries, with Spain, France, and Greece among the hardest-hit. More than 620,000 hectares have already burned across the European Union since the beginning of the year, forcing more than 300,000 people to evacuate their homes and tourist destinations.
Besides the cost in human lives, extreme heat costs EU economies around 180 billion euros this year alone, accounting for around 1% of the bloc's GDP.
The letter gathers over 100 civil society organisation - Credit: Transport & Environment
Although renewable energy provided 48% of the EU's power in 2025, the EU economy remains exposed to the price volatility of imported fuels and the geopolitical decisions of other countries. The EU buys around 97% of its crude oil and nearly 88% of its natural gas from abroad. This dependence on imported fossil fuels greatly compromises Europe's energy security, as seen with the energy crisis caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, taking place only four years after the one caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The spike in oil and gas prices has caused the EU to spend an additional 50 billion euros on fossil fuel imports, and the resulting inflation has caused an increase in interest rates.
This crisis comes at a moment when Europeans are struggling to keep up with the higher energy costs. In fact, energy poverty and climate crisis go hand in hand. With the climate crisis and the growing recurrence of heatwaves, summer energy poverty has become an increasingly urgent issue. Summer energy poverty is the inability to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures during the hottest months, and, especially during heatwaves, it can be fatal for the most vulnerable individuals.
Transport is one of the most exposed sectors to oil prices, with fossil fuels accounting for 93% of the share, leading to a 250 billion euros bill for imported crude oil. Road transport is the main driver of the EU's oil dependency, with cars alone consuming around 1 billion barrels of imported oil annually, costing the EU €67 billion.
Clean alternatives already exist. Electric vehicles (EVs) are a mature technology, and their sales are growing each year. Public transport is not only a more sustainable alternative to private cars, but is also one of the greatest assets to tackle transport poverty. Finally, active mobility modes, such as cycling, are more energy efficient and affordable, and greatly contribute to reducing CO2 emissions in transport.
Make this fossil fuel crisis Europe's last one
The ongoing dependence on fossil fuels is a choice. The 198 environmental and social civil-society organisations and networks, city networks, consumer protection organisations, companies, and industry associations, among which POLIS, that have signed the letter calling on the Commission to develop an independent, science-based roadmap to free the EU from its fossil fuel dependence.
President von der Leyen should use the upcoming State of the Union address to announce the launch of a comprehensive independent report to provide a shared strategic vision to deliver a fossil fuel exit plan.
The plan should be based on five priorities:
- Quantify the full economic and financial burden of dependence: calculate how much fossil fuels drain each year from households, industry, and public budgets;
- Identify the fastest competitive exit: determine the most exposed sectors and draw a plan to electrify them using the most cost-efficient proven solutions;
- Align budget with the exit: identify where EU and national finance, subsidies and spending still prolong dependence;
- Leave no one behind: identify the governance and financial support needed and involve worker organisations;
- Prioritise nature-based solutions in climate actions: natural solutions are proven to be the most effective against pollution and extreme climate events, at a fraction of the cost of engineered alternatives, and provide adequate funding.
This second fossil fuel crisis can become the turning point for Europe. Guaranteeing affordable, renewable, secure, and homegrown energy is the only way to become truly energy resilient and independent.
Read the letter here.
